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Insurance

New M&S Money Survey Reveals Average Student Bedroom Contents Are Worth £1650

Following a new M&S Money survey which reveals that the contents of an average student bedroom are worth £1650, students heading to university are being urged to make sure they have appropriate insurance.

The poll of 2,000 students by M&S Money found that the average student bedroom contains:
– £718 worth of electrical gadgets and appliances
– £498 worth of clothing
– £224 worth of sports equipment
– £210 worth of text books

The huge value of a student’s bedroom is not surprising, with over half of students (53%) owning an MP3 player, 52% possessing a laptop and 42% enjoying movies on their own DVD player. The expense continues outside the bedroom, with a quarter of students owning a bike.

The survey also revealed that 14% of students have been burgled while at university and 22% of student cyclists have had their bikes stolen.

Despite this, only 16% of students have taken out their own insurance policy to cover their possessions whilst living in student accommodation. However, many people heading to university will not need to buy a stand-alone student policy and should check if their parents’ home insurance policy provides sufficient cover.

Steve Price, M&S Head of General Insurance, said: “Insurance may be the last thing on students’ minds as they prepare for the new academic year. It often feels like an unnecessary expense on top of everything else. 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.”

Students whose parents have M&S Premier home contents insurance could even enjoy unlimited cover for their possessions when away from home. This covers events such as damage, flood or theft from halls. Students are also covered if their bike is stolen when they are at university, as long at it is left secured when unattended.

About M&S Money
M&S Money (originally called 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 insurance for homes, cars, travel, pets and weddings, as well as loans, savings and investments.

In November 2004, Marks & Spencer sold M&S Money to HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organisations with over 9,500 offices in 85 countries and territories. The business continues to operate under the M&S Money brand, with an executive committee comprising an equal number of representatives from HSBC and Marks & Spencer.

The company employs 1,200 staff at its headquarters in Chester, delivering personal financial services to its customers, reflecting the core values of Marks & Spencer – quality, value, service, innovation and trust.

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LV= Has Announced That It Has Become An Official Sponsor Of Harlequins Rugby Club

LV=, the UK based insurance, investment and pensions group, has announced today that it has become an official sponsor of Harlequins Rugby Club, with a three year deal.

The deal signifies the strength of the club to attract a new investment, as well as LV=’s ability to continue to expand its business even during the current economic downturn.

In addition to branding rights on the team’s kit and perimeter boards, the West Stand of the club’s home ground, the Twickenham Stoop Stadium, has been renamed the LV= Stand’.

Harlequins play at the top level of English rugby, the Guinness Premiership, and also internationally in the Heineken Cup, which has started well for the team with a win in both of their first two matches, with a recent 42-21 home victory against Ulster.

LV= has sponsored the most prestigious title in domestic cricket, the LV= County Championship, as well as sponsoring a number of community and educational sponsorships local to its headquarters in Bournemouth, but this deal represents the first time that LV= has stepped into the world of rugby.

LV= Group Marketing Director David Radford says: “This is a great opportunity to take our brand in an exciting new direction. Harlequins has a strong heritage and a loyal following in rugby, which matches well with our business target audiences.”

Dean Richards, Harlequin’s Director of Rugby comments: “We’re delighted to welcome LV= as an official sponsor. The backing of a brand with a long tradition yet a bright, fresh appeal makes a good match for our club. We look forward to enjoying a successful first season together.”

About LV=
LV= is a trademark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and LV= is a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies.

LV= employs over 2,700 people, serves more than 2.5 million customers and members, and manages more than £7.7 billion on their behalf. LV= is the UK’s largest friendly society and a leading mutual financial services provider, aiming to help customers find freedom from financial worry by providing a wide range of reliable and good value financial products, including home insurance, car insurance and pet and travel insurancedirect to consumers.

LV also offers insurance products exclusively to brokers via the Highway and ABC Insurance brands.

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Highway Insurance Group Acquired by LV

LV=, the UK based insurance, investment and pensions group, has announced its acquisition of the Highway Insurance Group, which includes Highway Insurance and Hero Insurance Services, further expanding the fast growing general insurance division of LV=.

The initial offer of 73.35p per share, which was recommended by the Highway Board, was made in August. Highway shareholders also received their interim dividend of 1.65p, payable at the start of October 2008. This gives an overall value of the entire issued share capital of Highway of £150m.

Fenchurch Advisory Partners acted as exclusive financial adviser to LV while Shore Capital Stockbrokers acted as corporate broker to LV=.

Mike Rogers, Group Chief Executive of LV= said: “We are pleased to have completed this deal quickly and we look forward to welcoming Highway into the LV= Group. This acquisition makes sound strategic sense and will assist us in our stated ambition to become a top five insurer in our chosen markets by 2012.”

He continued, “Highway is highly complementary to our existing general insurance operations and will provide a strong platform for growth. Putting the strengths of LV= and Highway together will enable us to compete even more effectively in the insurance broker market.”

