Nursery Insurance – How to Get the Very Best Deal

The way in which people source and buy insurance has changed in recent years and the education sector is no different. This article looks at how day nurseries and businesses in the pre school sector can make sure they get the very best deal when they look to buy nursery insurance.

Nursery Insurance is essential for any nursery, pre school or kindergarten as it makes sure their staff, premises, contents and children are covered in the event of a loss occurring or accident happening. And whilst the education sector is heavily regulated with health, safety and risk management of vital importance to most nursery owners and staff, the fact is the unexpected will happen from time to time. And when it does, making sure you have the right nursery business insurance cover will be essential.

So as someone responsible for getting protection for your nursery in the form of insurance for nurseries, what steps do you need to take to sure you get the cover you need at a price that is right?

To begin with it is important to remember that not all insurance brokers or insurance companies are the same. I know it is extremely easy to assume they are as most insurance providers do not seem to do anything that differentiates from their competitors. However, when it comes to buying day nursery insurance, you need to be aware that there are some insurance brokers and insurance companies who actually specialise in providing it.

But what exactly does this mean you to when buying day nursery insurance? Well, what it means is that these people will be able to provide you with expert advice. They will be able to explain things in a language you understand as they understand the pre school sector. And perhaps equally as important, because they specialise in providing nursery insurance, they will in many cases be able to provide you with additional benefits. And these benefits could include you getting more cover for less money.

Let me say that again as this is an important point. By using an insurance broker who specialises in providing day nursery insurance, you could actually get more advice and more cover but for less money.

Bearing in mind the changes the world has seen in recent years, news like this is no doubt going to be highly beneficial to nurseries. So the main advice when looking to get the very best deal on your nursery insurance is to find a broker who actually knows what they are talking about and who can help you get the cover you need for less than you are currently paying.

The truth is, this broker might not be right on your doorstep but because they are experts in providing insurance for nurseries, you are still very likely to get levels of service and cover that exceed your current arrangement. Seek an expert and make sure you get the very best deal on your nursery insurance.

Nursery Insurance – The Questions to Ask When Buying It

If you work in the pre school education sector you will know the importance of health and safety. This article looks at how nursery owners and managers can make sure they get all the protection they need by asking the right questions when buying their nursery insurance policies.

Before we look at the importance of asking questions when buying insurance, let us first look at what many peoples experience of buying insurance is like. It might go something like this. Firstly, you realise you need to get insurance and you either ask someone for a recommendation, look online or flick through a magazine or yellow pages to see who is offering what you need. You need visit their website and fill out a form or give them a call and are faced with question after question. You are then given a price and you decide whether to take it or not with the price being perhaps the number one factor in your decision. Is this process is familiar to you then welcome to the new and improved way to buying nursery insurance.

To begin with, if you really want a new and improved service, you need to find someone who specialises in nursery business insurance. You can do this by looking through a trade magazine, speaking to someone in the pre school sector or by searching online for a phrase such as nursery insurance, day nursery insurance or nursery insurance broker.

This part of getting a nursery insurance quote is pretty similar to what currently happens but this is where what you do should change as when you make contact with the nursery insurance expert or experts you have identified, you need to make sure you ask questions. Here are just some of the questions you might consider asking along with the reasons for asking them.

Question 1. How long have you been providing nursery insurance for? This question can establish the level of experience they might have and can give you the peace of mind of knowing that they must be doing something right. The insurance sector is extremely competitive and businesses who have been around for a long time are generally still around because of the high levels of service and quality products they provide.

Question 2. How many similar clients do you have? Whilst for data protection purposes they might not be able to name names, if they specialise you would certainly expect them to have numerous clients in the pre school sector already as clients.

Question 3. What can you provide me that my current nursery insurance provider cannot? This is a great question as whilst many people might just considering moving for a cheaper premium, you no doubt will want more than that. A nursery business insurance specialist should be able to provide you with service levels and cover that others cannot because of the deals they have negotiated with the insurance companies. And as someone looking for nursery insurance you should be able to take advantage of these deals and end up with more cover for, in many cases, less money.

