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Confused.com Reveal Drivers Are Only Swayed By Price In The Hunt For The Best Car Insurance Deals

Confused.com’s latest survey has found that consumers use price-comparison sites purely because they help slash insurance bills with the minimum of hassle.

More than half of the survey’s 2,600 respondents said that special offers such as cashback or vouchers had absolutely no bearing on their decision to use a comparison site. A further 40 per cent said the only kind of marketing incentive that would appeal to them was some form of discount on their premiums.

Head of car insurance at Confused.com, Gareth Kloet, said: “When it comes to car insurance, consumers aren’t necessarily loyal, so price is key. That’s why using a price comparison site is so important, it gives drivers the opportunity to compare not only price but a range of features. So you can either opt for the cheapest or the best value for money. With Confused.com, the price you see is the price you pay.”

When it came to choosing an insurer, three-quarters of consumers said the only thing that would cause them to switch providers was a cheaper price. Around 15 per cent said they would move to a new company purely because it was a trusted brand, while just 9 per cent said they would switch if the new insurer offered extras such as free breakdown cover.

Unsurprisingly, price was the number one reason respondents gave for using price-comparison sites – more than 90 per cent cited this as a major factor in using these services, and 40 per cent also said they appreciated the fact the sites saved them so much time in their search for the best value cover.

Via EPR Network
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elephant.co.uk Reveals Most Car Thefts Happen On The Weekend

elephant.co.uk has revealed that although for most of the working population, the weekend is a period of rest, the same cannot be said for car thieves, as new research shows that they’re at their most active over the weekend.

The research, carried out by car insurance specialist elephant.co.uk, shows the day of the week most cars are stolen is a Saturday while the day most items are taken from cars is a Sunday.

elephant.co.uk looked at 45,000 theft claims over the last 5 years to see on which day most car crime took place. While Saturday was the most popular day for vehicle theft claims, it was closely followed by Friday, Thursday, Monday, Sunday, Wednesday and then finally Tuesday. Additionally, Sunday was the most popular day for theft from vehicle claims, then followed by Tuesday, Saturday, Monday, Thursday, Wednesday and Friday.

Brian Martin, elephant.co.uk managing director, commented: “The last thing you need after a hard week’s work is for your car to be stolen or broken into so this research will make unhappy reading for motorists. With most people out and about at the weekend, there’s a likelihood they’re leaving their cars unattended either in a car park or at home which could tempt thieves to make their move.”

But what exactly are criminals stealing from cars? Over the past 5 years, the most common items have been Sat Navs followed by CDs and stereos. In fact, these three items are all more than twice as likely to be stolen as anything else.

The full list of the items most likely to be stolen from cars also includes iPods/MP3 players, sunglasses, mobile phones, clothes, computers, child car seats and cameras.

Brian continued: “Car thieves are opportunist, and too many motorists present them with an opportunity by leaving valuable items on show, or even leaving their windows open. Motorists need to remember not to make themselves an easy target.”

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Admiral Reveals More Than A Quarter Of Motorists Admit To Drink Driving

Admiral, a leading car insurance expert, has revealed worrying new research that suggests the number of people drink driving has risen in the last year. It found that 28% of motorists have driven their car in the knowledge they were over the legal alcohol limit, up from 24% in 2010.

Admiral commissioned YouGov to survey 2,500 drivers for the annual Admiral Survey of Motorists, which includes questions about drink driving. With summer in full swing and the temptation to drive after a few drinks in a beer garden or at a barbecue high, the results raise concerns that the anti-drink driving message is failing to hit home.

Many motorists still believe a few drinks before getting behind the wheel won’t hurt. So while nearly half of those questioned said they would only consider themselves safe to drive after drinking no units of alcohol, one in ten said they think they are still safe after drinking three or more units.

When it comes to gender, men appear to be far more likely than women to drink and drive. 37% of men said they have driven while over the limit, compared with 16% of women, and 16% of men said they think they are still safe to drive after three or more drinks, compared with just 1% of women.