Highway Insurance will become part of the LV= General Insurance business which is led by Managing Director John O’Roarke, who formerly headed up the Churchill and RBS Insurance businesses.

Andrew Gibson, Chief Executive of Highway, will be staying on in an advisory capacity until the end of the year, when he will be leaving to explore opportunities outside the LV= Group.

As LV= is a mutual organisation, owned by its members, Highway Insurance will be de-listed from the London Stock Exchange in due course.

About LV=:

LV= is a trademark of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and LV= is a trading style of the Liverpool Victoria group of companies. LV= employs over 2,700 people, serves more than 2.5 million customers and members, and manages more than £7.7 billion on their behalf. LV= is the UK’s largest friendly society and a leading mutual financial services provider, providing home insurance and car insurance well as travel and pet insurance direct to consumers. It also offers insurance products exclusively to brokers via the Highway and ABC Insurance brands.


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New Research From LV= Reveals That Parents Spend A Staggering £233 Billion Supporting Their Adult Children

New research from insurance, pensions and investments group LV= reveals that parents spend a staggering £233 billion* on supporting their adult children (children aged 18 years or over), and are foregoing their own financial freedom to support their children.

The LV study, which was carried out amongst adults aged 40+ years who have children 18+ years, found that 94% of parents continue to contribute financially towards education and other major purchases such as houses and cars, plus living expenses, once their children have reached ‘adulthood’.

Over half of all parents surveyed (55%) admitted to helping their adult children with general living costs, indicating that the ‘credit crunch’ and rising living costs are impacting on the finances of adult children.

Nigel Snell, Communications Director at LV=, said: “Parents certainly like to financially contribute, if they can, towards large purchases for their adult children, such as weddings and deposits for first homes. However, it seems that the current economic climate is impacting on day-to-day finances. Parents are the hardest hit, with a large proportion admitting that they are helping to cover their children’s living expenses, as well as meeting their own financial commitments.”

One quarter (23%) of parents aged between 40 and 49 years still have children aged over 25 years old living with them, indicating that despite falling house prices, adult children are not in a hurry to leave the nest, and may not be able to afford to either.

According to the research, it is not just their own children that parents are paying for either. Of those parents with grandchildren, 79% reported supporting both their children and grandchildren.

Almost half of all parents aged 70 years or older (45%) are still helping their children financially. Despite generally being retired and living on a reduced income, 55% of these parents state that they help their children because they feel it is their responsibility as a parent, and 42% stated that they support their children ‘because they can afford to’.

In contrast, less than one third (29%) of the parents questioned said that they had received financial help from their own parents after they had left school. Now, 62% of parents say they help their adult children because ‘they need the assistance’ and 17% of parents say that their adult child actually asks them for financial support.

Nigel Snell concluded: “Our study shows that parents can no longer expect their children to pay their own way once they have flown the nest. More than ever it’s true to say that having children means signing up to a lifetime financial commitment.

“Many parents will have had to put some plans on hold to manage the costs associated with raising a family, and once their children are old enough, parents should begin to encourage their own children to make small provisions, so that the financial burden can be reduced and parents can enjoy more financial freedom in retirement.”

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Finding Cheap Auto And Home Insurance Should Not Be Difficult At Cheap-Insurance-Rates.Com

Finding Cheap auto insurance should not be difficult. But talk to anyone and they will usually tell you what a pain shopping for insurance is. It’s such a pain that most people will stick with whatever company they’re with, even if they know they’re not getting the best rates, just because finding a new carrier, and getting quotes, is so time consuming and inconvenient. Cheap-Insurance-Rates.com is determined to change that. We think shopping for insurance should be fast, easy and convenient. We think you should be able to enter your information once, and get multiple quotes from multiple carriers. We think insurance companies should be coming to you and competing for your business and that you should be able to view and compare rates from different companies with no obligation and no credit check.

We’re not just about auto insurance either. We think you should have the same options when it comes to Home owners insurance as well. We don’t think you should have to fill out multiple pages of forms, each and every time you want a quote from a new company. Instead, we think you should have one simple, single page form to fill out, quickly and efficiently, right online, to get quotes and offers from a variety of reputable companies.

We’re so committed to these beliefs that we designed our site with the consumer in mind, making it fast and easy for you to get the quotes you want, from multiple prescreened insurance professionals. You enter your information, and we keep it safe and secure, sharing it only with our list of reputable agents who are able to meet your needs and offer you the best deals out there. Shopping for insurance has never been easier, instead of taking all your time making dozens of calls and filling out countless forms, you’ll have companies making you offers, and competing for your business.

Cheap-Insurance-Rates.com can help you meet all of your insurance needs by getting your quotes from insurance brokers for auto insurance, home owners insurance, life insurance, and even help you shop around for competitive rates for individual and family health insurance plans and pet insurance. You provide the information and we match you with prescreened professionals. Cheap Insurance doesn’t mean poor service or lack of options. It means you get the best deals possible, and we do the hard work for you. To find out more about our services, visit us on the web at http://cheap-insurance-rates.comor email sariji@gmail.com.

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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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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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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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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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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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