If you want to make sure your nursery gets the cover, service and premium you are happy with then the next time you are looking around for insurance make sure you ask just some of the questions above. If you do, the chances are you could get expert advice and cover tailored to your needs whilst at the same time as saving money on your nursery insurance premiums.

NCi Nursery is Nursery Insurance Specialists and for details of their Nursery Insurance facilities or to get a nursery insurance quote simply visit the UK Nurseries Insurance Experts at http://www.ncinsurance.co.uk/nurseryinsurance.html

Charity Travel Insurance Facility Launched

Charity Travel Insurance is a highly specialist purchase and the UK Charity Insurance Brokers, NCi Charity are pleased to announce the launch of their new and exclusive Travel Insurance for volunteers and charities.

With cover available Worldwide including Afghanistan, Kenya, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, India, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and Eastern European Countries. NCi Charity can also provide cover for North and South America, Western Europe and Australasia.

And with exclusive cover available including:

• Employee replacement expenses

• Personal liability

• Political evacuation

• Hijack, kidnap and detention

It has never been easier to make sure your charity and your volunteers and employees are protected whenever and wherever they do your work.

For further information of NCi Charity Travel Insurance call NCi Charity Now on 0800 046 1446 or visit http://www.ncinsurance.co.uk/charitytravelinsurance.html

Charity Trustee Indemnity Insurance - Why You Need It

As a charity trustee you help others but who will help you in the event of a claim being made that you could be liable for? This article looks at why charities trustees need insurance and the consequences of not having it.

To begin it is perhaps worth looking exactly what charity trustee indemnity insurance is. Put simply, it is an insurance policy that covers a charities trustee against personal liability when legal claims are made against them. And it is important to point out that a claim against a trustee could be made by either the charity itself or a third party.

And so if we now understand what trustee indemnity insurance is: who or what is a trustee? When we talk about a charity trustee, we mean someone who is responsible for the management or general control of the charity.

So if you are a trustee of a charity, is it vital that you make sure that you are protected personally should a claim be made against you. This is in the main difference between a trustee indemnity insurance policy and a charity insurance policy that your organisation is likely to have. Charity Insurance protects the charity, charity trustee insurance protects you.

And there are numerous circumstances which could result in a claim being made against an individual trustee rather than the charity directly. Circumstances including breach of trust, alleged unfair dismissal, discrimination, defamation and the misuse of trust funds to name but a few.

The truth is, we now appear to be living in a more litigious society and as a trustee of a charity, you should really take the necessary steps to make sure you are protected against the unexpected. And the good news is that providing the cost of the trustee indemnity insurance you purchase is reasonable, it is likely that the insurance could be paid for out of charity funds. However, because the purchase of charity trustee insurance will be seen as a personal benefit, you will need to have the proper authorisation before the charity can buy it for you.

It is important to remember that if you are responsible for the general control and management of the administration of your charity then you should really consider getting yourself protected through purchasing trustee indemnity insurance. This can easily be done by a search online for a charity insurance specialist as they are very likely to have access to policies and premiums that a normal insurance broker might not have. Simply visit a search engine like Google, Yahoo or MSN and type in charity trustee insurance, trustee indemnity insurance or even charity insurance and let the experts help you get the protection and peace of mind you require.

NCi Charity are Charity Insurance, Charity Liability Insurance and Charity Trustee Indemnity Insurance Experts. For details of how you charity can benefit from hard to beat charity trustee insurance visit the Charity Insurance Broker at http://www.ncinsurance.co.uk/trusteeindemnityinsurancequote.html

The Top Tips When Buying Community Group Insurance

The number of community groups is growing as local residents, businesses and communities get together to help make where they live and work safer and better places. This article gives community groups some top tips when buying community group insurance so they can make sure they are protected at all times.

