Holiday horrors and how to avoid them – Regency Insurance

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-truths/What-happens-to-lost-luggage/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travel-truths/What-happens-to-lost-luggage/

 

Life is like a predator, don’t let it catch up with you when you’re vulnerable. Holidays are our one chance a year to get away and enjoy the fruits of our labour, but even this comes with risks. Every day we hear horror stories in the news regarding travel nightmares which we always assume will “never happen to us”. Don’t be one of those people. According to the Money Advice Service, the average spend on a holiday is £1,027.00 per person, which is even more reason to protect yourself and your family. Still not convinced? The average cost for medical treatment abroad is £2,040.00 according to the Association of British Insurers, and all emergency expenses including flights, have amounted to an excess of £49,000.

How about losing a bag? It is estimated that there were 24.1 million mishandled bags in 2014, which was an amazing 7 out of every 1000 people. Still think it’s worth the risk? Regency Insurance is here for you.

http://wsimag.com/travel/569-lost-luggage-what-to-do-and-how-to-avoid-it

In contrast to other industries, Insurance is one which has change very little and Regency Insurance offers a personalized service best suited to you that price comparison websites simply don’t offer. Experienced and professional brokers are at hand, which will research and identify the best Insurance policies for you.

According to the Association of British Insurers, Britons on average spend double the average price for an insurance policy on magazines and sweets at the airport. I don’t know about you, but I would rather rest easy knowing I’m covered for all eventualities, than catching up on Woman’s Weekly and munching on my meal deal.

What we cover:

  • Emergency medical expenses
  • Personal liability, in the case you’re sued for damage to property or injury
  • Lost or stolen bags and items
  • Cost of delaying or cutting short your trip
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Travel-insurance-do-I-really-need-it/
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/advice/Travel-insurance-do-I-really-need-it/

 

Holiday Insurance Horror Stories:

  • One traveller had to pay £20,000 to cover the cost of treatment for a heart infection and bleeding on the brain. Costs included treatment at two hospitals and an air ambulance back to the UK from Spain.
  • £11,000 to treat a holidaymaker who suffered a broken arm after a fall in Spain.
  • Medical bills in the USA average £4,726 – the world’s most expensive destination for emergency medical care.
  • £54,000 to treat a holidaymaker who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while holidaying in the USA and then needed to be flown back to the UK with a doctor escort

I hope this hasn’t put you off holidaying as the world has some beautiful things to offer. Here at Regency Insurance we can offer 25 years’ experience and we genuinely care about your well-being. We are dedicated to ensuring you and your family are covered and can guarantee a stress free trip when you insure with us.

http://regency4insurance.co.uk/

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Contacts:

Address: Regency Insurance Services 317 Stanstead Rd Forest Hill London SE23 1JB
Phone: 0208 690 8667
Fax: 0208 690 3452
Email: info@regency4insurance.co.uk

http://regency4insurance.co.uk/

https://twitter.com/RegencyInsure

https://www.facebook.com/RegencyServices

Regency Insurance Services: Are you covered for winter weather damage?

It’s about time you double checked your home insurance policy terms and cover, if just for the peace of mind. Every year you’ve brushed off the suitably dire warnings from your favourite weather-girl, laughed at The Express foretelling yet another apocalypse and had a good moan about the train being late due to leaves on the line (or some other “reason”)

Now though, it feels different. Bad storms and heavy flooding seem to have become a regular occurrence, and the thought of ringing up your insurers and hearing the words “Sorry, we can’t cover you for the damage” makes you feel nauseous.

 

The Culprits

The main causes of wintertime damage are storms and the cold. Storms can directly damage your house and surrounding trees, causing branches (or even entire trees) to fall onto your – or worse, your neighbours – home. Indirectly they can cause flooding, which will lead to damage of both your home and possessions.

Flooding and storm risk affects insurance

Classically, one always worries about frozen pipes in the winter (burst pipes, no heating and water – never good), but there are other problems you should be aware of. If there’s enough snow you should be wary of collapsing roofs, tree branches and damage to cars. From a legal perspective: if a person slips and falls, whilst on your property, you could be liable.

 

What’s Covered

Apart from the heartache and hassle, the cost of cleaning up damage can be huge. Policies will vary and it’s worth closely reading the clauses, but in the UK, home insurance will generally cover:

  • Natural events such as storms and flooding
  • Fire, smoke damage and explosions
  • Vandalism
  • Subsidence
  • Vehicle collision
  • Falling trees
  • Water damage from leaking or burst pipes
  • Oil leaks from your heating system

Obviously not all of these are relevant to weather damage, but the majority are. In particular, flood insurance is now normally included as a standard part of your house insurance. Unfortunately it also rarely includes the contents of your home, unless you take out a specific home contents insurance policy. So if you live in a high-risk area it could be worth paying a premium.

Depending on your policy, your insurer may also cover structures outside your house (garden, garage, driveway, fences and walls).

 

What’s (probably) not Covered

More insurers won’t cover any damage caused by:

  • Frost (unless it causes damage through a burst pipe)
  • Leaking gutters
  • Replacing damaged belongings.

Again, don’t take my word for it. Check your policy carefully and make a note of what is and what isn’t covered.

