Posts Tagged ‘men’
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
With cars having always been a generally expensive commodity anyway, the economic downturn has really seen drivers suffer. The last few years have also seen the price of pretty much everything grow, not only has car insurance risen over the last year, having increased at a rate of 40 pence per day, but we have seen a significant increase in the price of fuel as well, paying an average of 15.8p per litre more than we were only a year ago. But why?
It’s likely that you will by now have heard about the European Court of Justice’s new ruling that sex discrimination is no longer a valid means of calculating the cost of insurance, which is going to have a massive impact on insurance industry practice and our premiums across the board – especially, though, when it comes to car insurance.
With men seeing an average 10% decrease on their insurance and women set to pay an average of 25% more than they do now, it’s very important to make sure you find the most competitive insurance company in business.
When it comes to companies like car insurance comparison websites like moneysupermarket.com, they can provide help and info about any price hikes in the industry by using their car insurance comparison tool – the great thing about it is that you just have to enter your details once and they do all the searching and hard work for you by obtaining quotes from over 50 car insurance companies. This relieves you from having to obtain quotes from lots of different companies. When the time comes for you to renew your policy, and so there’s absolutely no excuse for just remaining with your current insurer and paying the hefty price.
The car insurance comparison website evaluates that 1.7bn a year is lost collectively by the 6.3 million drivers in the UK, simply because consumers don’t shop around for their car insurance. Peter Harrison, an insurance expert for the comparison site, believes that we’re an apathetic nation when it comes to shopping around for car insurance: “Insurers count on customer apathy to reap the profits, so it is alarming so many motorists are prepared to waste their hard-earned cash by not looking for a better deal.”
Another contributing factor to the rising cost of our car insurance is the problem of uninsured driver accidents. The British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA), who has itself been lobbying for a regulatory system since 2004, calculates that it costs policyholders an average of 30 a year, and that 160 are killed and 22,000 injured every year, all at the hands of uninsured drivers.
According to the MID, the UK also has one of the worst records in Europe for uninsured driving. Costing the nation’s drivers a whopping 500m per year, an estimated one in twenty cars on the road is driven either completely without or incorrect (and therefore invalid) insurance.
Fortunately, a new Act called the Continuous Insurance Enforcement Act is aiming to deal with the problem. This will mean that cars can no longer be owned without either registering their vehicles with a Statutory Off Road Notice (SORN) or insuring them. This means that even those owners whose vehicle remains physically off the road on the drive or in the garage (even if it’s jacked up on bricks and without vital components), will be breaking the law if they haven’t applied for a SORN or insured it. The new act is due to come into effect in April 2011.
While the Act has been welcomed by many, concerns that it doesn’t quite go far enough have been voiced by some. Direct Line’s Andy Goldby, director of motor underwriting for example has commented: “We welcome this initiative, but with uninsured drivers costing British society around 500m each year, the severity of penalties must act as a deterrent to those considering driving without insurance.”
It remains to be seen whether or not this act will have a positive effect on the cost of our car insurance. After all, what’s the point of imposing a 300 fine on someone who would otherwise have had to pay over 2,000 for their insurance in the first place?
Another massive cost incurred by car insurance policyholders is that generated by accident claims and the expanding personal injury lawyer business.
Insurers claim they are paying out more than they are taking in, with a survey carried out by industry experts EMB and actuarial consultancy revealing that in 2009, for every 1 the retail motor industry received in premiums, it had to pay out 1.20 in costs and claims, making 2009 one of the industry’s most costly years on record.
Another report from EMB, presented to the Commons Transport Select Committee in 2010, said: “Over 40 per cent of personal injury lawyers pay referral fees to receive work from insurers or claims management firms. Fees range from 200 to 1,000 per referral.”
The report also stated: “In our view, the biggest single factor driving price increases is the burgeoning cost of bodily injury claims… We estimate that twenty years ago bodily injury claims accounted for around 20 per cent of UK motor insurance claims costs. In 2010 we now estimate that proportion to be 50 per cent.”
