Category Archives: Insurance

Insurance

Financial, Financial Services, Insurance, Money, Personal Finance

Insurance Rates, We Make It Easy For Consumers To Get All The Information They Need To Find Cheap Insurance

Consumers are often besieged by advertisements for the best rates, cheapest insurance, free quotes, etc, etc, ad nauseam. At Cheap Insurance Rates, we make it easy for consumers to get all the information they need to find Cheap Insurance. Our clients come to us seeking information on a host of financial and insurance services and we connect them with the best service providers in those industries. They come to us to instantly compare auto insurance offers. Rather than having to go shopping multiple insurance carriers, clients can fill in one simple form and have agents competing for their business. They come to us to get deals on home insurance and life insurance, and even pet insurance. They come to us to find health insurance deals to provide long term protection and comprehensive medical coverage for their families.

At Cheap-Insurance-Rates.com, we work with pre screened insurance professionals and match our clients with the best of the best. Quotes are free, and there is no obligation.Cheap auto insurance quotes require answering just a few basic questions about you and your vehicles, takes only a few minutes and you can view your quotes right on line. Shopping for competitive rates for health insurance is easy with Cheap Insurance Rates as well. Simply fill in the form and sit back and relax while we do the work for you. We search for carriers who can provide you the best rates possible and the insurance companies come to you, allowing you to pick and choose from which ones are giving you the best deals possible, and the best coverage. Now that’s competitive insurance shopping.

You can handle all of your insurance needs at Cheap-Insurance-Rates.com, take a few moments on our web site, fill int eh forms for each type of insurance you want to obtain quotes for, and we take care of all the details for you. Your personal information is kept safe and secure, shared only with prescreened insurance professionals who meet our stringent criteria. You can even find information on pet insurance plans to help cover accidents, illness and even the annual vet bills. Accidents happen, and your pet is an important part of your family; we understand that, and we’re here to help. Home owners insurance is a necessity, and taking the time to shop different companies is time consuming and inconvenient. By filling out one, single-page form at Cheap-Insurance-Rates.com, you can obtain multiple quotes for insurance, from reputable companies, without wasting your time.

At Cheap-Insurance-Rates.com, we work with you, putting you in touch with prescreened, reputable professionals who are offering the services you need, and we help you narrow the field to the providers who best match your needs. Contact us today to get free, no obligation quotes, and let us help you find the best agent for your needs.

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Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Investment, IRA, Personal Finance

Eqlibrium Investments Now Offers Trust Deeds For Clients

A trust deed, or also known as a deed of trust, is a document used to secure debt on a home acting as a mortgage. A trust deed is recorded as a lien on real property. However, although a deed of trust acts like a mortgage, there are differences between a mortgage and a deed of trust.

A trust deed is used as security for a loan on real property, and the specifics regarding the loan are written in a promissory note. A deed of trust is then documented at the county recorder’s office to legally notify the world that the property in question has now been pledged to secure a loan.

There are three parties involved in a trust deed. The Beneficiary which is the investor/lender/note holder, the Trustor which is the borrower and the Trustee which is a third party selected by the investor who has the legal power to act on the investors behalf and holds the title until the note has been paid. The deed of trust recorded against the borrower’s property title is what secures the lenders investment.

When making an investment in a deed of trust, the Trustor makes the property transfer, in trust, to the Trustee (independent third party). The Trustee then holds the conditional title on the behalf of the beneficiary (investor/lender/note holder), and then either of the following takes place: The trust deed will be returned to the borrower once they satisfy all of the terms and conditions that were outlined in the promissory note. The property will be put up for sale should the borrower default – also known as foreclosure. “In many cases, if the borrower defaults there is actually more profit in the investment,” said Louis Pugliese, President of EQlibrium Investments. “A good management company will pass along most, if not all, of this additional return to the investor.”

A few of the benefits of trust deed investing are high returns, a consistent cash flow, and capital preservation while owning an investment that is secured by real property. “Trust deeds offer a great way to earn a higher rate of return and still be secured by an asset to minimize risk,” Pugliese said.

