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Home And Contents Insurance. Keep Your Home In Shape For Insurance's Sake   by Adrian Taylor

If you're a homeowner, then you should know all about maintaining your home to a good standard to avoid future problems. But not all of us realise that it could actually affect your ability to make a successful claim on your home and contents insurance if the cause is found to be related to poor upkeep. If a claim is made and the insurer decides that the problem could have been avoided had the maintenance been up to scratch, then they may downsize your payout, or even refuse to pay anything at all.

We've put together a list of 10 top tips to help you keep your home at a good standard. They're easy to follow and you only have to do it once a year. We recommend springtime as the best because the winter weather causes most damage to properties with the constant wind, cold, rain and sleet/snow. Once the weather starts to get better, probably around Easter time, set aside a few hours to give your home its annual MoT. It could save you a lot of money if a problem has just occurred, and save you even more if insurance becomes an issue.

These ten tips will hold you in good stead:

1. Inspect your gutters for blockages from leaves and other debris. In the autumn and winter your gutters are in constant use and it doesn't take long for them to fill up. If this does happen then water could start to penetrate the walls, resulting in costly decorating and other damp proof measures. Rather than do it yourself, as it can be quite dangerous, ask your window cleaner if he'll check them out.

2. Walk around the house and, using binoculars if you have them, see if you can see any loose, cracked, or slipped tiles. If water starts to get into the roof space then it's only a matter of time before damp or rot sets in, and don't forget you'll need to redecorate too. There's also the possibility that a loose tile could fall from the roof and cause an injury to you or a passer-by - definitely something to be avoided!

3. Exterior paintwork shows the strain of the weather quite quickly, and you need to keep an eye on it to ensure the elements aren't finding a way into the woodwork. In summer, the heat causes woodwork to expand which makes the paint crack, in winter, the woodwork contracts again leaving gaping cracks open to the wind and rain. So if you see cracking, peeling or blistering then cover the areas up with a lick of paint.

4. If you have an open fire and use it regularly then you need to have the chimney swept out every year. Soot can build up and if it gets too severe, it could catch fire. In summer, soot absorbs damp, which won't do the brickwork in your chimney any good.

5. Inspect the damp course to check it's still intact, and make sure you haven't got garden rubbish leaning against it. Grass clippings etc do not do your damp course any good, and over time it could fail, leaving your property open to damp and rot.

6. Some trees are particularly liable to spread their strong roots far and wide, so think about that before you buy a shrub or tree and place it near your property. Getting roots out of your foundations or drainage system is an extremely costly exercise. Willows and Poplars are the worst and with Poplars, the problem is so bad that if a new home is built within 150 feet of a tree, then they have to reinforce the foundations.

7. Falling trees are another concern. If you suffer damage from a fallen tree and it wasn't on your land then there's no problem with a claim. But if the tree was on your land and is damaged, dying or rotten, then it will be your responsibility as it will be considered to be a maintenance issue. It's your duty to keep trees on your land in good health, or have them chopped down. If you have very big trees then it will be necessary to have a tree surgeon carry out annual checks to verify that your trees are in good health, and are not likely to fall except in the most extreme conditions.

8. Plants that climb up the side of your house may look nice but they cause a lot of damage, so it's not a good idea. Ivy is the worse offender, it burrows into the brickwork and render, opening up spaces to the elements. It's imperative that you don't let it climb onto your roof as it can cause extreme damage up there.

9. Get a gas check every year, after the hard and constant use of the winter, spring is the best time. A corgi-registered engineer should check your boiler, your gas appliances and radiators, and carbon monoxide levels.

10. Last on the list is the loft check. Squirrels like to nest up there if they get the chance, as do birds and wasps. Squirrels cause particular damage as they like the insulation around wiring, which could eventually cause a fire. Remove any nests that you find and block up the holes so the little invaders have to go elsewhere next time.

Follow these tips and your home will be equipped to deal with almost any eventuality. It also means that if you do need to make a claim, you won't have to worry about being found negligent in terms of maintenance.

About the Author

Express offers home insurance to uk residents.

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Pet Insurance. There's no National Health Service for dogs.   by Michael Challiner

Can you afford to insure your pet against accidents and ailments? Can you afford not to?

