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The UK's 1.2m motorbike, moped and scooter owners will be able to shop around for the cheapest motor insurance with the launch of a new online comparison site. The site, from swift cover.com, enables riders to compare quotes from a panel of more than 19 specialist brokers and insurance firms, including Devitt, MCE and MotorCycle Direct.
The average cost of running a 125cc bike is now £1,540, with insurance the second biggest expenditure after fuel. This service claims it will save riders more than 37% on their premiums — or an average of £143 a year. If you find a cheaper quote elsewhere, the site promises to beat it. However, this applies only to riders aged 21 years old and over.
news source : http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/
A 22 year-old off-road biker from Hall i’th’ Wood faces child neglect and dangerous driving charges after speeding away from police while balancing a seven-year-old-boy on his bike, The Bolton News recently reported.
"This is an example of how dangerous off-road biking is and how irresponsible some people can be,” Inspector Tony Kenyon told The Bolton News. “We can only be thankful that a serious accident did not occur and we want to do everything we can to prevent such incidents leading to tragedy." The man was riding his bike on the playing fields near Canon Slade School, while the child was straddling the bike between the man and the handle bars.
The report reminded readers that use of mini-motos, scooters and quad bikes require legal documents such as bike insurance and road tax, given that they are classed as motor vehicles. Insurance cover, for example, would be necessary for any operators of these vehicles before they can be operated in any fashion on public roads.
"These machines are often bought for young people as toys,” inspector Kenyon was further quoted in The Bolton News. “However, nuisance from off-road motor vehicles being used illegally is having an increasing impact on communities across Bolton and there are serious concerns about the safety of riders and pedestrians."
news source : http://www.onlyfinance.com/
A growing number of middle-aged men are now switching to sport bikes and scooters as they strive to beat soaring costs of motoring, even as many attempt to recapture their youth. The cost of petrol, taxes as well as parking is believed to be the main issue compelling motorists to ditch their four wheels in favour ofbikes. This development, reports said, has led to accidents soaring and equally pushed up the cost insurance cover, especially car insurance.
To cash in on the growing number of riders, the post office has launched its first ever bike insurance policy. The policy provides one month’s free cover and a 36 per cent discount for female riders. It also includes £500 cover for accessories, which are items fixed to thebike like radios and boxes. While it provides a new competition for insurance and an alternative for drivers, it may not be the cheapest cover around. The policy costs as much as £403 for a 51-year-old new Harley-Davidson driver.
Premiums are set according to post code, age, the type of vehicle and the driver’s experience. But the prices vary from one insurer to another and the kind of risks each is willing to take. Commenting on the rise in the number of people riding motorcycles, Norwich Union’s underwriting strategy manager Nigel Bartram said: “This is a big surge in the numbers buying smallbikes and scooters for their commute to work. This lets them save money not just on petrol but parking.
Incidentally, this rise has also led to more restrictions from insurers, as Co-operative Insurance Services, which used to be a big underwriter of bikes, now restricts cover to bikes worth less than £8,000. In some cases, insurers require policyholders who have not ridden for a while to take a new test, said AA.
news source : http://www.onlyfinance.com/
Conservative MP Nicholas Soames will appear before magistrates today on charges relating to footage allegedly showing him riding a quad bike on a public road with a child perched behind him. Soames, 60, has been summoned to appear at Crawley Magistrates' Court to face alleged insurance and safety offences under Section 40a of the Road Traffic Act, a Crown Prosecution Service spokeswoman said. The child was filmed riding behind Mid Sussex MP Soames, a grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, as he allegedly towed two more children in a trailer in Slaugham while following a New Year's Day hunt.
It was claimed that the children were not strapped in or wearing crash helmets in the footage, which was shot by hunt saboteurs and featured in The Argus on January 4. The images were published following the death on Boxing Day of seven-year-old Elizabeth Cooke, who was involved in an accident while riding a quad bike on a public road in Blackmore. Eton-educated Soames, who served as Armed Forces minister from 1994 to 1997, has represented Mid Sussex since 1997 and previously served as MP for Crawley.
news source : http://www.theargus.co.uk/
These days everyone is watching the pennies, so a motorcycle insurance scheme that's designed to save cash has to be good news. Bikesure says its new MC+ insurance scheme is just like standard motorcycle insurance, only better - and cheaper. It's based on the concept of being as flexible as possible: this not only allows the policyholder to tailor it to their specific needs, but also, by incorporating loads of discount options, to lower the cost.