Roger Singer, head of road safety charity DDE+, gave his thoughts on why drink driving is such a concern in the summer: “Firstly, and it seems too simple, it’s warmer, so try not to drink alcohol for thirst – have a pint of squash first and then savour that pint of lager or glass of wine at a more leisurely pace.

“Secondly the drinking episodes can be longer, we start stoking up the lunch-time BBQ about 11am on Sunday morning sampling the bottled lager to make sure it’s up to standard at the same time. We’re finishing the last of the Rosé as we are clearing up at midnight. Without realising it we’ve consumed a total of 29 units – it’s only a beer or a glass of wine an hour but it means we won’t be able to drive till 4pm Monday.”

Another major risk highlighted by Admiral’s research is the number of people who admit they have driven the morning after drinking heavily the night before. Nearly a quarter of motorists admitted they have done this while they suspected they were over the limit, while a further 16% are unsure if they were safe to drive.

Sue Longthorn, managing director of Admiral, said: “These statistics are a real concern; the number of people who say they have driven while over the limit is up from last year and stands at nearly three out of ten motorists. We just want to highlight these figures and point out why it is never worth the risk.

“Motorists who get caught drink driving could also find it difficult to get insured. They will at least find their car insurance premiums have increased, and this increase could be significant, and in some extreme cases they could even be refused insurance completely.”

More information on this and the rest of Admiral’s Annual Survey of British Motorists can be found at www.admiral.com/surveyofmotorists.

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Confused.com Reveals Big Rise In Prices For New And Learner Drivers

Confused.com has revealed that newly qualified drivers can expect to pay around £2,000 or more to insure a small hatchback this year as the cost of insurance continues to soar.

This time last year the cheapest premium for a new driver insuring a Ford Ka for a year came in under £900. Now the best quote for a newly qualified driver wanting to insure a Ford Ka has soared to more than £1,900, according to consumer research by the popular comparison site Confused.com.

The Fiat 500 Pop now tops the list of most popular vehicles for a newly qualified driver, based on 6 months of quotes from Confused.com during the first half of 2011. Unfortunately, for many newly qualified drivers it will cost more than £1786 to insure it. The Fiat 500 knocks last year’s favourite, the Vauxhall Corsa, from the top spot, becoming the most popular choice in this Confused.com study of learners and drivers who passed their test within the last 12 months.

Confused.com’s head of car insurance, Gareth Kloet said: “The Fiat 500 is a new favourite with freshly qualified drivers – this model didn’t appear at all in the Confused.com top ten for new drivers last year. The popularity of these cars may have been led by their use by many driving instructors, and also by the relatively cheap insurance cost compared to other small cars.

“Getting reasonably-priced car insurance can be a nightmare for younger drivers but 50% of under 25s could save up to £571 on car insurance* premiums by using Confused.com to find the best deal. With rising premiums it’s more important to compare prices now than ever before.”

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Confused.com designs new pothole warning sign

Confused.com has designed a new road sign, specifically to alert road users to the UK’s two million potholes*. The road sign is the first of its kind and the car insurance expert is petitioning to urge the Department for Transport to introduce it to roads across the UK.

A constant source of frustration for drivers, the sign has been developed in response to recent findings that even with sufficient budgets; it would take councils at least 11 years to repair the UK’s damaged roads**. With this in mind, 82% of drivers would like to see a road sign dedicated to potholes.

Mike Hoban, chief marketing officer at Confused.com said: “Although repairing these roads is obviously the long term solution, something needs to be done now. Currently the UK’s road signs include warnings for wild horses, wild animals, cattle and even toads but potholes aren’t considered worthy enough? A pothole road sign is a vital step in preventing accidents and reducing insurance claims whilst road maintenance continues.”

The road sign design was inspired by local pothole crusader Ted Relf, a plumber from Kent, who made national headlines in April 2010 when his home made warning sign against potholes was removed by the local council.

Ted Relf commented: “We all moan about potholes and now we have the chance to do something about them. I created my own pothole sign last year because I was concerned for the safety of drivers on my road. I fully support the introduction of an official pothole road sign and urge the nation to sign the petition at Confused.com.”

