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Confused.com Poll Reveals UK Drivers Want a Crackdown on Drug Driving

A new poll from Confused.com reveals that ‘Crack down on drug driving’ is the message from drivers to the UK government. 70% of drivers say they don’t think enough is being done about this problem and 71% want to see the government do more to combat drug driving.

25-34 year olds are most likely to drive while on drugs (8% admit to having done it), according to the Confused.com poll, while drink driving is most likely among 45-54 year-olds (34% admit to having done it).

The ‘drug and drink driving’ poll of 2,000 drivers in the UK reveals 37% of drivers think drug drivers are less likely to get caught than drink drivers (8% say more likely and 55% see no difference). Meanwhile, 25% of men and 18% of women believe drug driving is more widespread than drink driving on UK roads despite figures showing 5% of drivers admit to drug driving and 28% of drivers admit to drink driving. Moreover, more men admit to drink driving than women (38% as opposed to 19%). Most notably, the poll reveals 77% of women want to see the government do more about drug driving, compared to 65% of men.

The Department for Transport reported a fall in alcohol-related accidents last week. Mike Hoban, Chief Marketing Officer for Confused.com, thinks that drug driving might be a hidden menace on our roads. He said: “The Government has been boasting about cutting public service advertising but it’s clear that people are concerned about the potential dangers of drug-driving. The Government has a responsibility to let drivers know that the penalties are severe and that drug-drivers are a danger to themselves and a danger to others.”

The penalties for drug driving are the same as for drink driving: a drug driver will receive a minimum 12-month driving ban, a criminal record and a fine of up to £5000.

The conviction for driving (or attempting to) when unfit through drugs is DR80 and this stays on the driver’s license for 11 years (attracting up to 11 points). DR90 is the conviction for being in charge of a vehicle when unfit through drugs. This stays on licenses for 4 years and can attract 10 points.

Notes to Editors:
The poll of 2000 drivers in the UK was carried out by Onepoll on behalf of Confused.com and all figures have been rounded up to the nearest 1%

Information on penalties and laws around drink driving and drug driving sourced from direct.gov.uk.

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Confused.com Reveals Over A Quarter Of UK Motorists Have A Pet Name For Their Car

Confused.com has revealed new research that shows 33% of car owners initiate a daily car-versation with their motors, talking to them not only about day-to-day matters and their frustrations on the road, but also about relationships and personal problems.

The average UK motorist considers their car to be female, with a personality that is sensible (25%), cute (8%) or playful (7%). Findings also confirm that 16% of men see their cars as women, choosing words such as sexy (6%) and mischievous (5%) to describe the personality of their vehicles.

Peter Collett, Psychologist and author of ‘Driving Passion – The Psychology of The Car’ suggests that naming your car can reduce the risk of incidents on the road.

“A majority of car owners feel the need to give their car a distinctive name, usually an affectionate title that expresses how they feel about their car and how they regard it as being different from everyone else’s. The drive to individualise one’s car in this way is very widespread and it also lays the foundation for how people treat their cars. By giving their car a special name, drivers are treating their car as something that deserves to be cared for – a friend, a pet, a companion, sometimes even a lover.”

So, to encourage the nation to care for its cars, Confused.com has developed an online car name generator, which automatically generates a name for the user’s car. Customers simply answer a few questions about their motor such as colour, personality, number of years of ownership to generate a name. User’s will also be able to print out a certificate, which can be kept with vehicle documents or passed on to the next owner.

Gareth Kloet, Head of Car Insurance: at Confused.com said: “Nearly one fifth of motorists who name their cars believe it encourages them to be more careful on the roads. We have nicknames for our friends, partners and even pets so why not our cars. Drivers with an emotional attachment to their vehicles are more likely to take better care of it on and off the road. We’re calling for all motorists to use the car name generator, and start caring for your car.”

Additional findings from the survey also uncovered a variety of unusual pet names for cars including Albie the great, Baldrick, Claris, Elektra, Lemmy, Michaelangelo, Snoop, Talulah, Florence (the machine) Horatio, Fadgehammer and Yannis.