Investors who invest in trust deeds typically make a 12 to 18% return, paid out monthly, with a minimum investment of just $50,000 and relatively low risk. As a result, they are able to enhance their lifestyle significantly without threat to their principal, or build a large nest egg, safely, in a relatively short period of time. Pugliese adds: “Most investors do not realize that they can also use their 401K and IRA’s to invest, earning them much higher returns.” Investing in a trust deed is simple. All you need is knowledge of your personal financial situation and investment account records.

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Business, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Insurance

Hays Insurance Reports London Staffing Trends Conflict With Recent Layoffs By Insurance Companies

The specialist insurance division of Hays recruitment consultancy in London has announced that despite general trends in the job market, it has experienced a record month in July for introductions of permanent candidates into the insurance marketplace.

David Carr, Regional Manager for London at Hays Insurance, said: “Whilst many commentators are saying there is a slowdown in activity within the insurance industry, we haven’t seen this to be the case. We put this rise in recruitment down to a re-prioritisation of the roles that insurance companies are hiring for. They are hiring more staff in roles where people are either protecting or generating revenue. Although our clients are being more cautious than ever when making decisions on recruitment there are some very good jobs out there at the moment that would suit ambitious jobseekers.“

Roland Seddon, Regional Director at Hays Senior Finance, commented, “Over the last two months we have seen a sharp increase in demand for senior level candidates in the Insurance sector, and over 20% of our role registrations in 2007/08 have been in the last 8 weeks.”

Hays Insurance has recently filled some high profile roles in the capital, including senior positions within a Big 4 consultancy firm, senior underwriter jobs within global insurers and director roles in specialist insurers and brokers. In fact, given the current Hays Recruitment figures on the state of the market, the insurance sector appears to possibly be benefiting from the present credit crunch.

Carr observed: “We have also noticed a vast increase in temporary and contract placements for experienced qualified individuals, which has highlighted the importance of the senior interim market during such uncertain times – and illustrates the value that the industry is placing on experienced people that can come in and offer something different.”

Hays Insurance is a subdivision of Hays Plc, the FTSE 250 Company which employs 7,753 staff operating from 376 offices in 27 countries across 17 specialisms. Hays Plc placed circa 68,000 candidates into permanent jobs and paid circa 46,000 temporary workers weekly during the year ending June 07.

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Bankruptcy, Business, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, IVA, Loans, Money, Personal Finance

Debt Solutions Company Debt Advisers Direct Have Warned That There May Be Tougher Times Ahead, And Advise People To Make Sure They Are Protected

Responding to the news that average bank balances are down by 5% compared to last year, a spokesperson for debt solutions company Debt Advisers Direct said that this is a clear sign that the credit crunch and fast-rising inflation is starting to truly affect consumers.

HSBC reported that average balances of its 8.2million customer accounts had fallen by 5% in the first six months of 2008, as rising costs of living and inflation at a 16-year high puts increasing pressure on consumers’ disposable incomes.

The Debt Advisers Direct spokesperson commented: “This is one of the first clear signs that people are feeling the pressure of the credit crunch, even if 5% is a relatively small figure.

“It’s been said many times that the impact of the credit crunch would take a while to filter through, and it would appear that time has come. Prices and living costs have reached the point where they are beginning to have a clear effect on bank balances – and that should be taken as a warning that it’s time to act.”

The spokesperson continued that while many people may not feel they have been significantly affected by inflation just yet, many leading economists have suggested the worst is yet to come.

“Economists have been predicting a more severe downturn for some time, and while that hasn’t happened yet, there are clear signs that the economy as a whole is slowing down,” he said. “This is likely to lead to further cuts in disposable incomes, especially with the sharp rises in gas and electricity prices due to come in shortly.”

HSBC had also suggested that some of the reduction in disposable incomes might be due to more people transferring money into savings accounts. In reaction to this, the Debt Advisers Direct spokesperson commented: “It would be reassuring to think that a large part of the lower disposable incomes is due to savings – and some of it probably is – but research suggests that most people do not save enough money for their future.