The truth is community groups and other voluntary organisations are seldom set up to make money. Instead, they are run and managed with the aim of making a specific community a better place to live. This means that money is often tight and therefore essential purchases like insurance need to be kept to an absolute minimum. This does not however mean that community groups should assume the cheapest is best as getting the insurance cover they actually need is the most important thing.

So with the right but affordable community group insurance policy required, what do groups need to do to make sure they get the cover they need at a price that is right?

The first tip is really to make sure you understand what cover you actually need. As someone not working in insurance this is not always the easiest thing to establish so you could do this by actually getting in touch with a community group insurance specialists who should be able to point you in the right direction. If you are not sure what you need, find a specialist and ask them for their expert opinion. If you choose the right company, they should be able to tell you what you need, what you do not need and they should be able to give you an immediate indication of what level of premium you might expect to pay.

So if finding an expert is top tip number 1, how do you actually find a broker or insurance provider who specialises in community group insurance? Traditionally, if a community group or voluntary organisation was looking for an insurance quote, they would either walk up and down the high street or search through the yellow pages. However, all this pretty much guaranteed was you dealt with someone local and not someone necessarily an expert in your type of insurance.

The internet has changed how insurance is sourced and purchased so to find a community group insurance expert, a broker who specialises in charity insurance or any other specific type of insurance provider, simply get access to a computer, visit a search engine like Bing, Yahoo or Google and type in the sort of insurance you are after. You will be presented by a list of companies who offer exactly what you are after.

The final tip when looking to buy community group insurance is to make sure the company you do opt for is someone you are happy to look after your groups cover. The truth is we all prefer to do business with people we like and who we have a rapport with. If you ring a company up and get on well with the person you are speaking with and they give you good advice and are keen to help you then there is every chance you will deal with them providing they obtain a competitive premium and the right cover for you.

For any group looking to make a positive change to their community, getting the right level of community group insurance is vital. Follow these simple tips and you and your group can get the protection and peace of mind you need for less.


NCi Charity is Charity Insurance and Community Group Insurance Specialists and for details of their Community Group Insurance facilities or to get a charity insurance or community group insurance quote simply visit http://www.ncinsurance.co.uk/communitygroupinsurancequote.html

The Essential Tips When Buying Small Charity Insurance

Small charities account for the vast majority of charitable organisations. This article gives small charities some top tips to make sure they get the protection they need for less.

Insurance comparison websites can dress it up all the want but before we look at some top tips when buying small charity insurance let us be totally honest and up front about insurance. Insurance is not fun, insurance is not sexy and for most people and businesses, insurance is something they only really see the importance of when they have suffered a loss and need to make a claim.

The truth however is that insurance and insurance for small charities is essential as it gives them the peace of mind of knowing that they are firstly, lawful and secondly, protection in the event of a loss or accident occurring. Without the correct level of cover in place, a loss could otherwise leave a small charity in a position whereby they simply would not be able to carry on their sterling work.

What is clear is that many small charities have extremely small budgets and expenses such as charity liability insurance have to be kept to an absolute minimum. With this thought in mind, it would be very easy for charity trustees or managers to assume that the cheapest insurance premium is the best. If you are responsible for the purchase of small charity insurance then the first tip when it comes to buying your policy is not to assume that the cheapest premium is best. It can be but make sure your purchase decision is based on much more than price.

What you really need to make sure is that the policy you are purchasing is giving your small charity the protection it actually needs. You can actually make sure this is the case by tracking down a small charity insurance expert and ask them questions. Ask them if they think you need trustee indemnity insurance, ask them what level of public liability insurance they think you need and ask them what steps you could take to reduce your premiums. The second essential tip is therefore to ask questions.

The final tip when buying small charity insurance is to make sure the company you are the right company for you. By asking them questions you will be able to check how knowledgeable they are but more than that, do you like them, do you feel confident in what they are saying, are they well established and do they have a good credit rating?

Insurance for small charities is vital to make sure you, your volunteers, your trustees and your organisation is protected. Follow these essential tips and make sure the road to buying small charity insurance is a smooth one.

