Safety Nets

I am not into scare-mongering – that is not the way to sell insurance, in fact I don’t like to even ‘sell’ insurance. Our intention is to ‘provide’ insurance that people need. Where we see gaps we can offer cover and protection – something that cannot be done by a computer or someone in a call centre who doesn’t know your circumstances.

It occurred to me yesterday watching a programme about the spinal injuries unit at Stoke Mandeville hospital that life can change for people in an instant and from something as trivial as falling off a chair. One of the patients on the programme was a roofer, whilst he had regular work through a main contractor he was engaged always as a self-employed contractor and so had no holiday or sick-pay allowance. I am not sure whether he had any protection for his income but if he didn’t then that may have significant consequences for him and his family. One other patient found this out as he had to put their house up for sale as his ongoing rehab and inability to get back to work meant that he could not meet his mortgage repayments.

So incidents that affect you may well effect those who rely and depend on you and a nominal premium for a little protection may well go on to make a significant steps to maintaining your lifestyle should you find yourself unable to work.

Contact us to find out more about Personal Accident and similar protection.

Alistair

Price Rises Pressure Motor Trade

It's no secret, particularly if you are in the motor trade, that insurance rates are on the up. This is often no reflection on the individual or business at hand as they may have not experienced any claims and still present a good risk but claims seen across the board mean insurers have seen a significant reduction in profit and even losses in this sector. Some insurers - Equity Red Star - even pulling out of the market altogether. 

So how can you set yourself above the rest and present a good risk. Unless you take risk management and security seriously it is likely that insurers will not be interested in offering discounts when quoting. We, as a broker, need to be in a position to portray your business in the best possible light. Here are some things you may wish to consider working on prior to your next renewal. 

Act as if uninsured - If you remember this as an overriding principal then you wont go far wrong. Acting as if you are uninsured will mean that you will pay more attention to security, to health and safety, to cleanliness and legislation.Within this over-arching point there are several other things to consider. 

1) Security - Taking into account the above, insurers will be more willing to offer good rates if you have good security. Not all cases require an alarm but those that do should consider at least some form of digital signaling and a police response. If trading from home then insurers will need you to have a significant key safe and decent door and window locks. 

2) Health and Safety - This is not a scary concept and is fairly straight forward. Its mainly about applying common sense and writing it down. Two body repair businesses walk into an insurance brokerage, the first is clean and tidy risk the second is a clean and tidy risk with an accident book and a written health and safety policy - who do you think gets the better rate? You can download template Health and Safety policies from the HSE website and an accident book will cost you a couple of pounds.

3) Legislation - Depending on what your business is, what sort of property you occupy and how many people you employ there may be some legislation applicable to you. Insurers would expect you to be compliant with these things and if you are not you may find yourself putting your hand in your own pocket to pay for a claim. If for example there is some legislation stating that the electrical circuits must be inspected and they haven't been which leads to an electrical fire you may well discover the insurance to be void. It doesn't have to be a nauseating experience to find out what your obligations are. You can find most information on the HSE website or on industry sites. There are also professionals who will guide you through H&S and legislation issues. 

4) Drivers and Training - Insurers are keen on training. Record any training you give to your employees no matter how small. Obtain licences and driving references for new drivers. Insurers like this area of the insurance to be well managed. Consider sending drivers on AA Drive-tech courses should they pick up claims or convictions. Stating that you have a set, clear plan for driver training means insurers will see you as a well managed business. It also means that insurers will be confident that, in the event of a claim you have systems in place to try and prevent that happening again. 

5) More is Less - Flipping the old cliche around often we find that trying to scrimp on the insurance by only insuring Third Party or having a low vehicle limit means that you often restrict the insurers that will quote. Insuring liability, tools and / or premises etcetera often means that more insurers will be willing to quote which  in turn means you may benefit, not just from insuring your business more appropriately but also from more palatable premiums. 

For more information on any of the above or to see if we can assist with your motor trade business please do not hesitate to give us a call. 

Alistair

Inspiration from Marginal Gains (Team FW taking Inspiration from Team GB)

A while ago I blogged about controlling your inner chimp. This technique, explained to me by Coaching Psychologist, Mike Duckett, was pioneered by TeamGB and generally famous sports psychologist Dr Steve Peters and it totally makes sense. In fact one could look at the David Brailsford (Performance Director of British Cycling) era and utilise the lessons to enhance or perform better in business. 

One thing that has made a huge difference in British cycling, leading to the current dominance at the Olympics   and major wins in competition such as the Tour De France is attention to detail. In cycling we are talking about things like the amount of rotations of a pedal per minute required to travel a certain distance or the amount of carbohydrate an athlete should imbibe each hour as a ratio to their weight. What British Cycling is doing here is assessing the requirements and ability of the rider and working out how those minute requirements can be met and how technique and strategy can be adapted to enhance the ability of the rider. Small, small details. 