Some of the MC+ discounts are familiar - like limited mileage - but others are more unusual. For example, riders who don't take pillion passengers can claim a discount, as can those willing to have a voluntary excess of £500. Similarly, if the value of the bike is low, the policyholder can get a discount of up to 20% (compared to a higher value bike with the same performance).
There's an additional 15% discount for advanced rider qualifications - and Bikesure recognises all the main course providers including IAM, ROSPA, DSA, Vision Advanced and The Edge. And a really big plus is that MC+ offers up to 60% no claims bonus (NCB) - whereas the norm is only 50%. "MC+ doesn't necessarily break new ground," says Robert Balls of Bikesure. "Rather, it gathers up all the discounts available, puts them into one package and, where possible, stretches them a bit more - as with the NCB.
"We believe it can deliver the best motorcycle insurance deal on the market." Bikesure is 100% British owned and based. It has a huge range of specialist policies for the motorcycle enthusiast, including cheap bike insurance schemes for performance and custom bikes, scooters, trikes, quads and bug riders.
news source : http://www.prweb.com/
A DRIFFIELD biker's treasured possession has gone up in smoke after his motorbike was destroyed by fire. Vikki Thornton, of Auchinleck Close, called fire crews to her property in the early hours of Sunday after discovering her husband's motorbike, a 20-year-old Honda Goldwing parked on the road outside the house, was on fire.
Mrs Thornton said: "I was up in bed and the next thing I know, my husband is shouting 'my bike is on fire.' I got up and called the fire brigade who were here within minutes. "The fire inspector had a look and he seems to think it was an electrical fault, so we are just waiting for the insurance to come and take it away." The motorbike, which was imported from America, was destroyed by the fire and Mr and Mrs Thornton are now waiting to find out what caused the blaze.
news source : http://www.huttoncranswicktoday.co.uk/
THE Post Office has launched its first ever motorcycle insurance policy to cash in on the growing lure of the lonely road. Motorcycle ownership is on the increase as growing numbers of middle-aged men splash out on sports bikes in an attempt to recapture their youth. Elsewhere, the soaring cost of petrol and road taxes is driving motorists to swap four wheels for two in a bid to cut costs. Norwich Union's underwriting strategy manager Nigel Bartram said: "There is a big surge in the numbers buying small bikes and scooters for their commute to work. This lets them save money not just on petrol but on parking." But as rider numbers soar, so do accidents, which have pushed up the cost of insurance and forced companies to restrict cover.
Co-operative Insurance Services, historically a big underwriter of motorcycles, now restricts cover to bikes worth less than £8,000. And, according to the AA, some companies require anyone who has not ridden for a while to take a new test. The police are also concerned about accident numbers. A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers said: "There is obviously little we can do to stop these people with disposable income from spending it on high-powered motorcycles, but we are doing what we can to stop them from killing themselves." Worryingly, these two most at-risk groups comprise 70% of all riders. According to Bennetts, the UK's biggest motorcycle insurance specialist, 35% of its policies are taken out by middle-aged hobby riders, with a further 35% relating to commuters. Bartram added: "We are seeing a big increase in those buying sports bikes for a hobby. They hit their 50s, have a bit of spare cash, had a bike when they were younger, think about buying a sports car and decide to get a fast bike instead.
"But even those buying more modest bikes to commute can be placing themselves at risk. They get on machines with no or little experience; just one slip can be fatal." In tough economic times, car drivers regularly switch to bikes, but this time the swing is exacerbated by recent painful surges in the price of petrol and road taxes. Currently, more than three million individuals hold a licence to ride a motorcycle in the UK, but only 1.2 million have a bike and are regularly doing so. Of these, some 6,000 will be killed or seriously injured each year. This compares with 31,000 serious casualties among Britain's 25 million car drivers. In other words, you are more than four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured on a motorcycle. According to Mark Fells, a director at Bennetts: "Per journey, it is more dangerous to ride a bike than drive a car. All bikers know that. But they also know that wonderful sense of freedom which you get on a bike."
Despite his concerns about accident statistics, Bartram, who had a bike in his youth, agreed: "Nothing gives you the adrenalin rush of a fast bike, but this is part of the problem. If you are on a fast bike and make the smallest mistake, the chances are you will be very seriously injured or worse." The AA's Ian Crowder added: "Our claims experience clearly shows that there are increasing numbers of middle-aged men trying to regain their youth by buying big, powerful bikes, which they are unused to riding and unable to handle." However, motorcycling is still safer than horse riding, Fells claimed. Nevertheless, more motorbike riders during busy rush-hour traffic means more accidents and rising claims. According to the Association of British Insurers, companies paid out £22m to meet claims from motorcyclists last year, compared with £19m in 2006.