NCi Charity are Small Charity Insurance and Community Group Insurance Experts and for details of their Charity Insurance facilities or to get a charity liability insurance quote simply visit the Small Charity Insurance Experts at http://www.northerncounties.com/smallcharityinsurancequote.html

Making the ordinary, extraordinary

Michael Mitten is an entrepreneur and wannabe philanthropist from Newcastle upon Tyne. Inspired by his Dad's life sadly lost to lung cancer in 2007 and the amazing people at Macmillan Cancer Support who were there throughout, Michael decided to do something extraordinary to make sure this fantastic charity continues to make a difference to the lives of cancer patients. Michael has set up True North as a charity to enable him and all True North's team and contributors to fund and support other ordinary people who want do something extraordinary and raise significant sums of money for charity.


Northern Counties Insurance is proud to be associated with such a worthwhile cause and would like to wish Michael every success with the North Pole Expedition 2009 and beyond.


To make a donation to True North please visit http://www.justgiving.com/truenorth


For information and updates on Michaels’ extraordinary expedition visit the North Pole Expedition Blog at http://truenorth2009.blogspot.com/

What Does 2008 Hold For The Motor Industry?

Rising fuel prices, unstable financial markets and taxation changes with the apparent aim of getting us to use our cars less often (or at least pay more to use them) have been just some of the issues that have affected the automotive industry in the past 12 months.

This article looks at what 2008 may hold for the automotive industry and road users in general.

The US economy and the resulting weakness of the dollar looks like it may well contribute to the price of crude oil continuing to rise as investors have been holding the commodity instead of dollars. This means that as the cost of a barrel of crude oil comes close to the $100 figure then so fuel prices have also continued to rise.

So do higher fuel costs mean we are likely to buy or use cars, vans and Lorries less in 2008? Well seemingly not based on a latest poll of motorists. Despite fuel prices increasing at alarming rates a whopping 79 percent of motorists questioned said they had not changed their petrol and fuel buying habits and had no plans to do so. In fact the motorists questioned said petrol prices would have to increase at even more alarming rates to stop them from filling up.

Environmental issues would it seem not be as important as governments throughout the world as over 1 in 3 motorists confirmed they had no plans to replace their vehicles for more environmentally friendly cars before 2010.

And so if motorists are seemingly unaffected by rising fuel costs and are prepared to continue driving despite increased road tax and the impact on the environment surely positive times are ahead for the industry in 2008?

Well before car manufacturers and dealers start doing cartwheels, caution would certainly be advised as whilst General Motors can seen promising performance in emerging markets they have seen big losses in both American and European markets.

And with the world economy in such an uncertain state as 2007 draws to a close 2008 could well see new car sales fall with used car sales increasing. Car sales and indeed sales of all types are also likely to increase via the internet in 2008 so car dealers (new and used) without an internet presence should really be looking at establishing themselves in this emerging marketplace.

And what of the actual motorist, what does 2008 have in store for us? Well how about further increases in vehicle tax, more toll roads, increased congestion charges and still a seeming lack of a viable alternative to road use through reliable, clean and safe public transport.

The good news for some motorists on one front is that whilst the government is seemingly do all they can to penalise the motorist, insurance premiums including car insurance, van insurance and motor trade insurance are pretty stable. In fact with such competition in the insurance industry the cost of insurance like combined motor trade insurance could even fall and savings could be made.

And motor traders who are looking to make savings on their motor trader insurance premiums in 2008 using a specialist insurance broker could well be the route to take to make sure they get the protection they need at a price that is right.

Childcare Providers and the Search for the Best Protection

With child safety and care never too far from the media and the minds of parents and educators this article looks at what nurseries and schools can do to make sure they get the right protection.

And in particular what they can do to get the right cover and premium looking for business insurance for their nursery or school.

In part 1 of this post we looked at 2 secrets that childcare providers could use to make sure they got the right insurance at the right price and in part 2 we look at 2 final tips to making sure they get the protection and peace of mind they need without paying too much for it.