So what does this have to do with business? Well take a price comparison website - this is equivalent to deciding you want some insurance (or fancy a bike ride) and going to the one stop, no fuss online shop (a well known high street bike and car part retailer) to purchase your insurance policy (bike). What you will get might be something that does the job instantly, allows you to trade (or go for your bike ride) but will not really provide you with what you 'need'. This word - need - is key. Often we know what we want, I'm sure that as a kid Bradley Wiggins wanted the coolest looking bike with all the spokey dokeys (if you were born in the 70's / 80's you will know what they are) but it is the professionals that have surrounded him that have nurtured him into the cyclist he is today by recommending the correct bike, nutrition and indeed through Dr Peters, the right train of thought and essentially giving him what he 'needs' in order to succeed.

The attention to detail which comes from expert advice leads to what David Brailsford terms 'marginal gains'. These are small amounts of progress or advantage that when they add up produce race winning performance. In insurance terms we are talking about fine tuning each aspect of the cover a customer needs ensuring that the marginal gains in these areas lead to competitive prices and appropriate cover. 

This is what Fairweather Insurance pride's itself on - the attention to detail. Whether we are looking at your home insurance, a multinational company's liability needs or a small let property they all equally deserve this service and the benefit of our expert advice to deliver the most competitive and appropriate solution. 

It doesn't stop with preparation though. Watching the Tour de France you are acutely aware that the rider is not alone, whilst they might win the medal or jersey they are not waived off at the start of the tour only to crack on their own. The car is with them all the way loaded with everything they need to compete. It is also this level of support that is key to the success of a broker. It is no good us giving a client a piece of paper and wishing them luck, we are there to assist with claims (when you come off the bike) as well as underwriting and advice when your requirements change. 

So as a client are you looking for a quick fix which may or may not be suitable for you or would you rather a race winning set up and support? 

Alistair

Above Average? 

We all know what average means in real life but in insurance terms it is something you all should certainly know about. This post is extremely relevant to my last one (the pitfalls of using comparison sites) and to anyone who may be getting their insurances direct from the internet or over the phone with an insurer. 

Whilst you might think that phoning an insurer directly might get you speaking to a real person the chances are that they are in an administrative role and are simply clicking / typing the same questions that you might be had you used the internet. Whilst I am sure some take pride in their job the chances of getting any actual 'advice' are slim. 

So whats the point I am getting to... well... here goes. When you are happily plugging away buying your home or shop insurance on the internet and it gets to the bit that asks how much you want to insure your contents for what do you do:

A) Guess the total?

B) Decide what the most likely loss is and put that? 

C) Logically go room to room seeking a decent estimate / consult your accounts?

I would imagine no-one using the internet to purchase their insurance goes for option C. So your next question is why does this matter? Well it matters because if you guess and find yourself underinsured you will be subject to 'average'. Similarly if you decide what the likely loss is (rather than the total loss) then once again you will be staring at the 'average' clause. 

What the average clause really means (and it will be present on 99.9% of policies where property is involved) is that the insurers want to collect an appropriate premium for the risk they are insuring. This means that they apply a clause to encourage all sums insured to represent a maximum possible loss. Failure to set the sums insured at these levels results in your payout being prejudiced by the same amount you are under insured. 

For example - 

You have a total contents value of £60,000

You only insure £30,000 thinking that you wont ever have a claim resulting in a loss which goes above this limit - I mean what are the chances???

An ingress of water damages £10,000 worth of your contents. 

The insurers look at the sums insured you have selected and assess the total value of your contents. It is clear you are at least 50% under-isured so they take 50% away from the claims payment. 

You only get £5,000 (minus your policy excess) towards your loss meaning you are also £5,000 out of pocket. 

I am sure, having read the example above that you appreciate how important it is to make sure that you are insuring your property for the maximum possible loss. If you have not had advice to this effect from your insurance provider / broker then I am sure you may be inclined to consider a move to a broker who is keen to give you such advice as this and who passionately cares about protecting your business. (I almost want to use a cheesy line like 'your business is our business' or perhaps the other way around). 

Talk to us. 

Alistair 

Go Compare some Money Supermarket Meerkats

Consumer website Moneyvista - www.moneyvista.com - provided food for thought in a recent article about using price comparison websites. Of course we have all experienced these and we know how cheap they can be but cheap is a bad word. How often do we use the word 'cheap' to describe something of substandard quality - the right answer is often. So why should it be any different with insurance products. Here are some pitfalls you might want to think about before using a price comparison website -

1. Excessive Excess?
You will often be asked to choose your excess - be careful as this is often a voluntary excess which will be added to the standard excess of whichever insurer you eventually choose. It is not unknown for people to end up with an excess close to £1000. Similarly you might put into the system that you would like an excess of £250 but the insurers that come up on the final list may have a minimum excess which is higher - check the small print.

2. Who are you paying?
Imagine going into the supermarket and everything in there is in a plain box with just a word describing what it is. You wouldn't be able to buy your favorite brand or the fruit that looked the best. Would you buy the box that was the cheapest then? Of course not because we associate cheap with bad. With insurers you often don't know how good they are until you have a claim or need to make an amendment so why trust an unknown? I am not saying that some of the smaller companies are not good, I am simply saying that you should do some research.