“Saving will become increasingly important in the next few months. Just a few hundred pounds put aside can be a useful financial buffer when money gets really tight.

“Of course, there are some people whose income simply does not stretch far enough once all their living costs are taken into consideration – particularly people struggling with debt – and those people are most at risk.”

The spokesperson added that for anyone who finds themselves struggling with debt, or thinks they might be about to, it’s essential that they seek professional debt advice as soon as possible.

“There are several solutions out there for people who find themselves struggling with debt,” he said. “For people with multiple debts who are getting by but want to simplify their finances, a debt consolidation loan could help.

“Debt consolidation loans involve combining all your existing debts into one, meaning you pay only one lender instead of many, and you may be able to reduce your monthly payments this way. However, you are likely to pay more in the long run if you do reschedule payments.

“Debt consolidation is a good way of freeing up extra funds each month – which could be crucial if the economy does hit hard times.”

He continued that even for those with unmanageable debt problems, there is help available. “For more severe debts, a debt management plan or an IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) might be more suitable. Both can reduce your monthly payments in line with what you can afford.

“Before making any decisions, though, you should always contact an expert debt adviser. They will talk you through your situation and decide which debt solution is appropriate for you.”

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Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Money, Personal Finance

The Credit Crunch Has Caused A Lot Of People To Look For New Ways To Save Money, One Is Not Taking Car Insurance

The credit crunch has led brought economising to the for front of many British drivers mind – we are all keen to save money – and car owners in particular are feeling the strain with rising petrol prices and the new Vehicle Excise Duty levels next year which could see some paying up to £2001 more on family saloons. But drivers trying to save money by not taking out car insurance are cost-cutting to a foolhardy extreme, warns RIAS.

Apart from the fact that driving without insurance is against the law in the UK, and those found guilty of it could get themselves a criminal record, it also costs other car drivers more than half a billion pounds per year, according to the Motor Insurers Bureau. This equates to around £30 extra on every premium, effectively being subsidized by the fully insured user.

“There is no question that driving without insurance is both unlawful and ill-advised,” says RIAS Managing Director Janet Connor. “If you are worried about the cost of insurance, it is worth talking to your insurance provider to check whether there are any savings to be made. At RIAS, for example, we specialise in finding tailored insurance solutions for the over 50s, who can often benefit from cheaper premiums because of low mileage, or because their cars are parked off-road or kept in a garage. We advise customers to ensure they ask about discounts and flexible payment plans when they call us for a quote.”

While efforts are being taken by the relevant law enforcement authorities many believe it is society’s collective responsibility to help fight this nuisance and that neighbours, friends and family should not look the other way if we know of drivers that are evading car insurance.

Evading Car Insurance – the facts:

* Last year, around 160 deaths and 23,000 injuries were caused in road accidents involving uninsured drivers.

* Claims made against drivers without insurance can be complicated forthe victim to process.

* Throughout 2007, the British police seized over 150,000 uninsured vehicles – that’s one vehicle every three minutes.

* Number plate recognition technology and better link ups between police and insurance companies is facilitating police in the fight against unisured veichles.

1Source: The AA 2Research from the Motor Investigation Bureau, Report: The Road Ahead, Issue 15, 2007

*Call RIAS for a quote on your car insurance to see if we can save you money: 0800 052 5250

All services including house insurance can be purchased online.

Janet Connor, Managing Director of RIAS is available for further comment and interview. To arrange an interview with, or photography of, Janet, please call Simon Robinson on 07976 329823 or e-mail srobinson@rias.co.uk.

