U & I... & We

TATA Launch £1200 Motor Car

2008-03-01T09:30:00.001-08:00

Today Tata Motors rolled out their new Nano motor car - the People’s Car. The launch of the People’s Car by Tata Motors is a defining moment in the history of India’s automotive industry.

For the Tata Group, it is the realisation of a pioneering vision to create a breakthrough product globally that rewrites the rules of the small-car business.

The vehicle will sell for 100,000 rupees or $2,500 (£1,277) and enable those in developing countries to move to four wheels. The four-door five-seater car, which goes on sale later this year, has a 33bhp, 624cc, engine at the rear. It has no air conditioning, no electric windows and no power steering, but two deluxe models will be on offer.

Tata will initially make about 250,000 Nanos and expects eventual annual demand of one million cars. The price will be slightly more than the 100,000 once tax and other costs are taken into consideration.

Tata’s small car will get cheap car insurance cover, but funding might turn out to be expensive. According to lenders, interest rates depend on the borrower’s profile, and aspiring buyers of Nano are likely to be those moving up from two-wheelers and hobby customers.

The good news is that insurance for the small car could be available for as low as Rs 2,000 and could fall further if Tata assures insurers of the availability of low-cost spares.

The Nano release comes as India’s domestic car market is predicted to soar in the coming years on the back of the country’s fast-growing economy and increased consumer wealth. Indian car sales are predicted to more than quadruple to $145bn by 2016.

Audi R8 V12 TDI

2008-03-01T09:28:00.001-08:00

Following on from our post ‘Detroit Motor Show 2008′, and how car makers are showcasing some extraordinary supercars, we can bring you a short but oh-so-sweet review of the Audi RB V12 TDI.

Audi is presenting a revolution in the top class at the Detroit 2008 North American International Auto Show – the first 12-cylinder diesel engine in a high-performance road sports car. The V12 TDI engine. with a displacement of six litres, powers this R8-based concept car. This unit generates a huge 500PS and 1,000 Nm of torque.

Audi has squeezed a 5.9 litre V12 twin turbo engine into the back of an R8, creating the world’s first diesel-powered supercar. I’ts 500bhp sounds impressive, but the real attention-grabber is the 738 lb ft of torque the engine will generate, which is comfortably more than double the output of the current 4.2 litre V8. Still a concept car, it seems certain to be put into production, so expect it in 2010 after the introduction of a 5 litre V10 petrol version.

Churchill Car Insurance - Price Guarantee Update

2008-03-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

We are pleased to bring our blog visitors news of the current Churchill Car Insurance offer:
Car insurance - price guaranteeChurchill guarantee to beat your renewal quote as long as it’s on a like-for-like basis and you’ve been claim free for the last 3 years.

What’s more, independent research (Consumer Intelligence – Q4 2006) shows that 1 in 10 people save as much as £140 by switching to Churchill car insurance.

Add Churchill Breakdown Cover to your car insurance quote and buy online now for up to 25% off breakdown cover and up to 10% off car insurance.
Ends.

Insurance Word of The Week (9)

2008-03-01T09:09:00.000-08:00

Our ninth insurance word of the week is: Auto Insurance

Vehicle insurance is widely referred to in the USA and other countries as Auto Insurance. This type of insurance is purchased for cars, trucks, and other vehicles. Its primary use is to provide protection against losses incurred as a result of traffic accidents and against liability that could be incurred in an accident.

Auto insurance can cover some or all of the following items:

The insured party The insured vehicle Third parties Different auto policies specify the circumstances under which each item is covered. For example, a vehicle can be insured against theft, fire damage, or accident damage independently.

Many US states have minimum car insurance requirements, but the minimum amount of required insurance may not cover all of your costs. If you cause an accident that results in a lawsuit and your insurance limits don’t cover all of the damages, your assets could be pursued.

Each state in the USA requires auto insurance companies to file how they calculate customer rates, and insurers cannot deviate from these filed rates. Each state also has regulators who review that information and the rates companies charge.