Figures show that 341,592 people were killed or injured on Britain’s roads in 1989, compared with 222,146 people in 2009, highlighting that the increase in costs just doesn’t add up.
Along very similar lines, the Jackson Report, published in January 2011, found that insurance premiums increased by 40 per cent in 2010, are set to see a further increase of 20 per cent in the year ahead, and that personal injury claims now account for an astonishing 50 per cent of the cost of our car insurance premiums.
So now, more than ever, it’s essential that you make sure your insurance provider is giving you the best value on the market.
MoneySuperMarket car insurance for young drivers is the place to find the best prices and deals – so get online now!
Tags: car, car insurance, crashes, insurance, law, men, premiums, women
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Sunday, April 17th, 2011
With the ECJ’s historic ban on gender discrimination in the insurance industry now looms the monumental task for Britain’s insurance industry to completely change the way it works. But what does it mean for men and women across the UK?
The case, brought by the Belgium Consumers Association, challenges Article 5 of the EU Gender Directive which allows insurers to charge men and women differently based on their sex if it is a “determining factor” in risk assessment, and where it is also based on “relevant and accurate actuarial and statistical data”.
This equalling of the playing field means that the cost of car insurance policies will significantly decrease for men & increase for women – a change to which a lot of media attention has been given. But what about the rest of Britain’s insurance industry?
With significant evidence having shown concretely over the years that women are safer drivers than men, the ruling has been met with a great deal of concern.
Insurers will no longer be allowed to evaluate risk based on a person’s gender at the end of 2012, and as a result, premiums for women are expected to rise noticeably, while premiums for men are set to decrease.
However, it’s not all good news when it comes to insurance for men. The ruling applies not only to car insurance but across the entire insurance industry, so the ruling will carry some negative implications for them, too.
Annuities
An annuity is usually bought with a pension fund when a person approaches retirement, and with this they are guaranteed an income for life.
Data such as gender, age and health are all used to decide the annual income they can buy with their retirement pot – estimating how long they are likely to live.
It is often believed that women usually live longer than men and have always generally been offered lower annuity payouts than a men with exactly the same pension fund.
However, the new ruling has changed all this, and will inevitably see men paying more. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimates that men approaching retirement will see an 8% decrease in annuity rates, while women will benefit from an increase of about 6%.
In addition, joint annuities, usually purchased by men, are also set to see a price increase, so women who rely on their husband’s pension fund will also suffer a lower retirement income.
Head of pensions at Fair Investment Company, George Ladds, has warned that if annuities are to stay appealing, the industry has to rethink how it prices annuities: “Either rates for men and women will be brought in line to create ‘unisex’ annuity rate, which will probably see men’s rates go down more than women’s go up – or annuity providers will have to start looking at each case individually, which is more expensive, and that cost will be passed onto the consumer.” He added: “Either way, the consumer loses out on both choice and value. Annuity rates are already low, and this could be the excuse providers need to pull them even lower.”
Life insurance
Men are more likely to die earlier than women according to statistics, paying higher premiums than women for their life insurance.
The ABI approximates that men will see a projected 10 per cent decrease on the cost of their cover whilst women will see their premiums go up by as much as a 20 per cent.
Acting director general, Maggie Craig of ABI, warned women not to reconsider buying cover that they need. “Not all customers will be equally affected as the use of gender can vary significantly between products and different companies. Each company will have to respond to the ban in the way they feel is in their customers’ interests.”
Health insurance
Unlike life insurance, health insurances such as payment critical illness cover and protection policies, cost women more, because statistics reveal that they are more likely to suffer from illness and claim. As of December 2012, this will not be the case.
Car insurance
The AA and the British Insurance Brokers’ Association both approximate that this will see women paying around one quarter more than they currently do for their car insurance, while younger female drivers will see an even bigger increase.
Describing the ruling as “flying in the face of common sense”, insurance group RSA argued: “It is completely disadvantageous to the very people it was intended to protect and prevents insurers from using a legitimate rating factor.”
MoneySupermarket have more top insurance tips including a list of the top MoneySupermarket.com short term car insurance deals.
