General liability insurance

Firstly, take a look at general liability insurance which is ideal for antiques shops.  It’s important for owners to provide a clean organised clutter-free shop to prevent their customers from tripping and falling which may cause them injury that could lead to the proprietor being sued for negligence.  Merchandise should be displayed on sturdy shelves to prevent toppling hazards and there should always be plenty of space for customers to be able to walk around.  General liability insurance will protect you not only from injury and accident claims, but also customers who have said you have sold them defective products, speak to brokers today to learn more about this type of policy.

Employer’s liability insurance

If you employ staff who are employed full-time or on a part-time basis or even members of your family who may work for you on a voluntarily basis, it is mandatory in the UK to have employer’s liability insurance.  Similar to customers, employees could trip or fall while working in your antiques store resulting in a claim against you for lack of care which if you didn’t have employer’s liability insurance cover could cost you a lot of money.  It’s also necessary to have buildings and contents insurance too, if a major disaster was to happen such as fire or flooding your shop could be destroyed, including the antiquess in it.

Protect your business

In addition to antiques shop insurance why not purchase an extra policy such as business interruption insurance.  If your store was unable to open for trade especially through no fault of your own your income would be affected dramatically and the loss of customers may be irreversible, therefore to protect your business even further discuss business interruption insurance with online specialists to cover all eventualities.

Subsidence Insurance covers you for all of the effects of subsidence; from having your home assessed to reinforcing your home with underpinning to prevent any further damage.

What causes subsidence?

Most commonly, subsidence will be brought on by severe dryness of the ground around the area that your home has been built upon. This could be due to a number of causes, in many cases it is a bit of a battle against nature. Our leafy, oxygen supplying friends trees are one of the main culprits of causing subsidence, as large tree roots have a tendency to absorb all the water within their grasp.

The climate can also play a significant role in causing damage to your home in the form of subsidence. Periods where we experience low rainfall can result in subsidence in a similar way to trees removing moisture.

When the ground is too dry, it can often lead to buildings above it to gradually slide downwards. Everybody knows that the key to having a stable building is to have strong foundations, so if the structure of the foundations are compromised, then it will naturally lead to further problems. Even the slightest of movements will lead to clear subsidence indicators such as cracked walls or in lesser cases, window frames sticking.

The most crucial part of obtaining subsidence insurance is to ensure that you have a trustworthy yet reasonably priced company that will help you in your hour of need. The best insurance companies will strike an even balance between providing a great claims service and maintaining affordable premiums. If you are unfortunate enough to need to make a claim for subsidence, you will regret opting for the cheapest deal if it means that your home is not properly taken care of.

Few insurance companies specialise in subsidence insurance and therefore the process of making a claim could be a lot more arduous than it needs to be. By looking to the experts in the subsidence insurance industry, you can put your feet up and leave the hard work to those that know best. If your home is your most valuable asset, make sure that you treat it that way and ensure it is covered by experts who will certainly treat it like the very valuable asset that it is.

Simply fill in your details online today and a team of subsidence specialists will be able to point you in the best direction.

As irritating as things like VAT and books are to businesses all legitimate builders in Kent (and indeed across the country) will accept that this is how they must work.  If you find yourself in a ‘nudge nudge’ ‘wink wink’ conversation with a builder, where he is promising you that cash in hand will cost you less and there won’t be any need for VAT….run.  Simple as that.  An above board company just wont do it – thank them for their time and walk away.

Be very wary of companies that don’t seem to want to put things in writing.  You need to cover yourself anyway, if you are having planning permission and building regulations involved – which is very likely – you will want things like written quotes and contracts to pop on the file.  If you cannot get a quote on paper, or the builder in Kent tries to convince you that a contract is not really going to help then think again.  Again – this is something you want anyway to protect your financial investment in the company from a legal standpoint.  Finally during the quote process watch out for things like ‘£500 upfront and we can start this afternoon’  Reputable builders are probably going to have a lead time of a few weeks on none emergency jobs.

Pay attention to the vehicle they pull up in, is it sign written – most large builders do try and create themselves a visual presence – it is in their interest if your next door neighbour sees who built your wonderful new conservatory!  Can they show you a business card, headed paper anything that suggests they are really what they claim.  Again Mr Cowboy probably can’t – and may well try and distract you or change the subject if you start pushing for things.  Finally, look for registration with a governing body – all trades have them and builders in Kent that are reputable will have had no problem registering with one.

Richard Todd writes for Building Times and Brickworksoutheast.co.uk on a regular basis.

Clearly we are all drawn to looking for the best price but do not fall for the cheapest being the best without having read the small print and checking the full extent of the cover – or lack of cover.  Remember the old adage from your grandmother – If it seems too good to be true – it probably is.  One quote substantially lower than five others suggests that the level of cover being offered is significantly less and you need to check before you commit.