Tesco Car Insurance - Update

2008-03-01T09:04:00.001-08:00

How to get your £100 Navman Sat Nav voucher

1Simply call or go online for a quote.

2Remember to quote promotional code satnavp108.

3Give the Tesco consultant your full Clubcard number or enter it in your online application.

4Take out the policy before 6th February 2008.

5Once you have purchased Tesco will send your £100 voucher to the address registered on the policy within 6 weeks of the policy start date.

If you don’t have a clubcard, you can simply apply for one online or pick up a leaflet in store. Please note that the Clubcard number you provide will link to your online voucher. Therefore, to make sure you don’t miss out you must enter the correct Clubcard number!

Offer available to new customers who quote and buy between 31/12/07 and 06/02/08 using promotional code satnavp108. Offer available to Tesco Clubcard holders only. Applicants must be the registered keeper of the insured vehicle and supply a valid registration number.
The same Clubcard number used to register must be quoted to redeem your voucher. Policies must be due to start within 30 days. Only one voucher per customer. The e-voucher is only redeemable at Tesco Direct.

Available to redeem against any Navman Sat Nav ‘S’ range. Subject to availability at the time of purchase, and to possible fluctuations in price during the period. Tesco Personal Finance reserves the right to withdraw or amend this offer at any time. This offer cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

No Claims Discount - 90 Second Guide

2008-03-01T09:02:00.000-08:00

In this second 90 second guide we look at the car insurance term No Claims Discount (NCD). You may already have come across NCD, including associated terms such as no claims bonus, protected and named driver, among others.

If you are a first time driver you will possibly already be aware of the fact that motor insurers in the UK allow premium discounts for those policyholders with claims-free driving records.
The motor insurance market in the UK is fiercely competitive with insurers and providers competing for your business. Insurers will attempt to entice you by offering substantial (no claims) discounts for motorists with a claims-free record.

The actual level of discount varies according to the class of vehicle insured and driver profile. Motorists with over 4/5 years driving experience with no claims, can often claim a reduction of up-to 55-75% over the standard policy premium.

In general the maximum number of no claims bonus years you can claim is 5. Some insurance companies will deliver further discounts for up to 6/7/8 years claim free driving but this is rare. Drivers can’t share a NCB earned on one car between two cars.
Drivers just starting out on their motoring journey can examine the deals from insurers offering accelerated policies. This is where the policyholder can earn no claims bonus in 10 months rather than 12.

LV Car Insurance Advert

2008-03-01T09:01:00.001-08:00

We’ll be running an update on Liverpool Victoria Car Insurance (or LV as they are now known) offers and deals in the next few days.
In the meantime, we provide you with a YouTube video of that annoyingly catchy LV car insurance advert.
Enjoy!?
PS Just how much money did the company throw at it’s rebranding exercise?

Making a Complaint Against a Car Insurance Company

2008-03-01T08:59:00.000-08:00

If you feel aggrieved about the actions of your car insurance company or feel you have good grounds for making a complaint, there is a series of steps you can take to seek re-dress.
First and foremost it is always best to make to make your first port of call the specific car insurance provider, insurer or broker with whom you have a complaint. Try and make every effort to ascertain the name of the appropriate people to speak or write to obtain an answer or solution to your grievance. You should always ask the company about their recommended complaints procedure and follow that.

If you find no joy or resolution through your motor insurer then there are three organisations which you can approach and contacnt for guidance, information and assistance.
The first is the Association of British Insurers (ABI). Although the ABI is not an insurer, does not regulate insurers or mediate in disputes and cannot endorse individual products or services, it is still an excellent source of information and guidance. If an insurance company is a Member of the ABI it will endeavour to follow its code of conduct.

The Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) is the independent service for settling disputes between businesses providing financial services and their customers. If you don’t know who to complain to at your insurer or you’re unsure about anything, get in touch with the FOS. They will contact the right person for you, telling them that you have a complaint that they need to look into.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulates the insurance industry in the UK. Firms regulated by the FSA must provide a formal and free complaints service. Firms should tell you about this in information they give you about their services. Ask for this information if you don’t get it. The FSA website lays out simple guidelines for progressing your complaint.

Classic Car Insurance - Leading Specialist Insurers

2008-03-01T08:57:00.001-08:00

Although there are some mainstream insurance companies who will offer classic car policies, many owners and enthusiasts will select a specialist classic car insurance provider. The question is often which is the best and most suitable for your driver and vehicle requirements.
We have taken a long hard look around the net and brought you the low down on the top three brokers, insurers, intermediaries and providers across the UK. You can link through to the relevant insurer and read why they are among some of the best.
Heritage Insurance ServicesHeritage are passionate about classic cars. Since 1965 they have been one of the leading pioneers in classic car insurance. Heritage use a specially selected panel of leading insurers, plus have negotiated their own scheme with Chaucer underwriters, part of the Lloyds syndicate, to provide you with a policy that meets your specific requirements at a highly competitive price.
Lancaster InsuranceFor over 20 years Lancaster have been providing quality insurance cover for classic cars. You can complete a quotation form online or call the company for instant cover for all makes and ages of car. In recent time the company has launched their Broker Scheme service, offering Classic Car Insurance schemes to many of the UK’s largest insurance brokers. To date their schemes are now available to consumers via in excess of 1,100 insurance brokers throughout the UK.
Footman JamesFootman James was founded in 1983 to establish a professional insurance broking service specialising in exclusive plans for niche markets. For over twenty years Footman James has enjoyed a unique relationship with vintage and classic vehicle enthusiasts and clubs. The company have developed many initiatives and have pioneered many specialist features which are now taken for granted in the field of Specialist Vehicle Insurance.

Unhappy Car Insurance Customers!

2008-03-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

Following on from an article we read over at Insurance Times - ‘Motorists Slate Insurers’, HomeApproved would like our readers to pass on their comments and experiences with their motor insurer.
If you have taken out comprehensive, third party fire and theft or even simple car insurance cover, let us know your experience of the buying process and making a claim.
One in five motor customers rated their insurance provider as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’, according to research motoring website and magazine Auto Trader. More than a quarter of respondents who had made a claim on their car insurance were unhappy with the outcome. Common complaints included:

Claims taking too long to process
Pay-outs being too small
Claims not being paid at all
Claims being deemed invalid

The results, from a poll of 4,500 motorists nationwide, showed that negative perceptions of insurers persisted, with 55% of respondents believing that insurance companies were more interested in making money than protecting customers, and 53% believing that insurance companies try to avoid paying claims.
The survey also showed that loyalty to an insurer continued to fall, with just 24% intending to renew their policy with their current insurer if the premium remained about the same. One-third said they would collect online quotes from insurers when renewing their policies, and 37% that they would use price comparison sites.

Paying for Car Insurance by Direct Debit

2008-03-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note for those motorists who are looking to pay for their next car insurance policy by Direct Debit (DD).
At first sight paying for your policy by (DD) can seem like an attractive option, enabling you to spread the cost of the cover over the year. Be wary though and don’t just dive into the first offer you receive as some companies and insurers will charge you through the nose for the convenience of paying them in monthly instalments!
Using DD to spread the cost - could mean that your motor insurance cover costs up to 20 per cent more. Around 83 per cent of motor insurance policies charge interest if you pay by direct debit, with 8 per cent not stating whether you will be charged until you get a quote. The average APR is 21.27 per cent but the top rate is 37.12 per cent, charged by Provident, which could add £283 to the average fully comprehensive premium of £762.
You may be better off paying for your car insurance in a lump sum or using a low-interest credit card, which you can pay off at a lower rate than the one offered by your insurer.
Insurers that do not charge interest for paying by direct debit on motor insurance include Virgin Money and Age Concern.
Extracts from The Telegraph Online.