The pothole road sign has been produced in accordance with the signage guidelines set by the Department for Transport and is the brainchild of Phil Baines from Central St Martins, University of the Arts London. Baines, designer and signage expert, added: “Warning road signs are there as a safety measure to warn drivers of potential dangers, and potholes certainly fall within that category. Given the scale of the current problem I would welcome a specific pothole sign being added to the Traffic Sign Manual.”

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elephant.co.uk reveals young men have more expensive car crashes

elephant.co.uk has revealed that while many men like to think they are the superior gender when it comes to driving, new research from the car insurance specialist shows men have bigger crashes that cost more money than women.

elephant.co.uk looked at more than 200,000 claims and found young men in particular have more expensive crashes. Accidents involving men aged under 25 cost on average 15% more than those involving women of the same age. In fact, the cost of accidents involving male drivers of all ages is 6% higher than accidents involving women.

To help improve the driving ability of both men and women, elephant.co.uk has joined forces with Fifth Gear’s Tim Shaw and made three short films which can help any motorist learn how to drive like a professional and control their car should they get into trouble.

The insurance videos (http://www.elephant.co.uk/drivelikeapro) contain tips and advice from a professional driver and reveal how to manage a car if it begins to skid, how to corner safely and why vision is so important when it comes to reacting quickly and braking in a safe manner.

elephant.co.uk managing director, Brian Martin, said: “Since passing our driving tests most of us might have picked up some bad habits and probably don’t give too much thought to improving our driving skills. But driving well can mean more than just keeping out of trouble on the roads.

“At a time when most of us are trying to save money, as well as demonstrating how best to control your car, our films also reveal how smooth and efficient driving can help your car perform at its peak and be more cost efficient.”

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Confused.com Reveals The Unluckiest Make Of Car

Confused.com has revealed the unluckiest make of car in the UK by looking at 12 months’ worth of customers quotes and finding out which make and model had the highest accident rates.

Top of the list was Honda’s FR-V six-seater. 2,529 owners of this vehicle made 466 accident claims in the past five years. That’s a claim rate of 18.4 per cent, or almost one in five.

Next came Volvo’s XC90. Of the 3,886 drivers of this model who bought cover through Confused.com, 619 made claims for accidents – a rate of 15.9 per cent.

The Lexus RX had a claim rate of 15.5 per cent (574 claims out of 3,701 drivers), followed by the Mazda 5 (15.3 per cent, or 373 out of 2,431).

Also in the top 10 vehicles for claims were Honda’s Jazz and CR-V models, Volkswagen’s Touran, the Hyundai Santa, the Toyota Rav and the Mazda 3. Each had a rate of about one accident claim for every seven vehicles insured through insurers on the Confused.com panel.

Confused.com also looked at which cars were least likely to be involved in accident claims.

Apparently the ‘safest’ of all was the Mazda 2 TS TD – out of a total of 1,076 owners, only nine accident claims were recorded in the last five years. That makes a claims rate of less than one in 100. Also hovering around the 1 per cent claims-rate mark were Nissan’s Skyline, the Ford Focus RS and the Fiat Cinquecento.

Confused.com’s head of car insurance, Gareth Kloet said: “Car accidents are rarely a result of mechanical failures: they are more often caused by human error or just bad fortune. It could be that drivers of this model happen to be more careless or reckless than other motorists. Or it could simply be that this group of road users has been particularly unlucky in the period when the data was collected.”

Confused.com’s statistics show just a snapshot of accident-related claims made by owners of a particular make and model of vehicle. So it is worth stressing that if one particular car appears to have a relatively high rate of claims, it does not follow that this vehicle is inherently more dangerous than others.

This research reflects only the experience of Confused.com customers: other companies’ figures could show different trends.

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Confused.com Uncover the Nation’s Amorous Auto Habits

Confused.com has revealed that almost half* of male drivers in the UK admit that they have had got frisky in their car, and almost 30% of women admit this too. However, having an argument is a more likely pursuit, with nearly 60% of men and almost 63% of women fighting with their loved ones while in the car.