About RIAS

* RIAS was founded in 1992 and is a specialist provider of insurance products for the over 50s age group

* RIAS negotiates with a panel of insurers to secure competitive, value for money products

* RIAS has over 970,000 customers and currently employs over 1,200 people across two locations – Bournemouth and Belfast

* In July 2007 RIAS’ home insurance contents and buildings policies received four ‘Best Buy’ awards from Which? magazine

* In December 2007 RIAS won the ‘Personal Lines Broker of the year” award at the Insurance Times awards

RIAS is part of Fortis (Insurance UK), a leading provider of award-winning personal and commercial lines insurance solutions in the UK and the 2007 British Insurance Awards ‘General Insurer of the Year’. The insurer’s successful customer-centric strategy has been founded on aligning its activities to how customers want to buy insurance, combined with delivering high quality products, manufactured at costs better than market norms.

Fortis’s unique multi-distribution capability enables it to deliver products face-to-face, by phone (inbound and outbound), over the Internet and via SMS technology. Aligning its business activities with its partners’ general insurance strategies enables Fortis to offer end-to-end white label capabilities in product development, marketing, campaign management, sales, fulfilment and claims – providing a seamless integration with partner brands.

Insuring in excess of 6.7 million customers and working with a range of partners, Fortis is recognised for delivering consistent and high-quality customer experiences. It employs 2,901 people as of 31/12/07 with a head office based in Eastleigh and others in Belfast, Bournemouth, Gloucester, Haywards Heath, Redditch, and Stoke-on-Trent. In 2007, its profit before tax and interest (excluding impact of weather related events) was £92.2 million and its GWP was 757.8 million.

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Financial, Financial Education, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Investment, Money

Quest CE moves to larger offices in Milwaukee’s Two Park Plaza to keep pace with the company’s vigorous growth

Quest CE the nationwide provider of continuing education and compliance solutions for financial services professionals, today announced it will be moving to new corporate headquarters. The move to new offices in Milwaukee’s Two Park Plaza will accommodate Quest CE’s current staff and make room for expansion to keep pace with the company’s vigorous growth.

“Quest CE’s service and technology orientation and emphasis on client service have provided a solid foundation for our tremendous growth,” said Alan Krenke, Quest CE’s President and CEO. “Our continued success relies on our ability to provide products and services that innovate while maintaining the customer service that we are known for. We’ve developed our new headquarters to be both functional and to inspire so we are able to attract and retain the service-oriented professionals who are central to our continued success.”

Quest CE’s new headquarters offers a modern and open layout. All combine to create a working environment that fosters creativity and the open exchange of ideas among Quest’s staff and between Quest and clients.

Initially, Quest CE is occupying 6,000 square feet of the 18,000 square foot 10th Floor of Two Park Place, with options to expand as the company continues to grow. Quest will begin operating out of its new headquarters on Tuesday, September 2, 2008. The company’s new address is:

Two Park Plaza
10850 W Park Place
Suite 1000
Milwaukee, WI 53224

Telephone and fax numbers.
Toll Free: (877) 593-3366
Local: (414) 375-3400
Fax: (414) 375-3449

About Quest CE
Quest CE is a nationwide provider of continuing education and compliance courses to licensed professionals and financial planners. Each year Quest CE delivers over 150,000 continuing education courses either over the Internet or through live CE training. To find out more information about Quest’s Corporate Discounts and large volume orders go to the company web site at www.questce.com or call 877-593-3366.

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Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Money, Personal Finance

LV= Reveals More And More Brits Are Chasing The Ultimate Holiday Thrill By Heading To Risky Destinations, Despite Government Warnings

New research by travel insurer LV= has revealed that more and more Brits are chasing the ultimate holiday thrill by heading to risky destinations, despite Government advice warning against visiting.

The latest research from LV has found that since 2003, Brits have taken nearly five million holidays to destinations highlighted on the FCO’s ‘don’t go list’, with a further 8% of Brits planning a trip in the next 12 months.

The LV= report has found that many of these travellers were unaware of the dangers they could potentially face, leading to increased numbers of UK tourists becoming victims of theft, robbery and intimidation.

Current destinations considered unsafe for UK visitors include much of Africa, plus parts of the Russian Federation, India, and even certain areas in countries like Turkey, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. The government currently warns against visiting areas in over 30 countries and the list is regularly updated. Only half of the people travel insurer LV= interviewed said they were aware of the FCO advice.