Tags: car, car insurance, crashes, financial, insurance, law, men, premiums, women
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, February 16th, 2011
There are different reasons as to why someone would want to sell off his car. Normally they just want to invest in something different, perhaps a newer model. Whichever the reason is for selling it, you need to know that the car needs to be presented in a good condition for it to attract a potential buyer.
Whenever you choose to sell your own car, start accumulating all the information that you can get about your car.
To get you on the right track, start by determining your car’s value. It is important that you figure out the worth of the car; if you want to avoid misquoting the price by far too much. Depreciation is determined. It is a relative deduction for the number of years your automobile has been around.
There is a slight chance that your car was a driveway warmer and wasn’t used that much. This case, you cannot say that the depreciation is that much. A well known automobile garage should give you a more authoritative opinion of value.
It is pointless to give the garage guys the whole story about what your grand scheme is. Avoid that topic and even if it comes, you can always say that you are preparing for a road trip or something so u need assurance.
To add the value of the car by a slight percentage, you can spend lightly on having the upholstery changed, and doing minor repairs. Do not be tempted to start neglecting a car once you decide that you are selling it anyway.
A car that gets regular service is an attraction. Therefore, service it so that it runs smooth when test driven by a buyer.
All improvements done to the car are investments in real sense. They will give you a higher chance of getting better prices. Be careful to stay within a budget to prevent futile overspending.
Check out more of this writer’s tips about things such as satellite tv reviews and driver robot serial.
Tags: advice, autos, business, car insurance, cars, finance, home, insurance, men, motivation, products, sales, sports, travel, vehicles
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Tuesday, February 8th, 2011
When you have made up your mind that you are buying a car, take some time and consider buying a used car before you settle for a new one. It will save you up some extra thousands and at the same time you will enjoy other benefits of used cars.
The moment you sign that paper and reverse the car out of the showroom, your car has already depreciated by a great percentage almost immediately.
A quick scan at the Orange County car dealerships will reveal that for one, there are a sufficient number of used car dealers and secondly, the cars termed as used are reasonably new.
If you bought a new car today and then decide to sell it by sundown tomorrow, you will not be able to sell it for the same price tag as the person who sold it to you at the showroom. This is the reality just because you drove it out of the dealer’s store.
The scales are also different when you go to register a new vehicle. Actually, the trend is that every year you will incur more to register and get new tabs.
Registering a used car at the DMV should cost you much less than you can with a new one.
Truth be said, the price tag of a new car and that of a used car are worlds apart. In some cases you may have to call your banker and get loan for your car. You know what this means? Definitely you will spend more on comprehensive car insurance (the most expensive kind yet) and further more interest on a loan.
If someone opts to buy car that has been used albeit for a short period, he can manage the price tag and he is spared the trouble of unbearable insurance rates.
In addition to used autos, this author also frequently writes about home intercom system and generator head.
Tags: advice, autos, business, car insurance, cars, finance, home, insurance, men, motivation, products, sales, sports, travel, vehicles
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 10th, 2010
Normal drivers do not even know exactly how far they can get on their full tank of gas, hypermilers know how many miles you can do and they are always trying their best to make sure they do more. They have some tips that they follow so that they make sure the car goes further on the same amount of gas. Driving cars barefooted however, is one practice that has raised many eyebrows.
To have a better control of the brake and accelerator pedals of the car, the hypermilers believe that one should remove their socks and shoes. One of the best ways of saving on fuel consumption is to accelerate gradual and they believe having no shoes makes their precision better when they do this.
Some people say that this practice is illegal in a couple of states in the country and should not be practiced at all.
If you know any hypermiler however, you will notice that what we do out of common sense they do not bother with leave alone those that we are forced to do by law.
To get those extra miles that we are talking about, there is almost nothing that hypermilers will not do. If they have to stay 10mph above the speed limit as they believe is fuel efficient then they will do just that. If they have to switch off the engine when going downhill they will do it. A lot of people therefore see their belief in driving barefoot is just another one of their illegal practices.