Other popular pastimes while in a vehicle include dumping a boyfriend/girlfriend (10% of men and 8% of women), being dumped (6% of men and 5% of women), flirting with another driver (24% of men and 18% of women), eating something (73% of men and 76% of women) and having a nap (42% of men and 29% of women).

Men voted Audi drivers the sexiest women drivers (21%) and women agreed, also voting male Audi drivers top with 31%. Male BMW drivers are considered second sexiest by women, with 25%. Men’s second choice was female Mini Cooper drivers with 14%.

The city admitting the most car friskiness is Brighton with 68% of drivers admitting having done the deed in their cars, while only 22% of drivers in Worcester say they have got frisky while in their cars.

Drivers were also asked how often they have sex each week, with the highest average of 2.9 times per week among those living in Coventry.

Gareth Kloet, head of car insurance at Confused.com said: “The results of this Confused.com survey bring a new meaning to the UK being a nation of car lovers. Although this is not a rating question that insurers would ask when people are applying for car insurance, perhaps it’s something we should look at in the future, judging by how many people are getting frisky in their cars.”

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LV= Launches My Car iPhone App

LV= has launched a new iPhone app for motorists called LV= My Car. It is a multi-utility application that features five clickable options for users to chose from including a car profile function, traffic maps, local info maps and for LV= customers only, an accident toolkit and call LV= tool. Each option takes the user to a separate page and offers a different service.

The car profile function allows users to input information about their own car to be stored on the app. Users can either enter their vehicle registration number whereby a third party provider will determine the exact car make/model (plus other information) or they can choose to create their own manual car profile. Here they will be able to include relevant information about their car such as engine size, BHP, miles per gallon, tyre pressure and tyre size.

There is also the option to set a number of car related renewal reminders including road tax, MOT and service, parking permit, and insurance. These reminders can also be added to the iPhone calendar. Users are then alerted two weeks before the renewal is due.

Using the accident toolkit feature, LV= car insurance customers are able to fill out an accident report form and submit it to LV=. There are two sections to this feature; ‘during an accident’ and ‘after an accident’. The first section allows the user to make notes about an accident they have been involved in and this includes the other driver’s details and the opportunity to capture images of the accident.

The second section enables LV= customers to fill in an accident report form. Here they are prompted to note their personal information, a description of the incident, whether there was third party involvement, whether either party accepted fault, extent of the damage, injuries, witnesses, whether the police were involved and if there is a crime number. Once all of the relevant information is complete users can submit the form to LV= and a claims handler is guaranteed to get in contact within 24 hours. Customers also have the option to call LV= at this point rather than submit information via the app.

Drivers can also use the app to receive detailed local traffic updates and access a local information map which will highlight nearby amenities.

The launch of the application follows the launch of LV=’s first iPhone app for job hunters which was released in September last year.

Paul Wishman, LV= e-commerce director said: “We are delighted to be launching the LV= My Car app. We opted to create an app with a difference that offers a service that could be used in different situations. We have recently launched the LV= mobile site so the launch of the iPhone app is the next step in our mobile strategy.”

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Confused.com’s Car Study Reveals The Vehicles Used By William And Kate

Confused.com has conducted a study to get some insight into the vehicles used by people called William and Kate in the UK.

Drivers called Kate or William (aged 28-40) are more likely to get behind the wheel of a Mini (Kate) or a Rover (William) than the average British motorist, according to a study of 8 million drivers in the UK carried out by car insurance comparison site Confused.com. The traditionally British iconic cars are favoured by Kates and Williams, with Catherines preferring to get behind the wheel of a Citroen. Drivers called William also favour X-type Jaguars, according to Confused.com data.

The research, which was conducted from a database of quotes carried out through the Confused.com site highlighted a number of differences between the driving habits of drivers named William, Kate and Catherine.

The data, which included 28-40 year old drivers in the UK, was overseen by Gareth Kloet, head of car insurance at the company. Kloet commented: “The upcoming royal wedding has increased the interest in the names William and Kate dramatically. With Confused.com data to hand, we have found that William and Kate’s around the UK have very sensible car models, a driving attribute that would expect from the royals.”