· In the UK there are 5.2 million dog-owning homes without pet insurance cover. · If your dog is injured in a road accident, the average veterinary surgeons bill will be £379. · Unless you're in receipt of Housing or Council Tax benefit, and therefore receive vets services free of charge under the PDSA PetAid scheme (more about this later) the costs of veterinary care are all down to you. There is no NHS for pets.

Picture yourself in this position: Your dog has been injured and is suffering badly. Your first thought is to get him to the vets as soon as possible. Once there, he requires a scan. At around £1000, the nightmare has started. There could be further detailed tests before diagnosis. He may need an operation and lengthy follow up treatment. The bill could be enormous. The family are at home, waiting by the 'phone for news of Fido. Are you going to say, no, sorry can't afford this? Hardly. Your immediate reaction is to ask the vet to do all they can to save your pet.

There are many different types of pet insurance available. Half an hour or so surfing the net will bring up loads of information. Cost of cover varies from the fairly reasonable to the expensive and the range of cover from basic up to plans that cover unlimited lifetime care for your pet, pet search schemes for lost pets and cover for care if the owner is hospitalized. It's well worth doing your homework to make sure that you'll be getting the cover you need, within your budget.

Pet Plan, for example, offer a budget policy offering cover for lifetime conditions to cover fees of up to £4000 per annum. This costs £180 per year. They also have Standard and Supreme plans. Standard would pay up to £6000 per annum and the Supreme gives unlimited cover. One of Pet Plans customers told us how grateful they were that they had the Budget policy. They'd take out the plan when their dog was a puppy. Later the dog developed allergy problems and had to have extensive tests to sort the problem, then a special diet and monthly injections. When a hip problem developed, the bills soon mounted up, but were covered by the insurance, giving the family peace of mind and the knowledge that they'd done their best for their pet.

As mentioned above, the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals is able to help out families who would otherwise be unable to afford the care their pet may need. If you are on the benefits mentioned, the PDSA PetAid scheme will help with free treatment at one of their surgeries, hospitals or centres. They help 4650 pets per day and at present there are around 5.8 million households that could be helped in this way.

We are a dog loving nation, with an excellent choice of some of the best Veterinary practices you could wish for. Doesn't your dog deserve the best?

About the Author

Brokers Online offer most uk financial services including pet insurance http://www.life-assurance-bureau.co.uk/pet-insurance/

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What is life insurance?  

by Michael Hanna

Life insurance is a financial product that few of us like to think about. We would all like to believe that we are going to live forever, however there comes a point when reality needs to step in and plans are made for the inevitable.

Life insurance is intended to provide some level of protection for financially interested parties should the worst happen. This means that cover can be provided for others who will become financially disadvantaged by the death of the insured person. By taking out a life insurance policy, dependants will not have to deal with all the additional hardships which can be caused by the monetary loss of the insured's income or productivity.

Life insurance is most frequently taken out to protect family members and replace the breadwinner's salary ensuring that the family home will not be lost, however it can also be used to cover the costs of a paying for the tasks a house person performs on a daily basis, such as child care, housework, gardening, etc. Businesses also commonly take out life insurance policies on their most important employees to protect against any financial losses to the company that could be incurred due to their death.

For most people life insurance is used to protect their family by providing a lump sum to pay off any loans or mortgage repayments, so that the family home is protected, or to provide a replacement family income, but it is also often used to help cover funeral expenses, inheritance tax or provide an emergency fund to cover a period of financial instability following the insured's death.

There are two broad types of life insurance: term insurance and investment type policies. Term policies are the simplest and generally the cheapest form of cover and will provide protection for a set period, after which the policy will lapse. Investment type policies such whole-of-life insurance, provide cover for as long as the policy holder lives, as well as building up an investment value which can be cashed in by surrendering the policy.

When considering what type of life insurance policy is most suitable, it is vital to decide what the purpose of the cover is to be, along with calculating how much cover is required. This is important when choosing the level of the cover needed.

The main cover types currently available are:

- Level term policies which will pay out a set tax free lump sum upon the policy holder's death and premiums are set at the time the policy is taken out.

- Increasing term insurance is similar to a standard level term policy; however the value of the lump sum (and usually the premiums) increases with time to compensate for inflation or rising prices.

- Decreasing term is a type of life insurance where the lump sum value reduces over time. This form of cover is usually taken to protect loan or mortgage repayments, where the overall amount required to pay off the loan amount will decrease as regular repayments are made.