There are a couple of easy tips that will ensure you don’t fall into the most common truck insurance quote traps.  Firstly ‘Correct Usage’ is a really important term that you need to understand.  The rules on this have been tightened up – both from an insurance point of view and also the police point of view.  Not only can claims be invalidated if you have not got the correct usage on your insurance but the police are increasingly making spot checks at the side of the road just to check this issue alone.  The penalty for not being properly insured for correct usage is six penalty points on your driving licence, a fine and an IN10 (driving without appropriate insurance) – Not really worth the risk!  So, look for the wording on the policy and make sure it states: Hire and reward / Courier Usage and Haulage as appropriate to your line of work, a cover all of business use is not enough.

Secondly policies that are weight rated can sometimes catch out even the most experienced driver.  When you are offered a cover limit of say £10000 total goods cover make sure that IS all they are offering – some have a per tonne limit that can actually see you significantly out of pocket.  You want to ensure you have 100% cover and avoid tonnage based on weight cover at all costs.  An simple example is if a package weighing 4 kilos was damaged, the cover payout, if the policy was capped at £15 a kilo would be £60 – not close enough by far if the item itself is worth £5000 – the shortfall would be down to you as the liable party.

Of course as with all insurance quotes make sure you are giving correct information -  a missed penalty point here – a forgotten incident there can all come back to bite you should you need to make a claim.  Check that your vehicle specification is correct against the data they hold from DVLA, even silly details like your date of birth can be used against you if they have not been recorded correctly.

Save time and money

Using the services of reliable online brokers will save you both time and money, landlords are generally very busy showing their property to new tenants, decorating, refurbishing or making sure everything is in order. For this reason let brokers take the strain out of buying insurance that will suit your requirements, just fill out an online form with your details and information about your property, they’ll then do the rest. Brokers work from a database containing some of the UK’s well-known insurers to find landlords great insurance policies at great prices.

Protect your investments

Any type of business owner needs to protect their investments and this applies to landlords who have properties to rent out. To make sure you buy the correct policy to cover your particular requirements give insurance brokers a call or contact them by e-mail for a free no-obligation quote. Brokers offer highly competitive packages so if you are new to the property letting business or have an established portfolio of properties they can tailor-make a policy to suit your needs. Protecting your investment couldn’t be easier especially when there are many savings to be made by using the services of reputable insurance brokers.

Benefit s of insurance cover

Having the correct landlord insurance is essential to make your property letting business stand out from the rest, some of the benefits you can take advantage of are:-

• Cheap online quotes
• Claims for buildings or contents
• A combined policy for the above
• Access to a wide range of optional extras
• Discounts for claim free years

As well as the above points there are a variety of payment schemes too which include direct debit, using this method means you won’t forget to make monthly payments, good news for busy landlords.

Commercial landlord insurance

You can request details regarding a landlord insurance quote whether you have residential or commercial properties to let. You may have a:-

• Warehouse
• Industrial unit
• Leasehold shop
• Leasehold office

Whatever type of commercial property you own brokers can arrange the necessary cover at a very competitive price. Check out some of the standard benefits which are usually included:-

• Portfolio cover and mixed property cover
• Replacement locks and keys cover
• Glazing repairs
• Professional fees incurred during rebuild or repairs
• Authorised use of electricity, gas or water

There are of course optional extras to purchase from brokers for instance Employer’s Liability and landlord’s guaranteed rent insurance.

Choose brokers

Choose brokers if you wish to receive a landlord insurance quote, you can benefit from their experience and prize winning insurance policies as well as benefits. They understand the importance of protecting your rented investments so buy landlord insurance policies to suit both residential and commercial properties. When you request an online no-obligation quote for landlord insurance, you need to submit a few details such as:-

• The date you bought the property
• The rebuild value
• Details of each property you require cover for
• Any claims you have made within the last five years

Landlord insurance advice

Rest assured by requesting a landlord insurance quote all landlord insurance premiums given include tax, what you see on the screen is what you pay. Once you’ve purchased landlord insurance you’ll receive a welcome pack with all the information needed concerning your insurance policy, it will also have the number of a UK based customer manager who can be contacted by e-mail or phone if you have any queries. If there’s anything you are unhappy about or if you need to change your cover, speak to an insurance adviser as soon as possible.

What is covered?

The core protection in most landlord policies is building insurance, this provides cover against damage to any properties you let out to tenants, for instance a fire in the building which may force them to move out temporarily so the repair work can begin. Public liability landlord insurance will protect you and your property against claims made due to damage to a third party, person or object for example, if a tile on your roof was to fall and hit a passer-by they could take you to court for an act of negligence. Landlords can also get cover for the value of property against loss of earnings in other words rent, due to damage, in many cases as much as 30%.

