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In a survey carried out by Supercover Insurance it was found that more than half of cars left parked in motorway services or public car parks had valuables such as laptops, sat navs and mobile phones visible in the vehicle. They pointed out that drivers were not aware that many of these items may not be covered by their insurance policy. My advice, lock all valuables in the boot but don’t just stop at valuables, Read more »

One in a hundred company vehicle drivers is within a point of a ban according to recent research. One in five company car drivers is one offence away from a ban with 20% having between 3 and 11 points on their licence, hence the need for regular licence checks to be carried out on drivers’ licences. The research, carried out by CFC Solutions, shows that a driver who is one offence away from a ban is a significant Read more »

Companies and consumers are experiencing the long term results of choosing lessors who set out to capture the gullible by offering low contract hire and PCP rates 2 and 3 years ago. As used car prices continue to drop after a period of sustained increase throughout 2009 lessors who cut their margins finely look to recover losses by overcharging clients for refurbishment work at the end of the contracts with Read more »

I reported last year that ‘staged crashes’ resulting in fraudulent insurance claims was on the increase. However, law firm Keoghs who produce the Annual Motor Fraud Index have shown that the hot spots are spreading in 2009. Along with the major hot spots, as shown below, other nearby towns are now becoming problem areas also. Greater vigilance is needed when driving in these areas to avoid accidents Read more »

There are many stories bouncing around regarding end of lease charges from excess mileage charges that treble per mile if you exceed 10% overrun, eg. the excess charge per mile is set at 4 pence per mile if you exceed 3,000 miles on a 30,000 mile contract, thereafter increasing to 12 pence per mile, through to the leasing companies charging for re-repair of body repairs that they consider to be sub-standard even Read more »

New rules will be introduced next year to speed up insurance payouts following car accidents where liability is accepted. The Ministry of Justice said the agreement will streamline road traffic accident personal injury claims between £1,000 and £10,000 – around 80% of all motor personal injury claims. The new process comes into force in April 2010. It means, where fault is not disputed, Read more »

Warnings about stone chips have been issued as we move into winter. With local authorities operating on reduced budgets more roads will remain unrepaired as frost causes pot holes to appear. So when the roads start to get gritted, causing the usual stone chips on windscreens, drivers have been warned to have the chip repaired rather than run the risk of hitting a pot hole which can often result in an instant crack. Don’t forget Read more »

Finally, it’s happened, a company has brought out an insurance policy to cover the ever growing end of contract refurbishment charges for cars and vans that will be returned to the leasing company at the end of the lease. The cost of the policy will range between £290 and £350 for a standard family sized car and it will cover vehicle damage over and above fair wear and tear up to £1,500. This may seem like Read more »

Following on from the warning about crooks a warning has been issued by the Finance & Leasing Association regarding another fraud that is on the increase. Bogus rental and lease companies are being set up that provide criminals with access to what appear to be legitimate insured and taxed vehicles. The vehicles are obtained fraudulently on finance then sublet with Read more »

If you buy my book, An Insider Guide To Car Finance, you receive a free book on general hints, tips and safety. One of the things I cover is setting the headrest at the correct height. A very important piece of information as proven by recent research by Brake and Direct Line Car Insurance in which it was shown that 2 out of 3 drivers Read more »