- Increasable term life insurance provides the option to increase the level of cover in the future, with the corresponding premium increases being based on the policy holder's health at the time of initially taking out the policy without the need for a need medical or major re-evaluation. This type of policy can be useful to provide additional cover following marriage or the birth of a child.

- Renewable term insurance enables the term of a policy to be extended when the initial period comes to an end. The premiums to be paid are, like increasable terms, calculated based upon the policy holder's health at the time of the policy being taken out.

- Pension-linked term policies such as B-Assured life insurance from Barclays allow the policy holder to claim tax relief on their premium payments, as long as they are eligible to contribute to a personal pension or stakeholder scheme.

For a life insurance guide and life insurance comparisons visit Moneynet or view the regular surveys in Which? and specialist personal finance magazines.

Disclaimer:

All information contained in this article, is for general information purposes only and should not be construed as advice under the Financial Services Act 1986.

You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

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Affordable Health Insurance  

 by ElmerFizz

Affordable health insurance - it seems, especially today, those words just don't belong together in the same sentence. Health insurance monthly premiums have become the biggest single expense in our lives - surpassing even mortgage payments. In fact, if you have any permanent health problems, such as diabetes, or have had cancer at one time in your family history, your monthly cost could easily be more than the house and car payment combined.

Shopping for affordable health insurance can certainly be an eye-opener. If you have always had a health insurance benefit where you work - especially a state or federal employee - and now have to buy your own, you may not be able to afford the level of health insurance coverage you have become used to.

Affordable health insurance, however, is definitely available -if you know how and where to look.

When you are looking for affordable health insurance, you want the lowest cost per year that will fit your budget, of course. But, even more importantly, you want a company that has a good record for paying without fighting with you on every detail. Just as there is a car for just about any budget, there is also affordable health insurance. You may not be able to afford a "Cadillac" policy - but then you probably don't need all the frills anyway.

Shopping for health insurance on the internet is the easiest and best way to find affordable health insurance. Here are five reasons why.

1. You don't need a local agent to help you submit the claims for health insurance. The medical provider does it for you. You save money because the health insurance company saves money by not paying the agent commission. This could amount to an 8% to 12% savings to you. 2. All the top health insurance companies are at your fingertips on the internet. Most local agents can only quote you from the few companies that they represent. They may not offer you what is best for you financially or health-wise but only what they happen to have available. 3. Health insurance companies have to be extremely competitive because it is so quick and easy to compare them with their competitors on the internet today. In the past you would have had to visit physically eight to ten agents to do a similar comparison. Most folks just didn't have the time or desire for that. 4. You can change your coverage, deductibles, and payment options with just a few clicks rather than going through the paperwork delay with a local agent (and then finding out he/she made a mistake - more delay). 5. Charging to a credit card means you aren't going to forget a payment and be without insurance. Also, it gives you another 30 days before you actually have to pay. Also, many companies today give an additional discount for "auto-pay".

The key, however, to finding affordable health insurance is realizing that the purpose of any health insurance is to protect you from a major financial loss - not to protect you from spending small money on clinic visits and sliver removal. These small expenses may be cumbersome but they generally will not hurt you. It's the $100,000 heart operation that will break you. That's the financial disaster health insurance was originally designed to prevent.

Also, keep this in mind. Health insurance, as with any insurance, is a gamble. You are gambling that you will draw out more than you pay in. Your health insurance company is gambling they will pay out less. The odds are in their favor for two reasons. They have all the facts for millions of families to average out, so they know the risk in advance. Also, they get to set the rules and the prices. The higher you set your deductible, the more risk you take. This is not a bad thing at all. You will most likely be the winner in the long run.

Yes, finding affordable health insurance is much easier than most people think.

Taking more of the risk with higher deductibles, spending a little time on the internet comparing eight to ten different companies, and deleting coverage that you will not likely need (such as maternity for many folks) will make it very possible to find your own affordable health insurance.

About the Author

For More Information on all kinds of Insurance please visit: http://www.aInsuranceInfo.com This article may be reprinted If all hyperlinks remain active.