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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.

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Confused.com Sees 2000% Surge As Customers Flock To Save Money On Energy

A surge in energy prices announced by British Gas within the last few days has prompted a 2000%* jump in visits to comparison site Confused.com as customers rush to save money. People are flocking to the price comparison site to find the best deals and avoid the price hikes.

Confused.com Chief Marketing Office, Mike Hoban said: “At a time when utility suppliers are reporting record profits and massive price rises, consumers are voting with their laptops and looking for the cheaper deals.”

Confused.com also offers popular hints and tips on how to reduce energy used around the house, as well as an impartial comparison service which makes it easy for people to shop around and save on gas and electricity bills.

British Gas is the second of the Big 6 to announce gas and electricity price rises. Gas prices are set to increase by an average of 18%, electricity by an average of 16%, effective from 18 August 2011. This increase means around £190** will be added to the average household bill for the customers affected.

Lisa Greenfield, energy analyst at Confused.com commented on the price rises:
“Struggling households will be dismayed by this news, and as British Gas is the largest supplier in the UK, many families will be hit hard.”

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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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LV= Reports That Up To 1.2 Million Over-50s May Use Equity In Home To Supplement Pensions

LV= has revealed that ‘Home is Pension’ is a common mantra among the over-50s workforce in Britain as shown in a recent report published by the retirement specialist. Although 54% of the over-50s believe the value of their home has fallen over the last three years, an estimated 1.2 million ‘HIPpies’ (‘Home is Pension’) may use the equity in their home to help supplement their retirement income.

Only 19% of all over-50s still in work feel that they are financially on track to retire as planned, while the number of working over-50s that believe they may have to delay retirement for financial reasons has increased hugely, to 41% from just 28% this time last year. Homeowners over 50 estimate they have lost £60 billion in property value due to recent volatility in the housing market.

However, this has not put many off using the equity in their homes to help fund retirement, with nearly a quarter of working over-50s considering using some, or all of the equity in their home to fund their retirement. The ‘Home is Pension’ mantra is so valuable to over-50s, that 54% would suggest their children include investment in property as part of their retirement planning.

When working over-50s were questioned about the impact an interest rate rise would have, LV=’s research found that 40% would have to reduce their pension contributions just to meet the higher cost of paying debts. More than four in ten (44%) of all working over-50s and 34% of those aged 60-69 in work, have an outstanding mortgage debt on their home.

Vanessa Owen, LV= Head of Equity Release, said: “It seems to be increasingly commonplace for those approaching retirement to consider using the equity in their property as part of their overall retirement plan. Continuing doom and gloom over volatility in the housing market and seeing some properties fall in value, hasn’t deterred the UK’s “HIPpies” and many are still positive that the equity in their home is their best chance of having a more comfortable retirement.”

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M&S Money Warns Insurance Homework Should Be A Priority For Todays Students

A new survey by M&S Money* has revealed that, as thousands of students prepare to head to university, the average student bedroom contains a massive £1620 worth of gear – yet only half of students have contents insurance.

The poll found that the average student crams into their room almost £699 worth of electrical gadgets and appliances, £444 worth of clothes, sports equipment valued at £246 and textbooks worth £231.

The huge value of a student’s bedroom is not surprising, with over half of students (55%) owning a laptop, 48% possessing a MP3 player and 20% a widescreen television.

The survey also revealed that 27% of students have been burgled while at university with 71% being burgled more than once.

Despite this, only 52% of students who took part in the survey said that they have insurance to cover their possessions whilst the items are in their student accommodation.

M&S Money points out that many students heading to university will not need to buy a standalone student policy and should check if their parents’ home insurance policy provides sufficient cover.

Students whose parents have M&S Premier Home Contents insurance receive unlimited cover for their possessions while living in student accommodation. This covers events such as damage, flood or theft from halls.