The research also revealed a worrying disregard for the Government warnings with nearly 50% of travellers stating that they would pay no attention to the advice and would carry on with their plans regardless.

Unfortunately this attitude is proving naïve, as these trips are ending up as perilous for many. 46% of the travellers heading to these destinations fell victim to crime while they were away.

It would seem that the desire for adventure or seclusion is the driving factor behind travellers heading to these dangerous destinations, many of whom (19%) claim they’re bored by predictable resorts.

18% of travellers said they specifically set out to travel to an off beat destination in an attempt to avoid other tourists, while a further 17% say for them the ‘holiday fear factor’ is all part of the experience.

Emma Holyer, Spokesperson for LV=, said: “As a nation we are getting more adventurous when it comes to our holidays and although it’s great to see new places, it’s also very important that travellers understand the risks they face if they are going to a potentially dangerous destination. Foreign travel is so commonplace these days but we’d urge anyone going on holiday this summer to pay attention to the Government travel advice.”

She continued, “Aside from the obvious risks to safety, the vast majority of travel insurers will not provide cover for areas that the Government warns against visiting, so travellers need to do their research thoroughly before booking an unusual destination.”

It’s not just the threat of violence that is leaving travellers at risk. 18% of Brits are putting themselves in danger by visiting tropical countries and not bothering to take the recommended medical vaccinations.

Emma Holyer, commented: “Although the LV= travel insurance policy will cover travellers if they fall ill with one of these diseases if they didn’t get vaccinated, many insurers will not, meaning policy holders will have no medical cover and are at an increased risk of becoming seriously ill.”

The findings also reveal that it’s not only intrepid travellers to far off exotic destination who are failing to make themselves aware of the risks when they go on holiday, as 13% of tourists journeying to Spain were able to identify it as a high terrorist risk, despite 10 million planning a visit in the next year.

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Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Investment, IRA, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

Sunwest Trust Witnessed An Unprecedented Rise In Demand To Open Up New Accounts, Breaking Its Own Previous Record, Which Was Set Previously In Better Economical Conditions

Sunwest Trust, Inc. (the “Company”), the only New Mexico company acting as an escrow agent and IRA custodian, has achieved a new record by opening up new accounts. July is the eventful month that ended with the hiring of new people to serve better.

Sunwest Trust offers a wide range of retirement and self directed plans such as Roth IRAs, Spousal and Traditional IRAs, SEPs, and SIMPLEs. It offers direct investment within the retirement accounts and allows their clients to invest in a number of things, including, but not limited to sales and purchase of real estate, mortgages, publicly traded stocks, bonds, private limited liability companies, mutual funds, secured and unsecured notes and more. Credited to this diverse range of plans and options, the Company witnessed an unprecedented rise in demand to open up new accounts, leading the Company to set a new record in July for newly opened accounts.

Following this record-breaking performance, the Company announces the induction of three new employees. Casey Love, Natalie Rodriguez and Sandra McBride are going to contribute in different departments. Casey Love, a bachelor’s degree holder in Secondary Education with a minor in English from the University of New Mexico will work in the IRA Department. Natalie Rodriguez, a California native, brings nine years experience in the escrow and title businesses. Sandra McBride is the third addition who will be handling the Customer Service Department. In addition to her job as Customer Service Representative, she is attending school part time to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Business.

With the recent upsurge, Sunwest Trust now services over $900 million in assets and provides services to over 14,000 individuals and companies. The company management has expressed the hope that the trend will continue in coming months as well.

“We are happy with our progress and we are excited about the growth during a cooler economy and during an election year. I expect to continue to see increased growth over the coming months and years as more boomers and investors get closer to retirement, look to truly diversify, and shift a portion of their funds out of the market and into the local real estate market,” Terry White, CEO Sunwest Trust, says with confidence.

The statement of Terry White attests the fact that the Company is relying upon boomers, which actually are more than 75 million in U.S. As boomers get closer to retirement, they look for alternatives to invest their money in order to have a secure future. By counting on this fact, management is pretty hopeful that the trend of increased demand, with boomers investing more, will continue in coming months and years.