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For women car insurance means cheap motoring, but what about safety?   by Katy Lassetter

Car safety is extremely important to everyone who owns a car. When you get behind the wheel of a car you have to consider more than your road tax, car insurance and fuel consumption if you want to remain safe on the roads. Although for women, car insurance is cheaper than it is for men and therefore motoring in general is less costly, most women are more concerned about the safety aspects of driving.

Every year many people are involved in car accidents and as a result those involved will have to live with the consequences. In addition to living with possibly quite serious injuries, a car accident can lead to higher car insurance premiums and possible long term implications such as a fear of driving.

Unfortunately many people who are involved in car accidents are killed or sustain much more serious injuries than they could have done had the circumstances been different. Many accidents occur on isolated roads or at night when there are few other vehicles on the roads and no one is around to call the emergency services. This can mean that those involved in the crash do not receive immediate medical attention and their state can deteriorate.

Many drivers and women in particular who take their children on car journeys are welcoming new technology that is to be fitted into all new cars by the year 2009. The new technology will enable the car itself to call the emergency services and ambulances will be able to locate the scene of the accident using satellite technology.

Research carried out in the EU has shown that the new technology could save as many as 2,500 lives per year. The UK's Department of Transport will be commissioning an impact study before signing up to the scheme which is estimated to reduce the cost of accidents and congestion by £18billion. The total cost of implementing the scheme is estimated to be £3.1billion.

The EU's European Road Safety Action Programme aims to halve the number of road deaths by 2010. This new device could be a key tool in the reduction of the suffering experienced by people involved in car accidents.

The cost of a car accident can run into thousands of pounds and the physical suffering caused can last for many years, resulting in some very high cost motor insurance claims. If new technologies reduce the time it takes for people to receive treatment then motoring may cost less in the longer term. For women, car insurance costs may reduce and peace of mind may be restored that if an accident occurs at night then the emergency services are not far away.

About the Author

CoverGirl Car Insurance Services are specialists in women's car insurance and can provide fast, free quotes in seconds- just go to http://www.covergirlcarinsurance.co.uk or call 0800 195 48 52 today.

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Lower Auto Insurance Quotes? Here's How! 

  by Jill Quinn

There isn't a driver out there who wants to pay more than necessary for auto insurance premiums. It's an important part of auto ownership, but far less enjoyable than the vehicle itself. Combined with a car payment, a car insurance premium can really put a dent into your monthly finances. Although we can't help you with the car note itself, here are a few tips to get a lower auto insurance quote, and therefore, a lower monthly insurance bill to ease up on those debts.

First point; check your credit reports for errors-one from each of the three main credit bureaus- Experian, Equifax and Trans Union (available at each bureau's website, one free report annually from each bureau -by law). Your credit history and current score have a drastic impact on your insurance premiums, so by clearing up and misinformation or inaccuracies on them, you'll receive lower auto insurance quotes from potential insurers. Keeping up on your credit and paying your bills on time will help to ensure low rates on loans and insurance in the future.

Second, slow down! Speeding tickets and other traffic violations, including any sort of vehicle related ticket (parking included) issued by law enforcement, PLUS accidents, are another key factor in calculating your insurance premiums.

Next point of interest: Students with good grades will have better insurance rates than those with less than high scholastic ambitions. This is good news for parents and children alike, for it provides a wonderful bartering tool for moms and dads.

Another key point: Group discounts are often a money saving tool within the insurance industry. If you have homeowners, life, or any other type of insurance policy, having them all written by the same insurer will yield you a sometimes hefty discount.

Be sure to get a quote on an insurance policy before driving off in your new car. Each vehicle on the market will vary greatly from each other as well as individual insurance providers as to their insurance premiums. Don't assume that just because something is a four door sedan that the insurance rates will be less than a two door coupe, or visa versa. Insurance costs vary for many different reasons, sometimes for the car's speed, while other times a car might be a high theft risk in your area.

Finally, shop around. Don't assume that just because one particular insurance company considers you a risk that another will feel the same. Obtaining quotes from multiple insurers will create competition between then, granting you a "win-win" situation.

If after trying all of these ideas you're still not completely happy with your insurance quote, you may want to consider raising your deductible for collision and comprehensive coverage. If your policy's coverage now contains a $250 deductible, raising it to $500 will save you some money on your auto insurance premiums.

About the Author

Jill Quinn recommends that you visit http://www.cheap-autoinsurance.com/ for more information on auto insurance quotes.

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