Confused.com have also discovered a number of statistics relating to the type of home and family expected for a William and Kate in the UK population, referencing data from 2.5 million home insurance customers. The data showed that only 60 couples were called William and Kate as registered on their home insurance policies.

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LV = Reveals One In Ten Homes Built On Brownfield Sites Have Problems

LV= has revealed that over the next decade around half a million homes will be built on redeveloped ex-industrial sites that could pose risks to homeowners and their homes.

A new report from home insurer LV= reveals that around 125 million square metres of redeveloped brownfield land, earmarked for the building of 500,000 homes, is potentially at risk of flooding or contamination, which could cost homeowners thousands of pounds to address.

Brownfield sites are defined as land which has potential for redevelopment after previously being occupied by another permanent building, such as a factory or industrial works. Redeveloping brownfield sites is a cornerstone of the current national housing policy, with 79% of all new builds being built on recycled land in recent years.

Yet according to the LV= research, over one in ten (11%) new homes built on brownfield land have suffered problems as a result of the land the property is built on, affecting a total of 74,000 homes in the last ten years. The most common problem is flooding, but there are also cases of contamination, poor drainage and sewage problems.

One of the drivers behind the current policy encouraging house builders to redevelop land is the creation of affordable homes for first-time buyers. The LV= research shows that few (17%) prospective buyers are actually specifically looking to buy new build housing, rather many feel that this is the only option available to them through local authority shared ownership schemes as many of these properties are new builds. Others say they are persuaded to buy new build homes because of incentives such as deposit cash back schemes from developers or free white goods.

Currently, over a third (34%) of prospective buyers are unaware of the problems associated with former industrial land and a quarter (24%) do not check the previous use of the land a house is built on. LV= is advising potential buyers to check the previous use of the land a house is built on before committing to a purchase, by speaking to neighbours, checking old maps or commissioning a full environmental report to ensure they do not experience problems once they’ve moved in.

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LV= Asset Management named Best Small Bond Group at Lipper Awards 2011

LV= Asset Management, the fund management arm of mutual insurance, investment and retirement group LV=, has received recognition for the strong performance of its UK fixed interest team by winning the best small bond group category at the Lipper Fund Awards 2011.

LV= Asset Management qualified for this award by delivering strong risk-adjusted performance relative to its peer group across its range of bond funds over the three year period up to 31st December 2010. These funds include the LV= UK Corporate Bond fund, the LV= UK Fixed Interest fund and the LV= UK Index linked fund.

The award acknowledges LVAM’s industry leading fixed interest capability and highlights the team’s expertise across a range of different products.

Michael Wright, Head of Fixed Interest at LVAM commented: “We aim to deliver consistently good performance for our clients across the range of bond funds. We are extremely pleased to have won this award as it acknowledges our team approach to managing funds and recognises the superior returns we have achieved over the three years to 31st December 2010.

“The last few years have been an extraordinary time for money managers but the breadth of experience on the team has allowed us to draw on lessons from the past and make timely, well informed decision on behalf of our clients. Going forward we are confident that we can maintain this high level of performance by continuing to follow a pragmatic approach to stock selection.”

Ann Roughead, Managing Director at LVAM added: “LVAM has set out its stall as a low-cost active manager that does what it says on the tin – delivering attractive added value year in, year out. The LV= bond funds are great examples of what we are trying to achieve and this award will serve to reinforce our commitment to providing impressive and consistent returns for our investors.”

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LV = Reveals Drivers Lost £58.5 Million From ‘Unfair’ Parking Tickets

LV=, the car insurer, has revealed that drivers lost £58.5m last year by failing to appeal against parking tickets issued in ‘unfair’ circumstances.

In 2010, one in twenty (5%) motorists in the UK received a parking ticket where they had grounds to appeal. Despite this, only one in five (22%) drivers bother to contest a ticket once issued; but of those who do, nearly nine in ten (88%) claimants are successful.

When questioned, over half of UK drivers (53%) who do pay when issued with a ticket in unfair circumstances do so because they assume they will not win an appeal. Many drivers say they are confused about the procedure for appeals, with one in twelve (8%) not knowing how to initiate a claim.

