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Confused.com Launches Its 2-For-1 Dining Card To Say Thank You To Customers

Confused.com has launched a 2-for-1 dining card in conjunction with Hi-Life to say thank you to customers who purchase car insurance or home insurance in November through Confused.com.

Discounts and offers on expenses like dining out and entertainment are becoming more important as inflation erodes people’s disposable income and many people have to tighten their purse strings.

Recent research by the Institute for Fiscal Studies identifies that there has been a fall in median net household income of 3.5%, the largest single-year drop since 1981.*

These additional pressures on incomes mean people are not only on the lookout for bargains but are also becoming savvier. To help, Confused.com is giving away a 2-for-1 Hi – Life dining card to all customers who buy a car insurance or home insurance policy in November 2011 through Confused.com. For customers this means 2-for-1 on eating out all day every day at over 3,500 participating restaurants for a whole year, meaning the savings keep on coming.

Catering for all tastes and price ranges, customers can enjoy 2-for-1 at Malmaison, Loch Fyne, Prezzo, Pizza Hut and thousands of other restaurants besides.

Click here for a full list of 2-for-1 dining offers from Confused.com.

Gareth Kloet, head of car insurance at Confused.com, said: “Saving people time and money is at the very heart of our business at Confused.com so the 2 for 1 dining card offer is something we believe will add real value to our customers. With Christmas fast approaching and so many people looking to cut back on expense without making lifestyle changes, we are hopeful it will be well received as an additional thank you for using our site.”

Mark Gabriel, head of home insurance at Confused.com, added: “The recent downturn has made us more careful about what we spend and made us savvier in searching for savings. The 2-for-1 dining card can be used for a year and gives great savings on well-known restaurants throughout the UK. Car and home insurance is a necessity so at Confused.com we wanted to give our customers a great deal on their insurance but a little extra at the same time.”

Via EPR Network
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M&S Home Insurance Urges Romantics Check Rings Are Insured Before Proposing This Valentine’s

M&S Home Insurance is advising anyone purchasing a ring before popping the question this Valentine’s Day to check it is covered by their existing home contents insurance.

Brits spend an average of £1,800 (source: confetti.co.uk quoted on thisismoney.co.uk) on an engagement ring. While many people may be tempted to take out specialist insurance offered at the time of purchase, they may not realise the ring may already be covered by their home insurance policy.

M&S Home Insurance offers unlimited cover for possessions in the home* – so policy holders can be confident that their valuable items have adequate cover. This can be extended to cover items outside of the home.

Insurance for valuables is particularly important at this time of the year – February is one of the worst months for burglaries** as it is dark early in the evening, and many homes are empty, with people still at work, or parents out on the school run.

As the price of gold has risen by 25% compared to this time last year (Source: goldprice.org), demand for gold jewellery is high, making heirlooms that have been passed down the generations, and other older items of gold a valuable commodity for burglars, as they can be sold on quickly and easily.

David Wells, M&S Head of Insurance, said: “Many contents insurance policies have specific limits on single items, so if you think an item of jewellery may be worth more now than when it was bought, it would be worth having it revalued to ensure it is going to be covered by your existing policy.

“While many items are irreplaceable because of the memories or a person or an event that are attached to them, it’s a comfort to think you can at least afford to have the item replaced with something of similar value if the worst happens.”

Via EPR Network
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Identity Burglary Crime Wave is Hitting Homeowners

LV= has revealed in a new report that one in seven burglaries last year was carried out solely in an attempt to steal the homeowner’s personal details.

A quarter of all burglary victims in the past year fell prey to ID fraud as a direct result of a break in. The research from home insurer LV=, which questioned both burglary victims and convicted fraudsters, reveals the scale of the crime and fraudsters’ tricks of the trade.

‘ID burglary’ is estimated to cost the UK over £150 million per year to rectify and according to the report the number of home burglaries involving personal data theft is predicted to rise by 33% year on year if ID fraud continues to increase at its current rate.

The LV= report found that credit cards, coupled with a form of ID such as a bank statement, utility bill or National Insurance number, are prized items on the black market as they make it easier for fraudsters to steal an identity. Individual identity documents can change hands for around £15, whereas fraudsters will typically pay £150 for a ‘bundle’ of personal identity information.

One fraudster said: “So many people make my job really easy by sticking all the key documents together in one place. And for all the family too, so you often get three or four identities for the price of one, so to speak.”

While ‘identity burglars’ are becoming more common, even thieves after more traditional items such as purses or wallets are likely to take the opportunity to steal personal details as well, because they know they can sell these on. Around 94% of handbags, wallets and purses contain at least one form of personal identity document.

To help assist the growing number of people affected by ID fraud, the LV= home insurance policy now includes free access to a special identity fraud helpline.

John O’ Roarke, managing director of LV= home insurance, said: “As the trend for identity fraud increases, we would strongly urge homeowners to take appropriate measures to limit their chances of being targeted by thieves and fraudsters. As well as installing home security measures such as burglary alarms and security lights, homeowners should ensure they store personal documents securely and if possible separately to minimise the risk of ID theft.”

Via EPR Network
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Financial, Financial Information, Financial Services, Insurance, Insurance Services, Money

Sloppy Shed Security Is An Open Invitation To Thieves Warns M&S Home Insurance

A new survey by M&S home insurance has revealed that, with many people set to head out into the garden this Easter weekend, many shed owners may be under estimating the value of the contents of their shed and not taking appropriate steps to secure their property.

The survey by home insurance provider M&S Money found that the average shed contains a massive £888 worth of property. One survey respondent admitted to keeping £30,000 worth of goods in their shed.

However, almost a quarter of shed owners (24%) admitted failing to take steps to secure their shed, such as using a lock on the door.

The lack of security may help to explain why sheds are often targeted by thieves – 30% of shed owners know someone who has had property stolen from their shed.

Judith Roberts: Manager at M&S Insurance, said: “Sheds often contain a wealth of property, including tools or machinery which can cost thousands of pounds. Our survey reveals that many people fail to take even simple steps to secure their shed. It’s not surprising, therefore, that insurers receive many claims for theft from sheds.

“Householders should check whether their home insurance policy provides cover for theft from the shed, and whether there is a limit on that cover. Even if you do have insurance, unless you secure your shed, any claim may be invalid.”

The M&S home insurance policy provides unlimited cover for theft of property from a shed. Policyholders must take reasonable steps to ensure they have secured their shed.

All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1971 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 18th – 20th March 2009. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).

About M&S Money
M&S Money (the trading name of Marks & Spencer Financial Services) was founded in 1985 as the financial services division of Marks and Spencer Group plc. The company is now a top ten credit card provider and the second largest travel money retailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance, pet insurance, car insurance and wedding insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC. The Group serves customers worldwide from around 9,500 offices in 86 countries and territories in Europe, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas, the Middle East and Africa. With assets of US$2,527 billion at 31 December 2008, HSBC is one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations.

M&S Money has an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer. An ISDN line is available for broadcast interviews

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