This is leading to rising premiums and restrictions on cover. Crowder added: "There is serious concern about mature people taking up biking again, particularly sports bikes, or indeed anyone riding after an absence of several years. Insurers are looking for current riding experience to reassure them that a rider is road worthy." So the competition provided by the Post Office launch will be welcome, not least for providing one month's free cover and a 36% discount for female riders. It also includes £500 cover for accessories, although only for items fixed to the bike, such as radios and boxes.
However, it is unlikely to be the cheapest cover. A 51-year-old new Harley-Davidson driver will have to fork out £403 for a policy. Premiums will vary between companies as insurers take different approaches to different risks, so it pays to shop around. Premiums are set according to age, postcode, the type of vehicle and the driver's experience. Accessories such as helmets and leathers do not normally come as standard, but as they can amount to more than £1,000, they are worth protecting. This can normally be done by paying an additional premium to the insurer. Alternatively, check if they are covered by your householdinsurance. You can cut premiums by always garaging your bike, installing security devices or by putting a concrete post in the garage to chain it to.
news source : http://business.scotsman.com/
Motorcycles are becoming an increasingly popular method of transport in the UK, with new bike prices ranging from £1,000 to £20,000 according to make and specification. Surprisingly most motorcycles, irrespective of price, are not fitted with satisfactory security measures as standard, so buying the right motorbikeinsurance is an important consideration. Not Just a Seasonal Policy Many motorcyclists park their bikes in their garages during the winter months. The statistics are that 10,000 bikers in the UK cancel theirinsurance policies over the winter every year. Unfortunately, even when locked in a garage, their bikes remain at risk. Thieves know that many motorbikes are stored in garages over the winter months and over 600 bikes are stolen every month. If you have cancelled your policy and your bike is stolen you cannot make a valid claim but it should be possible to reduce the cover, save money and still maintain the essential minimum cover against fire and theft over the winter.
Policy Types
There are two types of motorcycle insurance policy:
1. Specified rider policy: a specified rider policy will specifically cover the rider, not the bike. The benefit of such a policy is that it will allow you to ride any motorcycle up to a particular size. 2. Specified bike policy: a specified bike policy will only cover the motorbike and not the rider. Should you wish to insure a number of riders on the same bike, this would be the most suitable policy.
What Affects your Premium?
Unfortunately motorbike riders, particularly younger riders, pay the high premiums for their insurance policies which reflect the increased risk of their chosen method of transport. Some of the key factors affecting premiums are:
1. Age: young motorcyclists have an alarmingly high accident rate. They are far more likely to be involved in an accident than more mature riders and the damage they can cause to themselves is very often costly and long lasting. 2. Occupation: workers who spend many hours on the road travelling from one location to another will be subject to higher premiums. It is not that the quality of driving is worse but that the more hours that are spent on the road the more likely accidents occur. Many motorbike accidents are caused by other drivers carelessness but very often it is those same drivers who are under insured making the recovery of costs that much more difficult, if not impossible. 3. Location: if you live in the country you are far more unlikely to be a victim of criminal activity than if you are a city dweller. So city dwellers pay higher premiums. 4. Past driving record: if you have made claims in recent years for driving related accidents you should expect this to be reflected by a higher than average premium. 5. Security: immobilisers, alarms, steering locks and other security devices are only useful if they are activated. However their presence will result in a significantly lower premium, particularly in inner city areas with high crime rates. 6. Performance and Type: the more powerful the bike, the higher the premium is likely to be, especially if for young bikers. The make of the bike may influence the premium for example, Ducatis, Hayabusas and Fireblades deservedly have more appeal to both enthusiasts and burglars. Expensive bikes are also likely to attract higher repair costs which in turn are reflected in the premium charged. 7. Parking: a motorbike kept under cover locked in a garage will result in significantly lower premiums. Even keeping your bike off the road on a private drive significantly reduces the chances of loss or damage.