Secret number 3 nurseries, schools and other childcare providers can use to get the best protection is ask questions. So many people ring around looking for Nursery insurance, Pre-School Insurance or Kindergarten Insurance and spend the entire conversation answering questions. The third secret is therefore ask questions to find out if the insurance broker or insurance company you are speaking to provides not only the right cover and premiums but also the right level of customer service and support.

Types of question you might want to ask include, if you suffer a loss and need to claim what will they do to help? Will they just give you a telephone number and leave you to deal with it on your own or will they help you so you claim is dealt with quickly and your claim is settled quickly and favourably? You might also want to find out if the insurance provider is experienced or specialises in nursery insurance or school insurance. You can do this by asking how long they have been trading and if they are an insurance broker, which insurance companies do they use. Finally, if they are insurance brokers you may want to find out if they are independent. That is, do they have access to different types of insurance policies and insurance companies or are they tied into using just one? And if they have access to just one, is this right for your school or nursery?

By getting answers to these types of questions you can then a make a decision on whether you would like to deal with them (and whether you trust them to act on your behalf.)

The final secret to making sure you get the best from your insurance provider is another which Nurseries, Pre-Schools or Kindergartens who are focusing just on price may neglect.

Nurseries, Pre-Schools and Kindergartens who make the decision on where to place their insurance on price alone should bear in mind that the cheapest premium is not always the best.

Whilst getting a low nursery business insurance or school business insurance premium is one of the most important things to look for, a really cheap premium without a combination of other factors is probably cheap for a reason. Things you may want to know about the insurance provider as well as their ability to get a cheap premium include, are they local? Are they friendly and approachable (we all like to do business with people and businesses we trust and like). Which insurance company will your be insured with? Have you heard of them? What is the excess or deductible? Making sure you know the excess and that it is affordable in case you do suffer a loss is vital.

A couple of other things you want to know and look for are do they have a good reputation and do they communicate the benefits of their products and service to you in a way you understand.

If you follow these 2 simple secrets as well as the 2 in part 1 of this article there is every chance your experience when dealing with Insurance for your Nursery, School or Kindergarten will improve. And whilst Insurance is unlikely to become your number 1 hobby there is every chance the cover you get will be what you want, the premiums you pay will be less than your nursery or school has paid previously and the service you receive will be one you would be happy in giving and one you would be happy to recommend.

There is nothing more important than making sure our children are protected at all times so good luck in your search for the best protection for your nursery or school.

Protecting Our Children Doesn't Have To Cost The Earth

What is the most important thing in your life? This could very well be different depending on where you live, your age and your personal circumstances but if you are a parent then the safety and welfare of your children is likely to be at the very top of your list.

This post looks at what nurseries and schools can do to protect our children without it costing the Earth.

When you drop your children off at nursery, kindergarten or school in the morning you are very much reliant on the teachers, staff and establishment making sure they a safe and protected until you pick them up at home time. The good news for parents and children alike is that the vast majority of nurseries and schools do in excellent job in making sure health and safety is paramount to them. And by performing such risk management tasks the chances of accidents occurring are reduced as can their nursery insurance and school insurance premiums.

Part 1 of this post looks at 2 other secrets that nurseries and schools can use to reduce their premiums with a further 2 secrets covered in part 2.

With literally thousands of insurance companies, insurance brokers and providers, nurseries, schools and other childcare providers are faced with a massive choice. So faced with decisions at every turn finding the right insurance cover is sometimes difficult.

This post will therefore give you some free advice that insurance providers rarely share with their customers. These few steps could help you find the cover that is best for you at the right premium and with the best service.

The first secret to making sure you get the nursery insurance and school insurance cover at the right premium is perhaps the one that most people will find hardest to believe but it really works.

When ringing around for nursery insurance quotes the chances are you will be asked what is your current premium or what is the best price you have had elsewhere.

The mistake most people make when asked this question is to not tell the person asking the question. However if you are asked the best price you have had, tell them.