The fact is however that driving barefoot in the USA is not illegal at all. Flip-flop sandals may decrease your driving performance and should they be the cause of an accident that you are involved in, they will earn you extra tickets. Having less material between your foot and the pedals just makes it easier for you to drive.
It is your choice whether you believe it a good practice or not.
If however you are on the receiving end of a car accident cause by poor footwear then you should seek the counsel of a car accident attorney.
Aside from driving, the author also regularly shares writing about liquid soap dispenser and sensor soap dispenser.
Tags: accidents, advice, car insurance, cars, driving, education, insurance, law, legal, lifestyle, men, safety, shoes, travel, vehicles
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Sunday, October 17th, 2010
It’s not all that uncommon to get in fender benders. Ideally, you have car insurance. Car insurance makes getting into minor accidents much less of a big deal
If you find yourself in your first car accident, you may get stressed and do the wrong thing, or forget to gather information. You should know what to do in an accident before you get into an accident.
First, so long as no one is hurt, move the cars out of the road. This is very important especially if the accident happened in an intersection.
You really can’t just leave your cars in the intersection. If you do, then cars trying to get around you can have problems and you can actually cause more accidents to happen. Before you move your cars, turn on your hazard lights so that other cars know something is wrong and don’t expect that you’ll be able to travel at the normal rate of speed.
Be sure to call the police next. Now, the police may or may not come to the scene – in some areas, unless there are injuries police are not dispatched. Still, you do need to call the accident in. Ideally you will get a police accident report, because this will make it much easier to deal with insurance companies.
The most important thing to remember is that you have to exchange information with the other driver. You need the basics, like their name and phone number, insurance company, policy number, drivers license number, and the license plate number of their car. You also want to get a general description of the car, such as make, model, and color.
When you are exchanging information, be careful what you say to the other driver. Do not admit fault, or apologize for the accident or any part in the accident. Don’t even say “sorry.” You do not want to be taken as admitting fault, as this is problematic for an insurance claim. Let the police sort out who was at fault.
Take pictures if you can. Some people keep a disposable camera in their glove box for this reason. Many people now have camera phones, and the camera on a cell phone works just fine for this purpose as well. Take pictures of both vehicles, details of damage, and also shots of where the cars are in relation to one another if possible. As soon as you leave the scene, call your auto insurance company and report the accident.
The author additionally often shares knowledge about subject such as best cat toys and catnip toys.
Tags: accidents, advice, autos, car insurance, cars, coaching, driving, insurance, men, self help, society, tips, travel, trucks, vehicles
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Tuesday, October 5th, 2010
Americans spend too much on their cars. This is because most Americans who buy cars use financing to make the purchase possible.
When you borrow money to buy something that loses value, this is a bad idea. And nearly all cars do lose value over time.
Cars depreciate. We purchase cars to get us from point A to point B, and we pay a hefty premium to have them. But when we pay interest on an item that is depreciating, this is poor money management. Next time you buy a car, follow these tips instead to make a smarter financial move:
Keep away from financing. Cars are expensive, and most of us want the nicest car we can get. Loan officers at car dealership are more than willing to help us buy more car than we can truly afford.
It’s complicated and based in emotions. We have feelings about our cars. We love them, want nice ones, are proud of them. Loan companies manipulate us because of these feelings; they know we will accept unreasonable terms and rates to get what we want. You’d pay a lot less for the car if you bought it with cash instead.
Don’t lease the car. Leasing is a fancy term for renting. When you lease a car, you are making payments long-term but at the end of the term you don’t have a car to show for your money. Plus, the dealership will factor in the cost of wear and tear -and depreciation – into the leasing agreement.
This is seen by many people as unfair. You end up paying for damage, before you do anything to the car, because other people in the past have damaged cars. Worse, you pay a great deal of money for years, and at the end of the period you don’t have a car to show for your thousands spent.
Never buy new. When you buy a new car, you are paying for the car but much of what you pay is for the ‘new.’ The minute you purchase the car and drive it off the lot the value drops very sharply, some say by up to half. This is because it can never be sold again as new. Your purchase loses value very quickly and if you need to resell it you will take a sizeable loss.