The student bedroom of 2010 is very different from student bedrooms of the 80s. To mark the 25th anniversary of the launch of the financial services arm of M&S**, M&S Money surveyed students who went to university in 1985 to find out their most cherished items.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S head of General Insurance, said: “While the contents of a student’s bedroom have changed a great deal in the past 25 years, one thing remains the same – they have expensive tastes.

“Students of 2010 preparing for the new academic year may see insurance as an unnecessary expense on top of everything else. But as our survey shows the modern day student bedroom is a goldmine for thieves, so insurance could be the best investment students make this autumn.

“Many students would be surprised to know that their valuables may already be covered – they just need to check whether their parents’ home insurance policy covers their property when away from home.”

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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.

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LV Announces Strong Performance In First Half Of 2010

LV=, the mutual insurance, retirement and investment group, has announced a strong performance in the first half of 2010, with sales and trading profits significantly up on the same period of 2009.

Life cover sales are up 40% to £63.5m on an APE (Annual Premium Equivalent) basis, compared to £45.2m in the first half of 2009. This includes retirement business seeing a 36% increase with an APE of £48.3 (H1 2009: £35.4m) while protection and savings businesses saw a 55% increase with an APE of £15.2m (H1 2009: £9.8m).

General insurance GWP (Gross Written Premiums) were up 37% to £546.4m (H1 2009: £397.5m), this includes including new business GWP up by
39% to £85.0m (H1 2009: £61.3m). The results also confirm that LV= is now fourth biggest private car insurer (according to FSA returns 2009).

In asset management (LVAM), investment performance shows continued strong outperformance against benchmark for the with-profits portfolio. 85% of eligible funds are ranked in the first or second quartile of their peer groups for performance in the first six months of 2010 while H1 2010 sales exceed the total for 2009 (excluding third party institutional sales).

Mike Rogers, LV= group chief executive, commented: “Although the market environment remains challenging, our focus has paid off enabling us to
continue to grow profitably across the LV= Group. Our trading performance in terms of both sales and profitability was significantly up on the same period last year.

“In the life business, pensions and annuities spearheaded a strong performance, driven partly by legislation change moving the retirement age from 50 to 55. Profitability in life was also enhanced by improved cost control and by our development of new IFA accounts.

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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.”

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M&S Money Urge Drivers To Make Car Security A Priority This Summer

M&S Money has revealed a new survey that reveals thousands of drivers are risking invalidating car insurance claims by failing to make vehicle security a priority.

The poll* found that more than half (56%) of UK motorists have been victims of car crime – 12% of car owners have experienced maliciously damaged paintwork, 8% have had a windscreen smashed and 8% of motorists have been victims of theft of personal belongings from their car.

While 60% of car owners have an alarm installed in their vehicle, many risk invalidating car insurance claims by failing to activate the alarm when the vehicle is unattended.

The survey found that 40% of Brits do not always use their car’s security system. A further 12% of motorists never use their security facilities, while nearly half of people (43%) admitted to having left their cars unlocked.

The M&S Car Insurance policy states that when a vehicle is unattended drivers must ensure the car is locked, windows are closed, any security system activated and any keyless entry systems removed.

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LV= Warns Of £264m Repair Bill For Alcohol-Fuelled Home Accidents

LV= is warning that accidents caused by Brits drinking and partying at home this summer is predicted to leave UK homeowners with a total repair bill of £264 million*.

New research by LV= home insurance suggests that the explosive combination of the football world cup and hot weather has fuelled a boom in alcohol-related accidents, as Brits increasingly hold parties at home. Based on last year’s breakages, 73,000 TV/computer/games console accidents, 686,000 stains on carpets, and 955,500 breakages have already happened this summer.

Of last year’s accidents 56% admitted that alcohol was involved and 31% stated the guest who did the damage was ‘quite drunk’ when the accident happened. A further 44% admitted they were ‘a bit tipsy’ at the time. The most common accident was broken glass or crockery (29%), followed by spillages causing damage to furniture (22%) or stained and damaged carpets (20%).