Most people assume that by telling an insurance broker or insurance company your premium you are at a disadvantage. The truth is the opposite is true. Let me explain.

If you tell a good insurance provider the premium you have elsewhere they should have a good idea straight away whether the premium is too expensive, too cheap or about right. And knowing this information they can give you an immediate indication if they can get a lower premium for you. If the insurance broker or insurance company know they will not be able to help you they can tell you and save you time.

Another reason you should give them your premium is because most insurance companies will not give you the best price unless they have a premium to beat. Let me say that again, if you do not give your insurance broker or insurance company a price to beat, there is every chance you will not get the best premium. However, if you do tell them, they can often use this information when dealing with the insurance company which can ultimately save you money.

One final tip on this matter is, do not be tempted to make up a premium. For example, Mrs Buzz is looking for a Nursery Insurance quote and she has a best price of £2000.00. She wants to save some money so when asked the question of what is the best price you have had so far she decides to go in low at £1000.00. By Mrs Buzz doing this most companies will know the price seems low and because of this many will not provide a quote because they know they will not be competitive. However, had Mrs Buzz been honest and said £2000.00 there is every chance she could have saved some money on her nursery insurance.

Therefore Secret Number 1 when looking for nursery business insurance, school insurance or indeed any type of business insurance is be totally honest. Give it a go...it really works.

Secret number 2 is common sense but so many Nurseries and school fail to make sure it happens because they are focusing on the premium. Tip number 2 to ensure you get the right cover is therefore to use an insurance broker or company who has an understanding of your requirements.

You can often establish this by listening to what, how and how many questions they ask you. And how they react to what you are saying. If they enter into a conversation about your nursery or school it is very likely to be because the more information they have about your premises and needs, the better cover, premium and service they can provide you.

If the conversation is very scripted and they fail to understand what you are looking for or do not ask the type of questions you would expect there is every chance it is because they do not really understand what your school or nursery needs. If this is the case you risk not getting the right cover and ultimately not being correctly insured.

These first 2 secrets alone could save you time and save you money on your nursery insurance and school insurance premiums. And yet in part 2 of this article we will also give you 2 further ways in which you make sure have cover in place that can protect your children for less.

Northern Counties Insurance Brokers are The UK Leading Nursery Insurance Experts and Nursery Insurance is available from them by visiting http://www.northerncounties.com/nursery-insurance.php

Construction Industry Attacked Over Safety

With the construction industry being criticised from union leaders for its inability to act to prevents accidents and avoidable deaths this article looks at what the construction industry are doing and can do in response to this attack.

The Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians (UCATT) has recently accused the industry of costing workers their lives with this criticism coming on the back of the launch of an investigation into an accident which occurred at Heathrow’s Terminal Five in which a building worker was fatally injured.

The UCATT, which represents 125,000 workers in the construction industry, suggests that companies who appoint a dedicated director to be in charge of health and safety can see a 25% on average reduction in accidents. In some cases a proactive approach has seen up to an 80% fall in accidents.

So if appointing a dedicated person to be in charge of health and safety can make such massive differences what else can companies do?

As with most things careful planning is often the key to a job being done well. And when it comes to working in the construction industry this is even more important if the figures shown above are anything to go by. Someone once said if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Unfortunately for people working in the construction industry not taking the time to plan your work could result in not just failure but injury and death.

Using the right equipment is also particularly important when it comes to working in the construction industry. With builders, roofers, scaffolders and many other types of worker often working high up a slip, trip or accident due to the wrong equipment being used can be fatal. For example, workers might be tempted to save time by just using a ladder when for example scaffolding should be used. Ladders and stepladders are likely to be the most misused pieces of equipment for people working at height and as with any equipment you need to make sure that anyone using them has been trained and are competent using them.

And remember if the use of a ladder is appropriate then you should ensure it is in good condition, it placed on level and firm ground, it is secure and it is of the correct type (the HSE recommend class 1 industrial or EN131).

