Monday 23 May 2011

5 Tips For Cheaper Life Insurance Premiums


1. Consider an income policy instead of a lump sum

Most people know that life cover pays out a lump sum if you die. But far less know that you can buy cover that pays a regular tax free income instead of a lump sum. It’s official name is Family Income Benefit and is often cheaper than the more common Level Term lump sum payout option. So why would an income be better than a lump sum?

Many people who take out a life insurance policy simply want to provide an income for their family to replace the earnings lost if they died prematurely. But many policies are bought with a lump sum benefit requiring the surviving family to find a suitable savings or investment vehicle to generate an ongoing income. In addition, the interest generated from a lump sum is taxable whereas the income from a family income benefit policy is paid tax free.

For many people not used to managing large amounts of money, suddenly having to find the right savings account or investment can prove an additional burden at an already distressing time. This is where Family Income Benefit can offer the best of both worlds.

2. Consider a reducing policy for mortgage life cover

One of the most common reasons for needing life insurance is to protect a mortgage loan. The type of mortgage you have will largely dictate what form of life insurance you need but this is often one of two types of term life insurance.

If you have an interest only mortgage then you will need level cover as the mortgage debt will remain constant unless you increase or reduce the mortgage loan. However, those with a capital and interest mortgage can opt for a decreasing term policy where the cover reduces in line with the reducing mortgage loan. As the cover reduces over time so does the risk to the insurance company making this type of life insurance cheaper than the level term option.

So if you have a capital and interest mortgage with a level term life insurance policy and only need to cover the mortgage amount, you could save money by switching to a reducing policy. The downside to this is that you will lose any surplus cover provided by a level policy as the mortgage loan reduces but the level insurance benefit stays the same.

3. Stop smoking

All insurance is based on risk and so to cut the cost you have to cut the risk. With life insurance, the risk is based upon your chances of dieing whilst the policy is in force. Insurers measure the risk by assessing your health and medical history.

Anything that increases your risk of dieing prematurely will increase your premiums. These risk factors can include your current state of health, family history, hazardous occupation or hobbies but most commonly being a smoker has the greatest impact.

Now, I know you’re not going to stop smoking to save money on your life insurance but its one more reason in a long list to quit. Not only will you save money on the cigarettes but you can also add a saving of around 40% on your life cover premiums too.

4. Shop around

Life insurance is a very competitive market and prices can vary widely depending upon where you look. The easiest way to compare lots of insurers and policies at once is to use one of the many free online comparison websites. The only caveat to this is to be aware that these sites only compare premiums and not cover, so have a firm idea of what type of cover you need first. This will help you to compare like with like and discover the true bargains.

Alternatively, you can use an insurance broker to do the shopping for you and this route can yield some substantial savings if you use a particular type of insurance broker.

5. Use a discount life insurance broker

If you know which type of cover you need and don’t require any advice, a discount online insurance broker can save you hundreds of pounds in lower premiums.

Due to the low costs and large audiences available via the internet, many life insurance brokers have launched websites offering life insurance quotes with major insurers at discounted premium rates. These brokers are able to discount cover from major insurers by rebating much of the commission they receive from these insurers to reduce your premiums.

Savings vary but can mean genuine reductions of between 10% and as much as 40% over the insurance company’s standard premiums. Many sites provide instant online quotes comparing multiple policies from leading insurance companies.

A simple Google search for discount life insurance will provide a list of most brokers or use an insurance directory like UK Insurance Index which also features customer reviews.


Sunday 15 May 2011

20 Insurance Tips


1. Buy from the internet.Most companies offer a discount for online applications as this is automated process and costs them a lot less to process your application, you can usually see discounts of 5%-10%.Click here to get a instant online insurance quote

2. Shop around.All insurance companies use different formulas to calculate your insurance premium by adding or detracting money after each question the ask you.By shopping around you could find big savings on your insurance premium.

3. Buy extra products.Most insurance companies also do other insurance products ie"Building's and content's insurance".Most insurance companies will give extra discounts for purchasing more than one product,by doing this you could save a fair amount on all your insurance premiums.

4. Pay your insurance premium in one go.By paying your insurance premium in full you can avoid paying costly interest charges that would be added if you paid your insurance premium by instalments.Some insurance companies may charge as much as 15% APR on instalments.You may even receive a discount for paying in full.If you can not afford to pay in full check out what rate a small loan would be you may still save some money.Fill out a online loan application.

5. Increase your voluntary excess.Your excess is the amount paid by you in the event of a claim,by increasing this your insurance company should reduce your premium.

6. Lower your annual mileage.Lowering your annual mileage can reduce your premium,most insurance companies will quote you for around 12,000 miles a year.Try and work out how many mile's you will do if it's likely to be less you may get a discount.Be honest about this as your insurance company may ask to see old MOT'S and service history to verify your mileage in the event of a accident.

7. Have a Alarm,Immobiliser or Tracker fitted.Theft of and from your vehicle play a major role in the calculation of your insurance premium.Having a alarm or immobiliser fitted will give you a small discount to your premium and having a tracker fitted could make you quite a saving.

8. Take the advanced driving test.Passing your advanced driving test will show your insurance company that you have extra skill when driving and are less likely to be involved in a accident.