 

The Curveball

If there’s one thing likely to scupper your claim, it’s the insurer claiming homeowners negligence – insinuating that you neglected standard care of your home, allowing it to withstand normal winter weather. Common negligence claims in the UK include:

  • Flooding – if you develop your land and it adversely affects the risk of flooding and causes damage to your, or your neighbours house, it’s unlikely to be covered.
  • Pipes – if the insurance company believes that you didn’t take adequate precautions (heating on, pipes drained, etc.) you may be denied coverage.
  • Trees – if you know that a tree or branch is at risk of falling, do something about it! If it’s looking tenuous now, imagine what will happen if a gale hits it.

 

Reduce the Risk

Home insurance is just another arrow in your quiver. If something were to happen, and you didn’t have insurance, you’re either going to have to foot a very large bill or (even worse) you could be liable and potentially lose your home.

If you’ve decided to have a second look over your policy, it’s worth talking to an insurance broker so you fully understand all the terms and conditions. Before you go, here are a few relevant questions you could ask:

  • If my home was damaged by a natural event, what is and what isn’t covered?
  • Are contents covered? Is it “New for Old” or “IndAndrew Dartford Insurance Brokeremnity” cover?
  • Do they cover alternative accommodation?

“And remember, you don’t always have to claim. If the damage is minimal and doesn’t cost much more than the deductible, is it really worth raising your premium over?”

Andrew Dartford – MD at Regency Insurance Services

If there’s anything you’re not sure about, just let us know. We’d be happy to go through the detail with you and advise on policies and claims. Just give us a ring on 0208 690 8667

6 Reasons why you should use an Insurance Broker

We’ve always been told from a young age that if we invest in something expensive or valuable we had better look after it. But sometimes things are taken out of our hands and that’s when we’re told ‘it’s better to be safe than sorry’ and that’s what insurance is all about.

bettersafe

Whether you are insuring a property, a vehicle or a business (or maybe a pet), the choices are seemingly endless with everyone claiming to be the cheapest, when it’s probably not the cheapest you want. That’s where speaking to a broker can save you time and money as well as giving you peace of mind that you have the cover you need.

Below are 6 ways an insurance broker can make life easier for you.

1. “Insurance brokers have deeper knowledge of the ‘Product’’, they can better advise you on getting the best deal for you

Insurance brokers are experts in their field, who can offer advice in areas easy to forget when thinking about insuring something. Last year Cloud Direct, a cloud services broker (CSB) found that 54% of small to medium sized business owners were unaware that there are insurance benefits in having a business continuity plan. This is despite 68% of people saying they already having a business continuity plan in place. Something an insurance broker can definitely help with. Brokers have the experience of building up relationships with insurance companies, which are translated into preferential rates that can be offered to you as a client. “We save you time and money because most people who source quotes on the internet still have to call insurers to confirm the quote is accurate” (Andrew Dartford, CEO of Regency Insurance Services)

2. Advice from an insurance broker is free, you don’t pay them and the premium is no higher

Despite the popular misconception of the insurance broker being a middleman, who should be cut out in order to make the insurance cheaper the broker receives a commission from the insurance company as an alternative to the cost of advertising their services elsewhere. This actually often translates into a better deal for you.

3. Insurance solutions will be tailored to your individual circumstances

Direct insurance companies cannot always provide the exact type of insurance cover you need as they tend to show standard rates and do not allow for the flexibility of taking each customer’s requirements into account. A broker asks questions and spends time getting to know you and your situation, especially if you have very specific requirements. They can then compare the detail of the products available, negotiate on your behalf and explain to you your options, so that you can rest assured that everything you need is taken care of and covered.

4. Brokers save you a lot of time

Insurance brokers take care of collecting and short-listing the initial quotes for you, so that you can spend that time on other important things in your life. According to research by the British Insurance Broker’s Association (BIBA), in June this year, UK SME’s spend 600,000 hours on company administration such as finding insurance. This is why going through an insurance broker is especially useful when you want to insure something that doesn’t fit a standard cover and have more complicated questions and queries. Going through the question and answer session once with a broker is much more efficient than repeating the process with a range of insurers, or risking missing something important by using comparison sites which only deal with basic, standard cover.

smallprint

5. They translate all the insurance talk jargon, so you don’t have to

Trying to understand all the differences in the policies and offers can be a demanding task, requiring a lot of focus and concentration, specifically if you are insuring something for the first time. Research by BIBA has shown that 29% of British small and medium sized enterprises do not always read their insurance documents entirely. In 2011 Aviva found that over a third of home owners (33%) who never fully read their home insurance. Could the complex jargon be why? “Most brokers have an understanding of all the small print, the terms and conditions, what they refer to and they can explain insurance covers and conditions of policy in straight forward language”, explains Andrew.

6. Insurance Brokers have an obligation to look after your interests, as they’re monitored by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority)

This means that the FCA monitors the activities of insurance brokers and the brokers have an obligation to behave ethically and offer you a fair deal as a customer. They are responsible for looking after your personal details, which is reassuring to customers if you have concerns using an automated online system.

Andrew Dartford“For me, the best part about being an Insurance Broker is working with people. Speaking to clients to understand what they really need and building relationships with insurers that mean I can always put together the best solution” Andrew Dartford

Why not tell us about your experiences working with insurance brokers, or let us hear any questions you might have by leaving a comment below – or you can just give us a call!…