3. Compare the Compared!
If you are going to use a comparison website please remember that if an insurer doesn't come up it does not mean that they are not competitive, it means that the insurer in question will not trade through these sites. The comparison websites will have negotiated rates and licenses to sell certain insurers products but these rates are not necessarily reflective of the rates you might get from the insurer directly so if you use a comparison website why not then go direct to the insurer and see what rate you get then. You will almost certainly receive favorable terms.

So please remember that cheap does not equal better. There is a BIG difference between a cheap insurer and a competitive insurer. If in doubt, give us a call and we will be happy to provide advice and even a quotation - even in the modern internet age a Broker is still in a position to provide you with quality products and services at competitive prices.

If you pay peanuts you get monkeys 

(or bad quality insurance products but that ending didn't quite roll off the tongue). 

A Feast of Sunshine and Smoothies

On Saturday the 30th June a band of Fairweather staff lived up to their name and brought sunshine to proceedings at the Feast of St Peter - Chalfont St Peter's annual summer festival. There was live music, community stalls, local businesses, displays, sports, kids events and everything in between. We were very pleased to see our friends from Chalfont St Peter Community Library well represented.

We were doing our best to provide smiles and refreshing smoothies to the crowed who had gathered on Gold Hill Common. In fact the smoothies were so popular we actually ran out of ingredients on a couple of occasions - our staff having to make a rapid b-line to the shops to stock up.

It's always a pleasure to engage with the local community from both a business point of view and a social one. Villages are sustained very much by the people within them and supported by the businesses that rely on the local population and so it is only right that we try to give something back.

Both Personal Lines and Commercial Lines Teams represented here with Ash and Emma ready and waiting to hand out smoothies and to help with any insurance queries. 

If you spotted us at the Feast Day but didnt have a chance to grab a smoothie (or even if you did) we would be happy to welcome you at Chalfont Hall (opposite the Wagon and Horses pub) for a cup of tea or coffee instead where we will be happy to discuss the insurance arrangements for your car, home, business or anything in-between.

See you soon.

The FW team.

Olympic Premiums?

Typically we would advise a client to take out Terrorism cover, particularly where the location of the property or business dictates that this would be a good idea i.e. inner M25, next to power stations, points of interest etcetera. The cost of this is often nominal compared to the premium itself and is not going to break the bank. Certainly it is value for money if your in a 'likely area'. These Terrorism extensions are generally correlated to the sums insured already attributed to your policy. 

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has gone one step further in securing a policy with a sums insured of £62,000,100. This amount has been divided among the 26 International Sports Federations Competing at the Games. 

So it seems its not just the government that are cautious over such risks (having confirmed the deployment of surface to air missile systems, helicopter carriers in the Thames and thousands of troops). All we can hope for is a safe and successful games, perhaps along with some sunshine? That would be nice. 

Alistair

Going Social

I was thrilled to welcome guest speakers from Urban Media www.urbanmedia.co.uk and Zebedee internet www.zebedeeim.co.uk yesterday to speak to local businesses and some of our commercial clients about the importance of web presence online. I am not the expert - you need to speak to them about that but there were some key lessons which I would share with you now. Simple things which might assist you in maximising your web-presence, engaging with your customers and boosting you towards the top of any google search. 

1. Don't think you need to Facebook? Wrong! 

Facebook isn't just for the young herberts out there but is an incredibly useful tool (along with Twitter, Pintrest, Youtube etcetera...) for making your business accessible. If you are selling direct to consumers then it is a fantastic way of engaging with them in an informal manner and importantly gives them an instant platform with which to engage back with you. 

Even if you sell business to business it is important to have this presence. Facebook likes, comments and shares, twitter re-tweets etcetera are amongst the most weighted factors in driving your business to the top of google. This has the potential to put you on top of your competitors. If I am searching for accountants for example 'who will appear at the top?' the Accountant who does social media or the one who doesn't? It is also the case that only 2% of people searching will go to the second page of any google search so it is key to get on that first page. 

2. Make it Interactive

Whatever social media platform you are using its important to make it interactive, to prompt that re-tweet or Facebook share. When using something like Facebook you might want to think about asking for feedback or offering reward for sharing a post i.e. 'like this photo and we will enter you into a prize draw to win.....' Twitter doesn't quite work in the same way as it is a quick and fast way of getting snippets of information out there. To encourage people back towards your blog or website try using half finished information or an intriguing questions, a good example given during yesterday's seminar was 'look whose upset the applecart now' which sparks a readers intrigue. Remember Twitter is limited to 140 characters but if you want people to re-tweet keep it to 120 so the end doesn't get cut off. 

3. A Little Planning Goes a Long Way 

One of the key points to come out of the seminar was that really if you plan content (content is king by the way) there is no reason why social media needs to take over your life. For example a few blog posts can be tweeted and facebook linked over a week and related photos or articles posted so one piece of work can then be used in different ways to generate traffic. Take this blog post for example - I have four potential Facbook posts. I could post the opening bit about holding the seminar and encouraging people to read the rest of the post. I could also then post a 'daily social media tip'. It is all about content planning. Plan well and you will make social media work for you with minimal time spent on your part. 