Additional insurance

If you are a landlord who lets out furnished properties then why not purchase contents insurance online from reputable brokers? This will protect against damage to any of your furnishings such as a sofa, carpets, beds and white goods. It’s worth noting however that contents insurance won’t provide cover for your tenant’s personal possessions. You will have to advise them to buy their own separate policy for this. You could also opt to purchase accident cover providing you with additional protection, if your tenants were to have a party and they damaged your property or its contents, you would be protected. For those landlords who have a portfolio of properties, hiring staff to maintain and run them, then employer’s liability insurance is advisable. This provides cover against compensation claims made by an employee or former employees who may have been injured while working for you.

What can affect premiums?

There are various ways in which landlord insurance brokers assess the risk of your property which in turn can affect your premiums, for instance:-

• The location of your property (postcode)
• The type of tenants
• The age of the property
• Claims history

Have The Right Insurance

Having the right insurance is just as important as having the right parts to build your kit car. Why not choose parts only kit car insurance, this is designed to provide full cover for the kit car owner as a person as well as making sure physical parts of the car are covered too. Online brokers can offer substantial discounts for parts only kit car insurance, in some cases around thirty per cent, although do take into account that no labour cover is provided within the policy, only the actual parts which you will need to repair yourself.

Ask For A Quote Today

Established brokers can provide you with an instant quote for your kit car and can offer:-

• Spare parts and accessories cover
• Windscreen cover
• Discount for parts only kit car cover
• Kit car build up cover for loyal customers
• Generous driving discounts
• Second car – nil no-claims bonuses not a problem
• Insurance for drivers aged 21 and upwards

When requesting a quote online with brokers you must:-

• Be a permanent UK resident
• Be aged between 21 and 74
• Have a full UK driving licence for more than 12 months

If you have any concerns about applying for kit car insurance speak to a reputable broker directly by telephone where an adviser will be happy to help.

Cover All Possibilities

Once you’ve decided which type of kit car you’re going to build, how you’re going to fund it, you must then consider insuring it against all possibilities, for instance, theft, damage and accidents out on the road. Kit car insurance won’t cost you the earth especially with brokers online who have been providing comprehensive cover to kit car owners for many years.

Professional Instructors

Event organisers make sure that anyone who enrols for a skid pan training course with be accompanied by a professional instructor. They have the knowledge and experience to teach you these skills in complete safety at your own pace. The skid control techniques for front and rear wheel drive cars are certainly different. When making a reservation online you need to tell event personnel exactly what make and model of car you normally drive so they can choose an appropriate vehicle for you.

What Training Includes

Learning how to control skids is both fun and very educational, however the course leans towards safety practices too. Check out what the training includes:-

• A welcome introduction and safety briefing
• A demonstration of in-car skid control by your instructor
• Driving sessions on skid pan areas
• Session on ABS training
• Individual driving course certificate
• All driving sessions are one-to-one with a professional instructor in the vehicle

The great news is there’s no standing around, group sizes are usually three people so you won’t have to wait long to be the next person taking the wheel.

Simulated Experience

In addition to the above, there’s a simulated Grand Prix circuit where drivers can see and emulate Formula 1 drivers who negotiate the hair pin bends, swerve to avoid other racing cars and control a vehicle during a skid. This type of simulation is extremely realistic and can provide participants with the actual feel of what it would be like to be in a skid or driving in other hazardous road conditions.

Newsletter

For more information regarding an exciting skid pan training course why not browse newsletters online, they are a great read and can offer an insight into what driving events are like as well as prices, catering facilities including local hotel accommodation. If you’re not too sure where these driving events take place there’s a clear online map, the location is easily accessible by road or train, so make a reservation soon.

Request a quote

If you meet the necessary criteria then request a quote online for minibus insurance, you must leave your personal details as well as in-depth information about your vehicle, if you do have any questions about the quote or wish to discuss your needs in more detail, insurance staff are only a phone call away.

Take a look at what insurance brokers can offer

• Low price policies
• Cover for social or private hire use
• Documentation available to be downloaded online and delivered immediately
• Great minibus insurance deals
• Cover for all sorts of businesses and organisations for instance, nursing homes, charities, schools, sports clubs and pleasure use

Backed by some of the UK’s leading insurers you can be sure of getting great cover along with big savings. If you have minibus insurance with another insurer then there are many reasons to switch your cover to an online broker. Expect to receive:-

• Fast quotes
• Cover in less than five minutes
• Instant certificate of minibus insurance
• A host of valuable optional extras available
• Various discounts

Customer recommendations

To get a feel of what other minibus owners think about brokers and their policies check out customer recommendations online. They can provide you with an invaluable insight in what minibus drivers say about brokers’ services and their insurance packages, claims procedures including payment plans. Comments are generally very favourable so insure your minibus with commendable brokers today.