The majority of ‘unfair’ parking fines are issued in areas where parking signage is unclear. Other reasons include misleading road markings, being issued with a fine while walking to a machine to buy a parking ticket and being fined when the car was broken down. A small but significant number of drivers report parking attendants actually fabricating evidence to support issuing the ticket (2%).

Most (49%) of tickets issued unfairly are given out on public roads but surprisingly one in ten (10%) are received in car parks of public buildings managed by local authorities, such as libraries, hospitals and GP surgeries. A similar number (9%) are given out in commercially operated car parks.

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Confused.com Launches New TV Advert

Confused.com has launched its latest advertisement featuring its animated logo Cara singing the classic hit ‘Chain Reaction’, originally penned by the Bee Gees and made famous by Diana Ross. The sixty second advert first aired on 15 February during coverage of the Brit Awards, this year hosted by James Corden.

Following the success of Cara’s first single, ‘Somebody to Love’, ‘Chain Reaction’ is once again voiced by West End star Louise Dearman. Animated and produced by Hornet, with musical arrangement from Spekulation entertainment, the advert will feature living logo Cara singing the catchy anthem before being joined by a backing group of animated singers and dancers.

The Chain Reaction song, originally recorded by Diana Ross, has been selected due to its popularity with music lovers worldwide and was a popular hit in 1985 on her album ‘Eaten Alive’. Confused.com, the UK’s leading car insurance price comparison site, has worked closely with its creative agencies on this advert to ensure it recaptures the energy of the Diana Ross original.

Mike Hoban, marketing director at Confused.com, said: “Confused.com was the first site to offer price comparison. Our latest advert reminds customers of Confused.com’s leadership position in a fun and entertaining way. With 20 million users, up two million since our first advert, Confused.com is once again demonstrating it is the people’s choice for comparison sites and we are really proud of this.”

In addition to the sixty second advert, a thirty second version is also being launched. The new advert can be viewed on Cara’s page on Confused.com and on Confused.com’s You Tube channel.

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Young Drivers Face Catch-22 Conundrum Reports Tiger.co.uk

The recent publication of The AA’s 2010 Insurance Premium Index has again highlighted the growing problem of increased car insurance costs for younger drivers. The Index estimated that insurance for 17-22 year old drivers increased by over 58% in 2010. This equated to a massive £829, increasing average premiums for this age group to over £2,250 – more than the cost of many first cars.

The team at Tiger.co.uk, a motor insurance comparison site, has highlighted another statistic about young drivers that also needs to be considered. The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) has estimated that 5% of motorists – over 1.2 million – are driving without insurance and 20% of these (243,000) are 17-20 year olds.

The same organisation estimates that the high level of uninsured driving has contributed towards the extraordinary level of inflation in car insurance premiums, adding about £30 to the cost of policies for legally insured drivers.

When viewed together these statistics lead to a worrying conclusion: as car insurance becomes increasingly unaffordable for younger drivers, so they may be increasingly tempted to drive without any insurance at all. This, in turn could lead to a rise in uninsured drivers’ compensation costs, again fuelling further increases in car insurance premiums.

A spokesperson for Tiger.co.uk commented: “The relationship between escalating insurance premiums and the growth of uninsured driving is inescapable. It could well lead to a “Catch 22” situation whereby having more uninsured drivers contributes to increased premiums causing drivers, particularly young drivers, to risk driving without insurance – which is of course a criminal offence. We would recommend that young drivers take the following steps to try and get cheap car insurance:

• Use car insurance comparison sites like Tiger.co.uk to make sure you get car insurance quotes and compare policies and get from a wide range of insurers.

• Consider taking the Pass Plus exam after passing your driving test – premiums can be reduced by up to 30%.*

• Have a look at ‘pay as you drive’ policies such as those offered by Insure The Box and Coverbox – both of which are available via Tiger.co.uk’s comparison service (the only car insurance comparison site to offer both of these insurance brands).

• Choose your car carefully – go for something in a low insurance group.

• Drive carefully and build your no claims discount as this can significantly reduce your premiums.”