So there you are - I hope those snippets were useful. If you would like to know more please get in touch as we will probably be running similar seminars in the near future. Also you should definately check out the websites above to find out more. 

Happy Socialising. 

Alistair

Feast of St. Peter 2012

Saturday 30^th June

10:15am – ‘til late

The history of the feast day extends back to 1229 when King Henry III granted a right to the Lord of the Manor to hold an annual fair on the day and eve of the Feast of St. Peter.

Today's event is a far cry from those medieval times.  However, since moving the Feast Day event back to Gold Hill Common in 2009, the crowds have been attending in growing numbers year on year and last year we had over half the population of the village attend the Day's activities and a similar crowd enjoy the evening concert.

As a result of the success of last year's event the Feast of St Peter gave £8,500 to local good causes.

Once again this year, there is an exciting and varied line-up of entertainment and activities, and this will conclude with a concert at The Fairweather Insurance Arena by Fleetwood Bac, the UK's leading Fleetwood Mac tribute band. www.fleetwoodbac.co.uk

There are many acts showcasing their talents throughout the day at the arena.  Some of the highlights include: Chalfont St Peter C of E Academy Gymnastics, GMG Falconry, Pink Academy, Trapdoor Performing Arts School, Zumba Dance, a Parade of Classic Cars and much, much more….

The Feast of St. Peter 2012 is set to once again be a fabulous day of family fun and entertainment, and raise even more funds for local charities and good causes.

We look forward to seeing you there and  please remember to visit the Fairweather Insurance Stall where we will be offering deliciously fruity smoothies!!

Address: Gold Hill Common, Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks, SL9 9HH  Website: www.feastofstpeter.org.uk

Hire Car Costs Driving Up Insurance Prices?

Sticking with the motor insurance theme it a news story on the BBC website caught my eye. In a move welcomed by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) it appears that the Competition Commission is going to be conducting a report into the motor insurance industry after the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) deemed it a 'dysfunctional' sector. The OFT stated that artificially high hire car and repair charges were contributing about £225,000,000 to motor insurance across the country.

You'll find more on this story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-18268650

Is it a bird? Is it a Plane? Is it a border-line celebrity in a sparkly car? 

Today's blog might be seen to be poking fun at the ridiculous but it actually makes a serious point (actually it is also a little bit of fun poking). Well known for being 'tanned' and from Essex, Billi Mucklow of TOWIE* fame has been seen (how could you miss it) in a completely jeweled car.

What is my serious point then? Well I imagine this is a publicity stunt and she doesn't in fact own said car but if she did I wonder whether she has declared the modification to insurers. This would be a material fact which the insurers would need to know about. Modifications will sometimes make a vehicle more theft attractive or give it a value beyond the market value. In Ms Muckow's case if her travelling sugar lump of a car was involved in a collision she might find herself facing the bill for the bling herself or worse she may end up with the insurers refusing to pay out for any of her damage because of non-disclosure of material fact.

So whether you've been handy with the prit-stick and a load of plastic crystals or whether you have splashed out on alloys, sign-writing on your van, spoilers, upgraded suspension make sure you inform your insurers.

For any other insurance related motoring advice or indeed advice on what not to do to your car please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Alistair

*TOWIE - 'Popular' television show 'The Only Way is Essex' where everything is reem and orange.

source - Daily Mail Online http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2151694/TOWIEs-Billi-Mucklow-Cara-Kilbey-hit-road-car-encrusted-81-000-crystals.html

Lost and Hopefully Soon to be Found

The Insurance Times reported today that Zurich are offering a £25,000 reward for the safe return of a historical artifact. The piece in question is one of the rarest complete examples of metalwork in the country dating back to the 1400's and usually resides in The Stockwood Discovery Centre a museum in Luton. It is inscribed with the words 'My Lord Wenlock' and carries the relevant coat of arms, It's conection with Royalty makes it all the more topical with the Jubilee weekend approaching.

Zurich who insure the piece have come out declaring that its "... no just about writing a cheque. Ultimately Zurich want to assist the museum's efforts to get the jug back where it belongs, and so that it can be enjoyed by future generations".

Lets hope the Jug turns up and in one piece and certainly not on ebay next to the all the Olympic torches.



Alistair

Not so Fair-weather for Fairweather 'Fun' Running

Last (chilly) Sunday a stalwart team of runners and 'helpers' attended the bi-annual Gerrards Cross Fun Run. The run is organised for local charity and it's for that reason that Fairweather Insurance were pleased to be he principal -shirt sponsor this year. In addition to providing munetory support some of our staff here were keen to make their bid for Olympic selection by running the 5km route in record time. Sadly Lord Coe didn't call so it looks like no-one will be getting their team GB call up just yet although some respectable times were run with Neil Hume (on secondment to the 'Fairweather Flyers') leading the pack with a time of 24:39.

With smoothies on hand our intrepid runners soon recovered to represent Fairweather at our very own stand where we were delighted to welcome members of the local community who might have the odd Sunday afternoon insurance query.