In a recent survey, checks were conducted on the owners of a 350cc bike insured against third party fire and theft only. It was found that a 17 year old was three times more likely and a 21 year old twice as likely to make a claim as a 25 year old owner. An annoying feature of existing motorbike insurance policies is that discount bonuses cannot be accumulated. You may be able to get some form of discount should you remain claim free for a few years with the same insurer, but this is a rare occurrence. Most motorbikes depreciate quite rapidly and in the event of a material damage claim, Insurance companies will only pay the current market value of your bike. In these circumstances it may not be worth paying the additional premium for comprehensive cover over third party, fire and theft only.
news source : http://www.insurancewide.com/
The sub-125cc motorbike, scooter and twist 'n go market has exploded in recent years. Cheap to buy and cheap to run, with low fuel costs, they're also fun and, thanks to their nippy handling, they're fast through the traffic, too. So it's no surprise that they appeal so strongly to teenagers, commuters and anyone looking for an economical means of transport. There are also more manufacturers then ever producing them - and this is a problem, as the official ABI database (compiled by the Association of British Insurers) can't keep up with all the new models and marques. Which means many insurers simply can't touch lots of the new 'sub-125's - and owners can find themselves with a real problem getting cover.
Now Bikesure has launched a scheme that will insure any sub-125cc machine, no matter what the brand. Called One2Five, and underwritten by Norwich Union, Bikesure believes it's the most flexible scheme for the small bike and scooter rider. "One2Five can handle any bike make, any age of driver and any level of cover," says Robert Balls of Bikesure. "We'll not only cover brands that other insurers can't or won't touch, we'll also insure riders and bikes that many exclude - such as a 17 year old on a race style bike."
Despite its flexibility One2Five is very competitively priced - in fact Bikesure believes the scheme delivers some of the cheapest bikeinsurance premiums on the market for bikes under 125cc. "If you're a standard rider with a standard bike, you can even buy online," adds Robert Balls. "If the bike is a bit off the wall, or if the rider has any convictions or other special conditions, then it's best to give us a call for the cheapest quote."
Amongst the extras for the Bikesure scheme is a special 'new for old' feature for brand new bikes. If a new bike is written off within six months of purchase, One2Five will replace it with no depreciation. Bikesure is 100% British owned and based. It has a huge range of specialist policies for the motorcycle enthusiast, including cheap bike insurance schemes for performance and custom bikes, scooters, trikes, quads and bug riders.
news source : http://www.blogger.com/
Insurance is a big business for Peterborough-based BGL Group even in a credit crunch but it is a competitive market, as Business Editor Paul Grinnell reports. HIGH Street sales figures show the credit crunch is making many consumers think twice about how they spend their hard earned wages. But the insurance business is seemingly immune to the belt tightening that is currently going on in households up and down the land. Instead for companies such as Peterborough's insurance intermediary the BGL Group the battle is to secure a profitable share of a vast domestic market that quite simply cannot operate without aninsurance policy of some form of other.
As BGL chief executive Peter Winslow summed it up: "No one can buy a house, car, a motorbike or even a van without also having to buy some form ofinsurance to go with it." He said: "Everything we sell is compulsory. If you own a home or drive a car, motorcycle or a van you need insurance. He said: "There are 26 million homes in the UK, and we have 350,000 of them. "There are 25 million cars about and we insure under two million of them. It is a very big market for us to go at. And grabbing a large slice of that market is vital to BGL's ongoing success. Mr Winslow said: "Overall the group is focused on operating a successful and sustainable business, which means delivering profits. To us, profit means reinvestment in the business to ensure it stays strong. Market share is important to us because it is one of the key drivers of profit. It is an approach that seems to be bringing a great deal of success.
Last year, BGL, which is based at Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, announced that it had made an incredible 93 per cent increase in profits – up to £43 million. At the same time the firm also revealed staff numbers at its head office had shot up by 250 over the same year to 1,058. The key to the company's success is ensuring that it has access to the established and proven insurance providers, and a top quality marketing expertise to ensure its products are kept firmly in the public eye. Since a strategic change of direction in 1997 which saw BGL turn from being an insurance underwriter to a broker, the group has grown to become one of the largest personal lines insurance brokers in the UK.
This expansion has been achieved through a combination of organic growth and a series of major strategic acquisitions – the last of which took place five years ago and the the group now arranges and administersinsurance for two million customers and employs more than 2,255 people worldwide. In addition to its Peterborough head office, BGL has contact centres in Coventry, Sunderland and Peterlee in the UK, and Cape Town in South Africa. A key weapon in the BGL armoury is the recently created price comparison website comparethemarket.com, which allows customers to rapidly find the bestinsurance policy for them.
news source : http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/
EDINBURGH is the worst place in Scotland for motorbike thefts, a new survey has revealed. The study, by motorcycle insurance specialist Carole Nash, showed the city also had the ninth highest rate throughout the UK after analysing claims among 230,000 bikinginsurance policyholders.