The spokesperson also reminded young drivers shopping for cheap car insurance:
“Don’t be tempted to get an older driver to “front” your policy for you. This practice of having an older more experienced driver as the main driver on a policy is illegal and can lead to insurance being void.”

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LV= Promotes Best Practice For National Customer Service Week

LV=, the mutual insurance, investment and retirement group, is running a series of training and activities to promote and reward excellence in customer service as part of National Customer Service Week.

LV= is dedicated to delivering the best possible customer service all year round and will be using National Customer Service Week as an extra opportunity to highlight the value that customer service plays within organisations.

In addition to highlighting and rewarding those staff who have demonstrated customer service excellence, the group will be running a series of initiatives during the week such as problem solving training and ‘back to the floor’ sessions for senior management.

Two staff award schemes have been set up to celebrate the week. The LOVE awards are for employees who demonstrate Living Our Values Everyday (LOVE) and the Unsung Heroes awards are for staff to nominate colleagues who have gone the extra mile to improve an internal process or system.

In the general insurance business, each site has initiatives promoting great customer service throughout the week including managers’ mystery shopping and awarding prizes for great examples of customer service, quizzes themed around customer service, dress down and dress up days, job swaps and awards for the friendliest members of the customer service team.

Initiatives being rolled out specifically in LV=’s Bournemouth office include a dress like a rock star day, a ‘Know your Claims’ team quiz and retention spot prizes.

LV= handles more than 18,000 customer calls a day and has won numerous awards for its customer service, including the 2010 Moneywise award for best customer service in car insurance. The LV= general insurance call centre also won call centre of the year* in the 2009 National Customer Service Awards and is short-listed again for the same award this year.

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LV= Launches New Viral Game

LV= has announced the launch of “LV= Heartsville”, a new viral game that offers a number of prizes to be won.

Aligned with the theme of the current LV= TV advert, the premise of the new game is to fly a hot air balloon over the fictional town of “Heartsville” and avoid any obstacles that could ground the balloon. While the game boasts easy and user friendly game play, it becomes more challenging as the player progresses through the game.

Players can share the game with their friends via Facebook and create leagues to make it even more fun. A free prize draw is also available to users with prizes including two tickets for a Virgin hot air balloon ride, a Fortnum & Mason hamper or a £50 shopping voucher.

“LV= Heartsville” has been created in order to assist the company in capturing customer data, increase LV=’s brand awareness and drive traffic to the company website, with LV=’s key products such as car insurance and life insurance getting a mention in the game.

Alan Lay, web content manager at LV= said: “We think it’s a great game, lots of fun to play, with some great prizes up for grabs and you can indulge in some friendly competition by setting up leagues with friends and family. “Heartsville” brings a little extra cheer to our audience, creating a buzz and engaging them with the brand, then driving them to our website to show them how we look after what they love in life.”

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LV= Asset Management Equities Team Celebrates Year Of Strong Performance

One year after joining LV= Asset Management (LVAM), the fund management arm of mutual insurance and investment group, LV=, Graham Ashby and his team are celebrating an impressive set of numbers for both the LV= UK Equity Income Fund and LV= UK Growth Fund.

Graham joined from Credit Suisse and has been the lead manager of the LV= UK Equity Income Fund since 1 September 2009. During the year to 31 August 2010, LV= UK Equity Income Fund returned 12.18% versus a FTSE All Share Index figure of 10.57% and an IMA UK Equity Income sector average of 8.22%, marking it as 1st Quartile and 6th Percentile*.

Under the stewardship of Michael Crawford, an experienced manager who has worked with Graham for over 10 years, LV= UK Growth Fund returned a much improved performance of 9.29% against the FTSE All Share Index’s 10.57% and an IMA UK All Companies sector average of 8.62%*.

Graham and Michael also brought Marcus Chandler and Mira Bhogaita with them from Credit Suisse. Together with long-standing LVAM fund manager Chris Price, they make up LVAM’s UK Equities team.

The UK equity portfolios have a ‘backbone’ of stocks which have a proven record in creating value for shareholders and where fundamental analysis indicates that these high returns are sustainable.