We really enjoy serving the community both with insurance requirements, charity work and in support of organisations such as the Community Library. So if you want to 'keep it local' why not call us, email us or run (or saunter) along to the office with any of your personal or commercial insurance needs and / or questions.


TTFN

Alistair

Phone Plus Water = No Phone

A recent study by Insurance Times magazine has revealed that there has been a phenomenal increase in claims for water damage to telephones and similar devices. I found this of particular interest having had to claim twice, once for an incident concerning me, my iphone, a cup of tea (also mine) and a collision between the two. The second also concerns me, my macbook, he washing up (not all mine) and the collateral spillage caused by my enthusiastic washing up.

The lesson is really that you should not rely on the insurance provided by the phone companies and networks as often it will exclude water damage. Similarly if relying on your device being insured under the home contents or work insurance policy remember that often they need to be noted individually to be adequately covered. If you have a work mobile check whether you are meant to be insuring it or if it is already insured by the work policy. Contact your provider and get some proper advice.

Remember this simple formula

Unless of course you have the appropriate insurance in place in which case all will be well (minus your policy excess of course).

Alistair

Going swimming? Don't forget your teeth. 

Our Aviva insurance circular didn't disappoint this week with its 'funny claim' although I would go so far as to say that it is mildly tragic as opposed to amusing. A more mature gentleman was on holiday in Florida and was taking a dip when his wife (who had fallen asleep on he beach) had her bag stolen. Unfortunately in the bag was the gentleman's false teeth which he had placed there for safe keeping.

I suppose it was soup for dinner that night.

(Photo for illustrative purposes only)

A Slice of History Comes to the Surface

As we pass the centenary of the sinking of the Titanic, the original insurance slip for RMS Carpathia has been presented to Lloyds of London by national brokers, Marsh. This slip dates back to the 1900's and shows just how important insurance cover was then as it is now (although I am sure premiums have changed). 

RMS Carpathia was built in the North East by Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson and rescued more than 700 survivors of the Titanic disaster 100 years ago. RMS Carpathia was sunk by a German U-Boat (submarine) on 17th July 1918 at the tail end of the First World War. 

My Fault Your Problem

The above phrase is a common one in military circles, used in situations where someone senior has made a mistake and needs someone junior to blame and sort it out. There are probably parallels in the construction world as often the hierarchy is blurred and as subcontractors are engaged by various parties and in the event of a claim he blame game is often a tough one to sort out. This is why Employers Liability is a legal requirement. This obligation is not just concerned with people who are PAYE but anyone who works under your direction. 

Here are some handy notes for you to work out whether you are meeting the Compulsory Insurance (Employers Liability) Act. There are hefty fines if you are not.

 Common Misconceptions:

My subcontractors all pay their own N.I. and Tax so are not my responsibility: WRONG!

All my staff are volunteers and therefore work on the understanding that they are responsible for their own actions: WRONG!

I only engage one sub-contractor for a couple of hours a week. They don’t build up enough hours to warrant this insurance: WRONG!

My Subcontractor already has insurance in place so I don’t need to take it out: WRONG!

In all of the above Employers Liability is required. Unless you are a sole trader working exclusively on your own or only with Bona-Fide Subcontractors (more on them in a bit) the liklihood is that you do require cover.

Bona-Fide Subcontractors:

It is not a legal requirement to insure Employers Liability for people you are working with who you may class as Bona-Fide Subcontractors. These are people who you might bring in to do a specific task for a fixed contract price and who would work under their own direction with their own tools and under their own health and safety policies and method statements. In order to assist in identifying whether someone can be classed as a bona-fide subcontractor I have attached a tick-sheet.

Is My Sub-Contractor Bona-Fide?                                                                                                 

The Subcontractor…

arranges their own Liability Insurances:                                            Yes                  No

works solely under their own direction:                                            Yes                  No

is responsible for their own H&S and method statements:                 Yes                  No

works for a fixed contract price:                                                       Yes                  No

works with their own tools and / or equipment:                                 Yes                  No

If the answer to all of these is ‘yes’ then they can be rated as Bona-Fide Subcontractors. If even only one of the above is a ‘no’ then they must be rated for Employers Liability.

Case Study: Joe Bloggs Lighting Design Ltd has designed the lighting scheme for a new museum in London. They employ a firm (Handyman ltd) to provide the staff to undertake the installation. Handyman Ltd have agreed a fixed price for the three day job. Joe Bloggs Lighting will be overseeing the installation as they are keen to make sure the lights are put in place in accordance with their design. Joe Bloggs Lighting Design Limited provided ladders with which to reach the heights to fix the lights in place. One of the employees of Handyman Limited is following the lighting plans produced by Joe Bloggs Lighting Design and goes up the ladder to fix the light in place. Whilst up there he over-stretches and falls to the floor, he breaks his leg.

Are Joe Bloggs Lighting Design Limited legally obliged to insure Employers Liability? Yes – Despite the fact Joe Bloggs are employing Handyman on a temporary basis they are in charge of the overall site and are providing equipment with which to carry out the contract

Assuming Joe Bloggs had the EL cover in place will they actually pay out for this claim? Probably – Whilst it would appear to be the individual’s fault for over-stretching and falling it was ultimately the responsibility of Joe Bloggs to ensure that they were competent working at height and depending on the circumstances should have been supervising such work and maybe suggested moving the ladder closer to avoid such things. There are several points which suggest that Joe Bloggs were negligent and so it is entirely plausible that the injured individual would make a successful claim. 