About Sunwest Trust, Inc.:
Sunwest Trust is a New Mexico based company, which acts as custodian for self directed IRA accounts and as an escrow agent. It offers a range of retirement accounts and a multitude of escrow services along with dealings in private mortgages, real estate contracts and other notes. To acquire more information about the Company, visit http://www.SunwestTrust.com/.

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Banks, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Investment, Money, Personal Finance, Retirement

New research from Prudential reveals working-age adults have lost sleep worrying about their pensions

According to new research from Prudential, more than one in three working-age adults have lost sleep worrying about their inability to save enough for retirement*, and the pressure on retirement saving is being increased by a combination of the housing market slowdown and rising household costs.

The Prudential research focusing on working adults provides a snapshot of ‘Burned Out Britain’ as concerns about being unable to save enough for a comfortable retirement drives people to work longer hours and increases stress levels. Around one in five working-age adults have worked longer hours or taken an extra job to increase their pension savings.

Prudential’s research shows just 27% of adults believe they are saving enough to maintain their current standard of living in retirement while 38% want to contribute more to pensions with half of them keen to contribute a lot more.

However financial pressures are making it difficult for them to put their money where their ambitions are – 51% blame higher costs of living while 18% of them don’t want to reduce their disposable income to ensure a more comfortable retirement.

The struggle to match pension ambitions with reality is also increasing the stress levels for these people with three-quarters expressing they were feeling increasingly anxious, and the current economic climate is piling on the pressure.

Julie Mulvanny, Prudential’s Head of Business Development for Pensions said: “The pensions crisis is becoming extremely personal when people are losing sleep over being unable to save enough for retirement.”

She continued, “When the pressures of the current short-term economic climate are added to the mix it is almost surprising that more of us are not lying awake at night worrying. It is clear however that many of us are waking up to the idea that we have to take responsibility for our own retirements and that is a long-term commitment.”

Around 9% said they have cut the amount they save into their pension due to rising living costs.

Up to one in 20 say the housing market slide has knocked their confidence in property as a pension while eight per cent are concentrating on building up short-term savings to tide them over in the event of any problems caused by the current economic climate.

Julie Mulvanny concluded, “It is encouraging that this message is getting through and there is plenty that we can all do to ensure we get the retirement we want and deserve. The UK needs a new approach to retirement income and planning for retirement. That should involve more than simply saving into a pension but should also involve looking at all sources of income.”

Disclaimer:
The information contained in Prudential UK‘s press releases is intended solely for journalists and should not be used by consumers to make financial decisions. Full consumer product information can be found at www.pru.co.uk.

 

About Prudential:
Established in 1848, today Prudential plc is an international financial services company with a product range which extends from personal banking, insurance, pensions and retail investments, to institutional fund management and property investments.

In the UK Prudential is a leading life and pensions provider with around seven million customers.

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Business, Financial, Financial Education, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance

Quest CE has announced that they have expanded their Online library of Property/Casualty Courses

Quest CE, the leading provider of Single Source Compliance Education Solutions for the financial services industry, has announced that they have expanded their Online library of Property/Casualty Courses.

“Our clients have been asking for a more extensive offering of online Property/Casualty courses,” said Alan Krenke CEO of Quest CE. “We understand the importance of increasing our library of courses to better service our clients.” “Quest CE is committed to meeting the ever-growing CE needs of professionals and we believe our expanded Property/Casualty library will meet that need. “Quest CE is dedicated to providing agents with a user-friendly system with high quality course content at affordable prices.”

Quest’s expanded library offers Property/Casualty course credits ranging from 1 credit hour to 15 credit hours. Also available are complete Property/Casualty CE Packages. Courses start as low as $5 a course, with package deals starting at $29.95.

Additionally, Quest CE is offering a 10% discount on all Property/Casualty courses ordered through August 31, 2008. Agents will be able to go to www.questce.com to take advantage of this offer by entering the code in the “Select Courses” tab.