The team also believes that UK equity portfolios should also be diversified in absolute rather than relative terms. As a result, they seek to ensure adequate diversification by limiting the exposure to individual stocks and adopting a ‘benchmark aware’ rather than a ‘benchmark driven’ approach to portfolio construction.

Recently, in response to demand, LVAM has moved to a quarterly income distribution for the LV= UK Equity Income Fund, which helps with clients’ cash flow and is also in line with the trend for UK companies to pay dividends quarterly; an institutional income share class has also been added.

In July this year, LV= UK Equity Income Fund received a Standard & Poor’s ‘A’ rating and in addition, both Graham Ashby and Michael Crawford are ‘A’ rated by Citywire.

Via EPR Network
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LV= Research Suggests That Poor Sighted Drivers Put Lives At Risk

LV= has revealed new research conducted amongst motorists that shows many drivers are still getting behind the wheel, despite having poor eye sight.

The research conducted by LV= car insurance reveals that 4.2 million drivers who don’t currently wear glasses admitted their vision was ‘not perfect’ although they still drive and 1.1 million drivers who are prescribed glasses or lenses for driving said they don’t always wear them whilst behind the wheel.

Among the 53% of motorists that don’t currently wear prescribed glasses or lenses, the statistics reveal that nearly a quarter (23%) confess that their eyesight is ‘not perfect’, and around one in ten (11%) admit to finding it difficult to see at night and one in twenty (6%) say they struggle to see in poor weather.

Yet despite these problems a third of these motorists say they haven’t had their eyes tested in the last five years with a further one in eight (13%) saying they either had a test over ten years ago or they have simply never bothered.

Aside from the number plate reading test in the driving exam, drivers are not currently legally required to have an eye test until they are 70 years old, although medical experts recommend that all drivers have an eye test at least every two years, regardless of whether they think their eyesight is okay for driving.

And in a test among 256 randomly selected drivers, one in ten (9%) were unable to make out a number plate just over 20 metres away on their first attempt. This rose to 18% of all drivers aged 55 and over5.

If motorists drive when they cannot see clearly and do not meet the visual requirements, they could be fined £1,000, receive three penalty points or be disqualified from driving. If drivers are involved in an accident caused by their lack of vision they could be charged with reckless or dangerous driving and potentially face a prison sentence.

Via EPR Network
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LV Research Suggests Equity Release Set To Become Big Growth Area For IFAs

LV= conducted new research at its recent equity release road shows that reveals IFAs believe equity release is set to become a big growth area for their future business, helping to deal with the needs of the UK’s ageing population.

Research amongst IFAs that attended the road shows, which took place in May this year, showed that nearly all (98%) of them believe that there will be a surge in consumers using equity release over the next few years. 35% of the IFAs that attended said that equity release is already a core part of their business.

When looking into the reasons behind the future growth of the market, IFAs cited a shortfall in pension provision as the top reason for a future boost in people releasing the equity from their home, with funding to make home improvements and being able to help family onto the property ladder the next biggest motivators.

When looking into long term care planning, 88% of IFAs indicated that they believed, in the right circumstances, equity release could be the best option for people needing to fund long-term care in the home.

Vanessa Owen, LV=’s Head of Equity Release said: “Advisers can clearly see the importance property will play in people financing their future in and around retirement, and a large number of IFAs now class equity release as core to their business. Releasing the money locked in a home can, under the right circumstances, be a lifeline for cash poor, asset rich people in or at retirement. With people living longer and healthier lives many will want a cash injection to help pay for a standard of living they have grown used to in their working lives as well as paying for home improvements, dream holidays or medical care. People’s homes are often their greatest asset, so it makes sense for them to be able to access that capital when they need it.”

Andrea Rozario, Director General of equity release trade body SHIP, added: “It isn’t surprising that IFA’s believe in the future growth of equity release when you consider the longevity issues we face and the problems this brings. Clearly the shortfall in pensions, along with an increasing need to pay for care in later life is becoming more important for the consumer and turning to their biggest asset, often their property is a logical step. The use of this asset can help alleviate problems for customers as long as they are fully aware of all the options open to them and this is where advisers play a critical role.”

Via EPR Network
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