So for some good advice and a review of your requirements why not give us a call. A phone call might cost you a few pence, to ignore these requirements might cost you a whole lot more. 

We look forward to hearing from you.

Alistair

Chimps, Humans, Gremlins, Computers and Bananas (of varying types).

By way of a warning this post is not about insurance (strictly speaking) so don't be to disappointed. On a Thursday morning I attend a great meeting of local businesses. It gives us a chance to promote business within the local community and to provide access for our clients to a wide variety of trades and professions who we know and trust and are happy to recommend. Within this group there is a wonderful chap named Mike Duckett who runs a company called 'Coaching for Success'. How best to describe Mike's work?.... I would say that he facilitates your success (in whichever field it is required - business, sport, media, cuisine etc) by helping you realise and address weaknesses, strengths, hurdles and hangups. He opens doors that probably existed but you didnt have the key, or perhaps couldn't find it. Anyway.... his services are useful to many of us and in particular what he spoke about this morning struck a chord with me.

What does all this have to do with Chimps etcetera? Well you may have heard Olympic certainty (I mean hopeful) Chris Hoy talk about his inner chimp. Mike gave us an illustration which has been used by the team GB cycling psychiatrist and it would appear to good effect.

We all have in us or with us.... stick with me on this one.... A chimp, a human and a computer.

 The chimp and the human deal with the here and now and the computer is where we store all the past and the lessons learnt. The chimp is (being fairly primitive) in charge of base emotions, often reacting instantly and instinctively with gut reaction and emotional strength. The human is the more logical and rational part of us who is in charge of making reasonable decisions and properly thinking through things and making rational decisions.

So whats the problem? The problem is that the chimp always wakes up first. When faced with a new situation we often react emotionally and then store that reaction as a default in the computer... this is called a 'gremlin' (which we don't want). What we want to try and do is get our human to form a rational reaction and decision and store that in our computer as an 'autopilot' so that when faced with the same or similar situation we know what we are doing and don't get all, well 'chimpy' about it.

So how do we make sure we are storing autopilots in our computer and not gremlins? Through the cunning use of bananas! That's right people. I am not imploring you to run out and panic buy bananas, these are all metaphorical bananas. There are two types. There is the distraction banana which in real terms is using a different task where the chimp might be useful (competitive sport like cycling for example - remember the chimp is stronger than you) and the other is the reward banana which is where you might consciously reward yourself for not following the chimp's previous advice or gremlin. Either way the aim is to get the chimp into a  box where he is happy with his banana and so you can get on with focused and rational thinking.

But don't take my word for it all...... I'm not the professional. So if you think you might need to sort out your chimps from your humans and throw around some bananas then you need to speak to Mike at Coaching for Success. If it works for Olympic athletes then I'm sure it could help you (other non-chimp related techniques are available).

Have a great Easter.

Alistair


Visit Mike's website for more information  -  www.coachingforsuccess.co.uk

Fair Weather for Fun Run?

Here at Chalfont Hall we are all hoping that this 'Fair Weather' will continue or a least ressurect itself for the GX Fun Run on the 20th May

The GX Fun Run is a charity event which is being held to support the work of Kids in Sport, a local charity which aims to help children participate in sport who would otherwise not have the opportunity. In addition, and for the first time this year, the event will be supporting Padstones, another local charity which provides accommodation, support and advice for young people aged 16 to 25 who are homeless, vulnerable and at risk. 

We are once again extending our support in the local community as we are the main sponsor of the run, something we are particularly excited about. Not only are we supporting the event through sponsorship but some of us are even entering the run. 

We are however stuck for a team name so feel free to get your thinking caps on and comment below if you have any good (non-embarrassing) team names.......

  

If you would like to find out more information about the Run please visit the website – www.gxfunrun.co.uk.

Alistair

Living to Excess? AXA Research Shows 1/3 of Motorists Cannot Afford Their Excess.

According to research by AXA reported in the Insurance Times a significant amount of clients cannot afford the policy excess in the event of an accident. AXA are warning motorists against inflated 'voluntary' excesses which are sometimes requested in order to bring the premium down. We all dread the time when it comes to make a claim but it is what we get insurance for (not just because we have to). Its not when you take out the policy that it really counts but when you have to make a claim - perhaps following impact from a giant football?

Research suggests that 48% of the population have readily available savings of less than £500 and 34% have as little as £200 or even less. According to AXA's research 62% of motorists are aware that a portion of their excess is 'voluntary' and have selected the limit themselves to benefit from a premium saving however whilst it might make the premium affordable the excess is not. This worries insurers and motoring bodies alike as it means there are likely to be many unrepaired vehicles on the road. 

Perhaps more worrying is AXA's claim that 17% of motorists don't know what type or value of excess they have. 