See various other pieces of work written by this writer dealing with areas such as shorts denim and white denim shorts.
Tags: advice, auto, car insurance, cars, cash, family, finance, home, insurance, investment, lifestyle, Loans, men, money, travel
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Friday, October 1st, 2010
All high risk sports that are extreme are always handled by wearing some protection and this is a must without any exception. You will find that even outdoor off-road sport like motorcycling and such activities fall into this category.
Even the high flying stuntmen who dare death are also in a very dangerous sport just like the acrobatics. They need to be protected from serious head injuries by wearing what is generally referred to as the dirt bike helmet. They would protect the head or face from serious injury.
Without doubt the wearing of this gadget protects one from any fatal or life threatening accidents which could take place. Failure to which, such sporting activities could be outlawed for lack of proper shielding of the body from harm, because they would be regarded as just too risky for anybody’s good.
The dirt bike helmets are actually meant to shield the most delicate part of the human body which is the head. It is delicate because it houses the most important organ in man and that is the brain. The brain as you all know, it is the one that controls the motor mechanism of humans so it has the thinking department as well as the control of the nerves which have to do with the senses of the body.
The human being who has no functioning brain would only be like a vegetable or could even stop to exist. Now you see why it is very important to protect this part of the human body with a protective gear and helmet.
One should put on a helmet if it is time for going for the kind of outdoors ventures like extreme sport like off-door motorcycling. So a helmet is very important for shielding the head and keeps it from any injury which could happen.
Whatever your sport, please get a helmet and wear it for any high risk type of activity. Without it the head has a high risk of suffering serious injury.
There is no way one can enjoy the love of sport if one is not wearing these protective gear like the dirt bike helmets.
Enjoy more of this author’s tips on subjects like custom wine labels and wedding wine labels.
Tags: accidents, autos, biking, car insurance, extreme sports, happiness, health, hobbies, lifestyle, men, recreation, safety, security, sports, teens
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
Monday, July 12th, 2010
Women are no better at driving than men, though there’s no doubt that car insurance for women can work out more lucrative than general deals. Why? Because statistics seem to show that women are involved in fewer claims than men, which generally cost less. Women also tend to have a lower overall mileage, which knocks down insurance prices. The bottom line is that the car insurance companies are less likely to have to pay out for expensive claims made by female drivers, and as such can afford to offer lower premiums.
Understanding Cheap Car Insurance for Women
Insurance deals offered by different insurers are going to be different, and this is the same when it comes to women’s car insurance. For example, some policies may over third party only, third party with theft and fire, or fully comprehensive. Some insurers may only offer the female-friendly discounts if a comprehensive policy is chosen, but the very nature of this kind of policy makes it more expensive than others.
Women’s car insurance is also seeing a growing trend for certain add-ons. For example, many insurers now offer coverage for items such as purses (and their contents), should they be stolen from the vehicle.
Another important thing to bear in mind is that simply being a women doesn’t mean you’ll get a good deal. Your history is always going to be important, as in any car insurance deal. Younger women will also have a harder time getting the best prices due to a lack of driving experience. The best way around this is to drive a simpler vehicle.
Can Women’s Car Insurance Deals Help Men, Too?
Men don’t usually realize how much they could benefit from cheap car insurance for women, but it is possible. For example, adding a female as an additional driver to a current policy can help to bring costs down. And, if sharing a car with a female relative, getting them to take out a policy and adding you as a named driver could even work out cheaper than getting your own cover.
Whether you’re a woman, or a man who shares a vehicle with a women, car insurance for women is well worth looking into if you want the very best prices. Just remember, you’ll still have to do research and comparison as with any other kind of car insurance!
Want to save time and money when it comes to getting cheap car insurance for women? Comparison is the key when it comes to getting the best deal, so head on over to Car Insurance for Women and find out just how much money you could save.
Tags: automobiles, business, car insurance, driving, finance, frugal, insurance, men, money, saving, trucks, women
Posted in car insurance | No Comments »
|