The following promotional code may be used: promo1

About Quest CE
Over the past 20-plus years, Quest CE has built a reputation of being the premier provider of Single Source Compliance Education Solutions to the financial services industry. In addition to offering CE for professionals holding insurance licenses and professional designations like the CFP, CIMA, CLU/ChFC, CLE, and CPA designations, Quest CE also provides a complete spectrum of compliance training solutions. Each year Quest CE delivers over 150,000 continuing education courses either over the Internet or through live CE training. More information is available at the company’s web site at www.questce.com or by calling 877-593-3366.

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Business, Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Investment, Money, Mortgage

When it comes to car insurance Brits are bargain hunters

New research from Fairinvestment.co.uk has found that price is everything for its users when it comes to shopping for car insurance. The research involved asking users what the most important aspect is when shopping for car insurance.

57 per cent of the Fairinvestment.co.uk users who were questioned said that Car Insuranceprice was most important to them, and the level of cover was considered less important with only 19 per cent of the vote. The research also found that a courtesy car is paramount to 5 per cent of those who voted.

Of equal value to voters in the poll, with 2 per cent each, was breakdown cover, a discounted rate for partners, a low excess and a protected no claims bonus.

The study also found that some aspects of car insurance are of no interest at all to Fairinvestment.co.uk users. For example, cover for driving other cars received no votes whatsoever and, surprisingly, none of those questioned were bothered about a no claims discount, despite the fact that a maximum no claims bonus could save drivers a considerable amount.

An important aspect for one participant was a lack of overseas call centres, a feature that has caused controversy in the past. Another user appears to have missed the point, stating having a car as the most important aspect of shopping for car insurance.

Commenting on the findings, director of Fairinvestment.co.uk, James Caldwell, said: “Motorists should be careful choosing their car insurance by price alone, the cheapest car insurance is not always the best and there are other aspects to be taken into consideration.

“I would advise anybody shopping for car insurance to compare deals not just on price but also policy features, some of which may be outlined in the small print.” Mr Caldwell advised.

About Fair Investment
fairinvestment.co.uk, is an independent online finance portal, providing financial comparison tools, news, reviews and information on a wide range of financial products and services, including insurance, credit cards, mortgages, loans, savings and investments.

Fair Investment Company is a leading internet player that sees 400,000 unique users per month, sells over £5 billion worth of mortgage enquiries and is a Hitwise 100 Banks and Financial Institutions site.

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Business, Checking & Savings, Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Insurance, Investment, Money, Retirement

Research conducted for Prudential reveals UK pensioners are failing to budget for life in retirement

According to new research conducted for Prudential, UK pensioners are failing to budget for life in retirement, with many spending considerably more in year one than in subsequent years, only to regret their splurge as the reality of living on a pension bites.

The study found more than one in four (29%) pensioners admit to spending more in their first year of retirement, on average splashing out £8,000 more than in subsequent years.

The research also found that 19% of those who had spent more in the first year of their retirement regretted doing so and only around a third (32%) of retired UK adults said they set a retirement budget. More than a third (34%) said they just played it by ear and a mere 17% saw a financial adviser for advice on living
on their pension savings.

Despite this, the study conducted among retired UK adults, found that 63% said they felt they had planned their finances adequately before retiring.

Gary Shaughnessy, Prudential Managing Director Retail Life & Pensions, said: “It is quite worrying to see the lack of planning people undertake as they approach retirement and it’s particularly surprising to see how few of today’s pensioners sought financial advice. Seeing a financial adviser should be a baseline activity for everyone planning their retirement so that they structure their finances to maximise retirement income from all available sources, including pensions, savings and investments and equity in their homes, if necessary.”

About Prudential:
Established in 1848, today Prudential plc is an international financial services company with a product range which extends from personal banking, insurance, pensions and retail investments, to institutional fund management and property investments.

In the UK Prudential is a leading life and pensions provider with around seven million customers.