9. Don't inflate the value of your car.Adding extra value to your car when you apply for your insurance quote will do nothing for you apart from increase you premium.In the event your car is stolen or written off you will only be paid the market value of your car at the time of your accident.

10.Look after your credit rating.Insurance companies are now looking at your credit score as part of the calculation for your insurance premium.Maintaining a good credit rating could avoid unnecessary additions to your premium.

11. Insure your car Third Party Only.Third party only is the minimum cover you are required to have by law it's also the cheapest.If your vehicle is of a low value then you could consider this type of cover.You need to remember that with this type of cover if you was to have a accident that any damage to your vehicle would not be covered for repair.

12. Keep a clean licenceInsurance companies take driving convictions very seriously and can dramatically increase your car insurance premium,by maintaining a clean licence proves to the insurance you are a safe and careful driver.

13. Remove any unnecessary drivers.If you have a young driver on your insurance policy that no longer use's the vehicle you should remove them as this will reduce your premium.

14. Young driver's add a older driver.Some insurance companies will reduce young drivers premiums if they have a older named driver on the insurance.

15. Build up your no-claims discountOne of the biggest factors affecting your car insurance premium is the number of years no-claim's discount.You could receive up to 75% discount for around 5 years of no claims.The more years you can stay claim free the safer driver your insurance company will see you as.

16. Protect your no-claims discount.Although this will increase your insurance premium if you have a lot of years of no-claims you may want to protect this as a small claim may increase your premium by up to 75%.

17. Buy a lower insurance group car.A very important factor to your insurance premium is what car you drive.Most insurance companies adopt the Association Of British Insurance Group Rating.This rates vehicle's from 1 - 20 generally speaking the higher the group the higher the premium.By buying a car with a lower group rating can lower your premium especially for young or inexperienced drivers.

18. Join a car club.If your vehicle is a classic or specialist consider joining a club related to your car most clubs offer insurance schemes which have very good premium rates.

19. Put your spouse as a named driver.Some insurance companies offer discounts when you add a spouse as a named driver as opposed to unmarried couples,they see marriage as a sign of stability and associate stability with safe driving and there for give you a discount.

20. Take pass plus.If you are a new driver consider taking your pass plus.some insurance companies could give you as much as a 25% discount and when you have just passed your test and have no no-claims this could make a considerable saving.

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A Guide To Car and Motor Insurance


Whether you’re buying clothing or shopping for car insurance, you always want to get the best value for your money. So, what’s the secret to finding reliable, affordable car insurance?

Shop around for the best deal. Get several car insurance quotes from different insurance companies before you buy or renew your policy. Insurance companies vary, so you could get a better deal somewhere else.

Don’t be afraid to switch. You can switch insurance companies whenever you want, even if it’s in the middle of your car  insurance policy term. If you find a better rate, switch and save.

There are three types of Car Insurance:

Third party, which covers your legal liability if you damage someone else’s physical property (walls, vehicles, gates etc.) due to a driving accident.

Third party, Fire and Theft offers third party cover and adds on two useful pieces of cover - fire damage to and theft of your car, including damage caused by a theft or attempted theft.

A fully comprehensive policy includes Third Party, Fire and Theft and in addition will pay for damage to your own vehicle in the event of an accident. There are many extras, too, for example it will also give you cover when you drive other people's cars - useful if you borrow someone's car and their insurance does not cover you.

The following factors affect what you pay for your premiums.

Your age, your job, your driving record.

The car you drive. The higher the value of the vehicle, the higher the premium. High performance vehicles are also more expensive to insure than their stock standard equivalents.

Then there's the location of the car. You'll pay more if you keep the car in a high-crime area or park it on the street at night.

What you use the car for. You'll pay more if, for example, you plan to use the car for business delivery purposes.

Then there is the excess structure that you choose. The higher the excess the lower the premiums.

Gear Locks, Satellite Tracking - will help reduce your premiums

If you are buying a new car ? Don't forget to shop around for Insurance!

For a first-time car buyer, the process can be a difficult decision. Many buyers are not aware of the fact that they need to have insurance before driving their new car off the showroom floor. The financial institutions providing the finance for the purchase will insist on this, in order to ensure that their new asset is protected.

Don't just accept the first offer that is given to you, get at least 3 quotes before making your decision. "Many banks or finance institutions are affiliated to an insurance company or brokerage firm. New buyers therefore may find themselves feeling pressurized to take insurance cover through the bank's preferred supplier. It is important to know that this cannot be enforced and the decision lies with the client. This makes it essential to shop around for competitive quotes, to ensure that you are offered the best deal - from the perspective of both cover and price. For young drivers, this becomes imperative, as they are often penalized for their age and lack of driving experience, translating into higher premiums and excesses."

Cash buyers are not exempt from the need to insure their new car. Thefts and hijackings are still a reality and the growing number of cars on the road puts all drivers at increased risk of being involved in an accident. Choosing an insurance product that is suitable in terms of budget, value adds, cover and excess payable is a careful decision that, with the right advice, can be made sensibly and safely.

Many young, first-time buyers find that purchasing insurance through a direct insurer is actually a simple process.

They are likely to receive a tailored insurance solution catering for their specific needs - with direct insurance, clients don't pay any additional charges for getting what they want. Any driver about to embark on purchasing a new vehicle would do well to consider the time- and cost-saving benefits of direct insurance."

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