Often these comparison websites are misleading and at the very least do not go far enough to explain the benefits and drawbacks of higher excesses. We understand that not everyone is on a footballers salary and so our priority is to ensure that you have a policy that is reasonably and appropriately priced but that you can be sure will respond as expected in the event of a claim. This is why a Broker can be of invaluable service getting you the cover you need at the most reasonable price.

Alistair

Laughter is the best medicine.... (unless you've got a headache where paracetamol works better. )

Whilst having to make a claim is sometimes necessary we do appreciate its not always going to be ranked in your top ten life events. We aim to make each claim as painless as possible and our claims staff will always be on hand to manage the process. Whilst putting together some information about our claims service I came across a website listing a number of amusing entries which people have put on claim forms. Here, for your delectation are my top 5 (in no particular order).

1)   "Windscreen broken. Cause unknown. Probably Voodoo."

2)   "I started to slow down but the traffic was more stationary than I thought."

3)   "Going to work at 7am this morning I drove out of my drive straight into a bus. The bus was 5 minutes early”

4)   Claim Form Question: Could either driver have done anything to avoid the accident? Answer: Travelled by bus?

5)   "I collided with a stationary truck coming the other way"

'Big' Client Mentality Par for the Course? 

Many times I have been to insurance events or networking meetings where people talk about their 'big' client... "oh I took my 'big' client out for golf the other day' they would say, or at least something like that. I heard a similar story this week. So what is a 'big' client? To me the amount of premium a client pays doesn't necessarily mean that they are any bigger or need more attention than a client who might pay less for their insurances. Indeed some risks are extremely high risk but because they are a well managed company require less interaction than a lower risk case who might need assistance with their Health and Safety etcetera. So do I need to take the High Risk client to the Grove Golf / Spa resort and fob the lower risk client with a free pen and a voucher for pitch and putt? Of course not. 

It is important as an insurance broker to recognise the requirements of all clients and then to meet these requirements with relevant solutions. Some of these requirements might be obvious and easily solved and some might be hidden but just as essential. Sometimes the most challenging and interesting cases are the lowest of premiums but for me the knowledge that a client has their business properly protected is satisfaction enough. 

I would however point out that I am not disregarding the golf altogether and am happy to negotiate green fees (as long as I get to drive the buggy). 

Alistair

Charity Cash on the Horizon? We Hope So!

Here at Fairweather towers are crossing all our fingers and toes in support of Horizon Sports Club who we have entered into the Aviva Community Broker Fund. Insurance brokers have been frantically submitting details of worthy causes in their area in the hope they will benefit from some cash courtesy of Aviva (formally Norwich Union). 

Horizon Sports Club is passionate about providing sports tuition to disabled children of school ages. This is a necessary service given that many disabled children are not fully (if at all) included in sports and PE lessons at school. As well as the fun of the activity the team-work and inclusive nature of the lessons helps develop the child's communication and interaction skills. These clubs, although essential, are entirely reliant on funding and sponsorship from individuals and organisations and so we are really hoping that Horizons will do well. 

In each category (of which there are five) there are three prizes. The first prize-winning charity / cause will walk away with a cool £15,000 with £2,500 going to second place and then five £1,000 prizes for runners up. 

To find out more about Horizons Sports Club visit: www.horizonsc.org.uk

 

Long business lunches or evening dinner meetings may not need to be a thing of the past as long as you've booked some sweat working for the day after. Whilst the novel idea seems appealing I'm not sure I'd be taking notes effectively whilst trying to keep up with the treadmill.....

Read the Independant's full article here - http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/forget-networking-get-ready-for-sweatworking-6286783.html

Give the dog a bone..... or your teeth.

Having received the usual circular news round up from our friends at Aviva I couldn't help but be tickled by this weeks 'funny claim' (I would point out that we at Fairweather Insurance do not condone the submission of claims for purely comedy value - this isn't 'Youve Been Framed')

Anyway - here is the tale for you to enjoy.

“A few years ago I got a call from a customer enquiring whether he could claim for damage to his false teeth. On asking him for the circumstances, he told me he was mowing his lawn, sneezed and his false teeth fell out. Oh, I said, you ran over them with the lawn mower.

No, he replied, the teeth were rescued from the lawnmower in the nick of time by my dog. Unfortunately he immediately proceeded to crunch them up himself before I could catch him!”

Out of the Frying Pan and into the Fire Protection Clause

Been sold a crepe policy? Been told you would be batter off without a certain cover? Well its pancake day and what batter way to celebrate than whisking in a few puns into today's blog?

We have had many new enquiries recently where people are unaware of the cover their policy provides. In some egg-samples they have cover they don't even need. Given they will be paying for this additional cover it can often leave a rather un-savoury feeling. Similarly we have come across a number of new clients who came to us with policies issued on the correct basis but with glaring gaps in the cover.

I'm sure if there was a toss up between having the right cover and peace of mind rather than the wrong cover just to save a few pounds the former would be preferable. So for some proper advice with no obligation to purchase contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Alistair

Dogs are a Man's Best Friend (and primary Insurance Concern).