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Banks, Financial, Financial Services, Financial Solutions, Home Equity, Insurance, Loans, Money, Mortgage

Secured consolidation loans are still a viable debt solution

In the midst of the credit crunch, thinkmoney.com reminds existing and potential customers that secured consolidation loans are still a viable debt solution for many homeowners – and that a range of alternative debt solutions are available to borrowers who either can’t secure a loan against their property or prefer not to.

“There’s no question that obtaining secured credit has become harder and, in many cases, more expensive,” a spokesperson for the financial solutions company commented. “As a second charge on a home, a secured loan involves a certain risk from a lender’s perspective, so secured lenders are keeping a very close eye on issues in the housing market. A recent Bank of England survey revealed that default rates on secured lending rose by more than expected in Q2, and lenders expect these rates to rise further in the months ahead.

From the individual borrower’s perspective, equity withdrawal of any kind is clearly a more attractive option when house prices are rising: “Today’s falling prices are reducing the number of homeowners with enough equity to make a secured loan a viable solution – and deterring many who are keen to retain their ‘safety margin’ against negative equity.

“Having said that, it’s important to see recent falls in house prices in their correct context: as relatively small drops following a decade of rapid growth. According to Nationwide’s House Price Index, for example, the ‘average house’ in Q2 2008 was still worth almost £10,000 more than it was in Q2 2006. In just ten years, Nationwide reports, the average house price rose from £60,754 to £184,131 – homeowners may be worried about falling prices, but many are still likely to own significant levels of equity. For them, a secured loan can be an excellent debt solution: a realistic way to consolidate their unsecured debts into one manageable, lower-interest debt which they can arrange to repay at an affordable rate.

“Nonetheless, when major secured loans providers like Firstplus announce they’re ceasing to make new loans, it’s clear that the secured loans market as a whole is suffering under today’s adverse conditions. With lenders tightening their criteria or even turning down new business, it’s more important than ever that borrowers choose a company that works with a wide range of lenders and specialises in finding secured loans for people from all kinds of financial backgrounds. Talking to the right company can make all the difference between being offered credit at a competitive rate and being unable to avail a secured loan at all.”

Concluding, the thinkmoney.com spokesperson stressed that secured consolidation loans are by no mean the only way out of debt. “Depending on the individual’s circumstances, a number of other debt solutions may be more appropriate than a secured loan, such as a debt management plan, an unsecured debt consolidation loan, an IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) or, for residents of Scotland, a Trust Deed. For anyone in debt, the important thing is to seek impartial debt advice from a company that offers a wide range of debt solutions – a company that has an in-depth understanding of each solution’s benefits and drawbacks and can recommend the one that constitutes their optimal route out of debt.”

Via EPR Network
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Welcome to EPR Financial News

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Welcome to EPR Financial News.

EPR Financial News is a new blog, part of EPR Network, that is going to be focused on and will be covering the financial news and stories from press releases published on EPR Network.

EPR Network (EPR stands for express press release) is one of the nation’s largest press release distribution networks on Web. The EPR’s nationwide network includes 12 State based PR sites, one major PR forum and a number of industry specific PR blogs and what started as a hobby on Internet years ago turned out to be a rapidly growing business today. EPR Network is also known as one of the most trusted (human optimized, published, edited and monitored, spam/scam/low quality PR content free) PR sites on the web with more than 10,000 company and individual press releases distributed per month. EPR Network is putting your press releases on top of all major search engines’ results and is reaching thousands of individuals, companies, PR specialists, media professionals, bloggers and journalists every day.

EPR Network has thousands of clients around the world including global 500 corporations like Hilton Hotels, Barclays Bank, AXA Insurance, Tesco UK, eBay/Skype, Emirates, just to name a few. The network’s PR web sites are currently reaching from 150,000 to sometimes 500,000 unique visitors per month while our viral reach could possibly go to as much as 1M people per month through our presence across various social media sites. EPR Network was established in 2004 and as of May 2008 it had more than 800,000 press releases (pages) published on its network.

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