LV= is warning homeowners to ensure they opt for accidental damage cover as part of their home contents insurance, so that if any serous mishaps occur they are not left out of pocket paying to put the damage right.

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M&S Money Urges Householders To Secure Their Sheds

A new survey by M&S Money* has revealed that the average shed now holds £988 worth of contents – an increase of £100 from the 2009 figure**.

The most expensive items that people keep in their sheds are lawnmowers (38%), bikes (28%) and DIY equipment/tools (22%). However, the survey found that almost half of people questioned (49%) admitted they leave their shed unlocked at times. This figure has doubled in the past year, from just under a quarter (24%) in 2009.

Almost a fifth (18%) of respondents in this year’s survey revealed they frequently leave their shed unlocked and, only 12% of respondents felt that their shed was very secure against burglary and would deter thieves.

M&S Money is urging householders to check that their home insurance policy covers items in their shed. 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.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “The value of items kept in sheds can mount up, as our survey shows. We would urge householders to check whether their home insurance policy provides adequate cover for theft from a shed, and what security measures they may need to demonstrate to ensure any claims made are valid.”

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M&S Money Credit Card Scoops Industry Award

M&S Money has won the 2010 Moneyfacts award for Best Card Provider (Introductory Rate). The awards were announced at the Millennium Hotel, Mayfair, London in front of 300 industry professionals from leading financial institutions who had gathered for the special luncheon which was hosted by ITV News’ Economics Editor, Daisy McAndrew.

M&S Money Credit Card Scoops Industry Award

The awards were presented to those companies that have consistently offered the most competitive products, the best levels of service and shown the greatest innovation in the personal finance world during the last twelve months.

The M&S Credit Card offers:
– 0% interest on all shopping for ten months from account opening
– 0% interest for six months on balance transfers made within six months of account opening (2.9% fee, minimum £5)
– No cash advance fee & 55 days interest free when buying M&S Travel Money with the card
– M&S points earned every time the card is used, with regular bonus offers of extra points on purchases at M&S
– 15.9% APR typical variable. Actual rate received will depend on an individual assessment of circumstances.

Colin Kersley, M&S Money Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted that the M&S credit card has been recognised at the Moneyfacts awards. The card not only has a competitive APR but also 10 months at 0% interest on shopping, making it one of the most attractive credit cards in the market.”

Via EPR Network
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Financial, Financial Management, Financial Services, Insurance, Insurance Services, Money, Personal Finance

M&S Money Warns England Fans To Take Care When Flying The Flag

M&S Car insurance has announced that according to a new survey over a fifth (22%) of England fans will add a St. George flag to the family car this month to show their support for the England team whilst they play out in South Africa for the World Cup.

M&S Money Warns England Fans To Take Care When Flying The Flag

In the period leading up to the England team, captained by Steven Gerrard and led by manager Fabio Capello, played their first match against the USA on 12th of June, the survey revealed that almost as many women as men were planning on adding the flag to their car. This was 21% of women compared to 24% of men.

As a result of the survey findings which also revealed that 56% of those who are planning on placing a flag on their car will be attaching it to the antennae and 17% will place it by the passenger side wing mirror, and only 13% will be placing the flag in the front widescreen, M&S Car Insurance is advising motorists to put safety first and think carefully about where they position the flag on their vehicle. Worryingly, only 43% of the respondents stated that they believed that flags can be a distraction depending upon where they are placed.

Andrew Ferguson, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: -“Many motorists and their families will be keen to demonstrate their support for England by placing a flag on their car. While it can be a popular way for fans to show their support, we are asking motorists to be aware of the safety issues to ensure they avoid any unnecessary accidents on the road.-“

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, making 2010 the company-‘s 25th anniversary.

The company is a top-ten credit card provider and the second-largest travel currencyretailer in the UK. M&S Money also offers a range of insurance cover, including home insurance and car insurance, as well as loans, savings and investment products.

Via EPR Network
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