According to market reports more pet insurance policies than private medical or personal accident policies are sold each year. Perhaps because there is no National (pet) Health Service or is it because we all love our pets so much that their care is paramount.

We shouldn't forget ourselves though. Particularly if you are self employed or in a position of responsibility the peace of mind that you could get quick medical assistance or, under a personal accident and sickness policy, your income covered is of clear benefit. We are able to arrange private medical and personal accident & sickness policies for individuals or businesses. Please do not hesitate to get in touch to discuss the options available. (Pet insurance also available).

Here is our very own office dog 'Cracker' reviewing a policy wording. 

Alistair

From the Heart

This years obligatory Valentines post comes from Hollie at our Wealdstone office who provides us with a lovely reminder of what today is about... must be something in the water. 

Love is…. allowing her to drive the new car first #87  (after taking out the appropriate insurance of course….)

At a time of year where we all go weak in the knees and buy an overload of chocolate and roses for our loved ones, it’s important to remember what Love is….

At Fairweather Insurance we know that it’s more than just a box of chocolates. It’s the strength of a good family, good friends, good colleagues and a whole lot more.

We understand that Love is important and at Fairweather Insurance we love what we do! 

No its not a scene from Downton Abbey, it's our very own Chalfont Hall (our offices situated on Gravel Hill, Chalfont St Peter). The snow hasn't hampered our spirits or indeed our ability to provide you with the Insurance solutions you need. We've even cleared the path for you  and we could even stretch to a warm drink to match the warm welcome. 

All we Hear is Radio Gaga, Radio GooGoo (apart from the below)

Last week saw the official opening of the Chalfont St Peter Community Library. This valuable community resource is now being run by a merry band of volunteers keen to show that cut backs at local level will not get in the way of community needs. Fairweather Insurance are proud to be an integral part of this project in our role as principle sponsor. Hear what managing director John Upton had to say to the You and Yours programme on BBC Radio 4 (43:30 minutes onwards)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01bbcqg

In addition to our own rise to national radio celebrity status it seems our clients have been muscling in on the action. Water and money saving experts 'Save Water Save Money' (the clue is in the name) appeared on Simon Mayo's BBC Radio 2 drive time show on Friday evening. In the regular innovation slot, Director Tim Robertson, spoke about their Bath Bouy product. The idea being that this inflatable displaces water, therefore allowing you to use less, and provides fun for kids at bath time. Everyone seems to be a winner. Check out more of their products and saving water / money ideas at the following sites:

http://www.savewatersavemoney.co.uk/
http://www.bathbuoy.co.uk/

Have a good Monday

Alistair

 Horse Play? 


A recent circular email arrived at my computer terminal today, the content of which I feel we must share. The article concerned an Employers Liability claim which had come into a broker where a farm hand had been knocked over by one of the farmers horses. Here, straight from the Broker's mouth, is what occurred;


 “The employee had claimed for future loss of earnings as a result of his injuries. A reasonable enough claim under the circumstances, but the claims department told me they would be contesting this. When I asked why, they informed me that the employee was actually an escaped prisoner and given he was supposed to be in prison at the time, and therefore not earning anything, they felt claiming for future loss of earnings was a bit rich!”


So it would appear that the 'employee' had tried a bit of off the hoof thinking but was instead sent galloping back to prison with a rather long face and his tail between his legs.


Alistair 

The Car in Front is a Toyota.... and probably doesn't belong to the driver. 


A study by naval themed, parrot wielding insurance sailors, 'Admiral Insurance' recently revealed that the Toyota Yaris is one of the most stolen vehicles in the country with one in every 244 being stolen by thieves. We all remember the Toyota slogan 'The Car in Front is a Toyota' but I would usually expect it to belong to the driver. According to the survey other tasty targets for thieves include the VW Touareg (1 in every 256) and the Volvo XC90 (1 in every 370).

Perhaps the moral of the story is that if you happen to want to prevent your car from being stolen whilst visiting the shops without spending money improving the manufacturers security then simply park between two of the above.

Alistair

Local Bookmarks for Local People

As our support of the Chalfont St Peter Community Library gets under way we have just taken delivery of some lovely (not to mention handy) bookmarks. In order to get your hands on one you must rent a book from the CSP Community Library once it officially reopens later this month and you will be handed one of  these fine page keepers.

Alistair

Costa Concordia Costa the Insurance Industry a lot of Money

Friends of mine in the marine insurance industry will be watching the news of the Costa Concordia disaster very closely. Already reports from the insurance press deem it the most expensive loss in marine insurance history. Initial estimates indicate losses of between $500 Million and $1 Billion (thats about £330m to £650m). As the salvage effort gets underway the Captain remains under house arrest and the death toll stands at 11 with some more missing. The results of the investigation will no doubt have some bearing on the attitudes toward insuring such vessels. It will no doubt call into question numerous safety requirements and perhaps even endorsements detailing the requirements in terms of the suitability and experience of those in charge. It will be some time though before any conclusions are drawn and we continue to hope that there is no further rise in the total of fatalities.

Alistair

http://www.insurancetimes.co.uk/story.aspx?source=itNewsBreakingNow&storycode=1394392
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-16606405