Police recommended that bikers take various steps to reduce the risk of becoming a victim, including registering the bike with a security firm, and keeping the vehicle out of sight in a garage.
news source : http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/
This year it is anticipated that the cost of bike insurance will soar to an all time high. Insurance companies and brokers, believe that the cause of this is because there has been quite a large increase in the percentage of companies now providing bike insurance. Therefore competition in the market has also been heightened.
The domino effect that this has had on the market means that various companies have had no choice other than to rapidly reduce the price of their insurance, in a seemingly desperate bid to match or better the quote riders have already been quoted. Conventionally motorbikeinsurance used to be sold to the customer over the phone for years. Now what we are observing are many companies who have call centres, which are gradually becoming invisible, as the internet has become the Holy Grail with regards to finding the cheapest prices.
However when a call centre is fortunate enough to get an inbound call, the sales person’s only objective is to offer the lowest price possible in the hope of closing the sale on the spot. It seems that the various insurers have had enough and are collectively going to increase their rates across the nation, to end any further reduction in prices.
news source : http://www.onlyfinance.com/
insurance.co.uk has launched a special offer for users of the cashback sites ‘Quidco' and ‘Topcashback'. Customers who access insurance.co.uk via these sites will save a further £13 on their car insurance policy and £5 on their motorbike policy.Steve Grainger, Head of insurance.co.uk said; "In the current economic climate, it's only natural that consumers are looking to make savings on household bills such as insurance, and are turning to cashback sites more than ever. Due to the limited participation of online comparison sites within this channel, we have been concerned that consumers are taking the quick and easy option of getting cashback from a direct insurer rather than shopping around to find the most competitive quote and right policy for them.
"By placing insurance.co.uk directly on these cashback sites, we're giving consumers the best of both worlds. Now it's possible to compare motor insurance quotes and policies from a large panel of insurance providers, choose the right policy for your circumstances and benefit from the cashback facility sites like these offer."
news source : http://www.easier.com/
Christmas has come early for Northampton resident, Marc Nelson, who has become one of five lucky recipients of a year’s free motorbike insurance from Bennetts. The factory machine operator scooped a year’s free cover, in part thanks to MotoGP star James Toseland, who was visiting the Bennetts call centre as part of the promotion on the day that Marc won.
As the nation struggles in the grip of the credit crunch, Bennetts, the nation’s favourite bike insurance provider, has been saving bikers money throughout April by re-imbursing five motorbike insurance policies daily. As part of the unprecedented giveaway, Marc’s was one of the five policies refunded on 8th April, meaning he will save a whopping £795.01 on his policy over the next year.
James Toseland, the reigning World Superbike Champion and Bennetts sponsored MotoGP rider, launched the month-long promotion for the insurer, ditching the bike circuit to temporarily man the phones in the Bennetts Coventry contact centre. The biking hero talked to bikers up and down the country who had called for a quote, encouraging as many people as possible to get involved with the promotion.
Marc said “With so many people calling the centre for a quote and wanting to speak with James Toseland, I was delighted to get through as the line was constantly busy. Hearing back from Bennetts to say I’d won a years free insurance for my bike was such a thrill, so I’m really happy to be saving such a huge amount of money over the coming year.”
Bennetts’ Marketing Director, Mark Fells said “We wanted to kick off the biking season by offering our customers something that was really unique – the opportunity to qualify for five free insurance policies* every day throughout April, and the chance to speak to a double World Champion at the launch! This is one of our biggest ever promotions and we were really pleased to have James on board to kick it all off.”
news source : http://londonbikers.com/
A DRIFFIELD biker's treasured possession has gone up in smoke after his motorbike was destroyed by fire. Vikki Thornton, of Auchinleck Close, called fire crews to her property in the early hours of Sunday after discovering her husband's motorbike, a 20-year-old Honda Goldwing parked on the road outside the house, was on fire.
Mrs Thornton said: "I was up in bed and the next thing I know, my husband is shouting 'my bike is on fire.' I got up and called the fire brigade who were here within minutes. "The fire inspector had a look and he seems to think it was an electrical fault, so we are just waiting for the insurance to come and take it away." The motorbike, which was imported from America, was destroyed by the fire and Mr and Mrs Thornton are now waiting to find out what caused the blaze.
news source : http://www.huttoncranswicktoday.co.uk/
The UK's 1.2m motorbike, moped and scooter owners will be able to shop around for the cheapest motor insurance with the launch of a new online comparison site. The site, from swift cover.com, enables riders to compare quotes from a panel of more than 19 specialist brokers and insurance firms, including Devitt, MCE and MotorCycle Direct.