Northern Counties Insurance Brokers, the UK Insurance Broker and experts in risk management have produced these Top Tips on how construction workers can reduce their exposure to risk and with it their construction insurance, scaffolders insurance and roofers insurance premiums.

Planning. By having an effective management system in place the key areas of risk can be identified and goals can be set to make improvements. This should include selecting equipment and work practices that contain slip and trip hazards and if possible prevent them occurring.

Organisation. Get workers involved in and committed to reducing risks. This should involve giving people responsibilities to ensure that areas of the workplace are kept safe and then making sure everyone is aware who is responsible for each area.

Control. Keep a record of cleaning and maintenance work and encourage good health and safety.

Monitoring and Review. Keep an accident log and re-examine it on a regular basis to learn from incidents that have occurred.

The Health and Safety Executive also recommend a 5 step approach to risk management when dealing with slip and trip risks and these are:

Step 1 – Look for slip and trip hazards around the workplace (e.g., uneven floors, trailing cables, areas that are sometimes slippery due to spillages)

Step 2 – Decide who might be harmed and how. Are the people who come into your workplace at risk?

Step 3 – Consider the risks – do you already have precautions to deal with the risks?

Step 4 – Record your findings if you have 5 or more employees

Step 5 – Regularly review the assessment. If any changes take place make sure that precautions are in place to deal with the risks

The safety of workers in the construction industry and indeed all industries should be paramount so hopefully the UCATT’s observations won’t fall on the deaf ears and construction companies will ensure their workers follow good health and safety practice and remain safe at work.

The F Word and Insurance

The F word in this case is Fraud and Insurance Fraud means that the average premium paid by policyholders is increased by £40 per year, according to a recent report.

With 1 in 11 claims reported to be in some way fraudulent, false claims are costing the insurance industry £4 million a day. And with 11% of adults (or around 5 million people) having committed insurance fraud in the past 12 months, fraud is on the increase according to the Association of British Insurers (ABI).

So who are these 5 million people?

And what can be done to stop them taking money indirectly out of our bank accounts?

Well if you’re a male, aged under 45 and are paying under £500 a year for your insurance whilst living in rented accommodation in the North of England then maybe it’s you as based on the average, the report says that:

- People over 45 are less likely to commit insurance fraud

- If you pay over £500 for your insurance you are 50% less likely to commit insurance fraud

- Homeowners are less likely to commit insurance fraud

- Males are 1.6 times more likely to commit insurance fraud

- If you live in the North of England you are 1.7 time more likely to commit insurance fraud

- If you have unsecured debt over £1,000 you are twice as likely to commit insurance fraud

- If you have a household income of less than £10,000 a year you are 2.6 times more likely to commit insurance fraud


Of the 7,000 people questioned in the ABI survey, 85% of the fraudulent claims involved the exaggeration of the value of a genuine loss with 15% of claims relating to a totally made up loss.

“Insurance fraud means that honest people and businesses throughout the UK are being punished through no fault of their own”, said Mark Burdett, the Marketing Manager for The UK’s Business Insurance Brokers, Northern Counties.

“The cost of insurance fraud is on the increase and I believe the government should be doing more to discourage fraudulent behaviour. Tougher penalties in the form of criminal prosecutions as well as highlighting the seriousness of insurance fraud could both help reduce the number of fraudulent claims and ultimately reduce what we all pay for insurance.”

Traders Combined - The Easy Way For Business Owners To Save Time & Money

As a business owner or manager, you more than most will know that customers nowadays are demanding more, for less. And if your business also demands this from your suppliers and service providers, here are some ways you can get it from your Insurance Broker.

Depending on which industry you work in you will no doubt have your own individual needs, concerns and worries.

For manufacturers these could be falling sales, competition from abroad or Government policy changes over CO2 emissions.

For retailers it could be increased competition from supermarkets or the internet.

And for someone with an out of town factory it could be trying to increase sales at the same rate taxes or interest rates appear to be rising.

The bottom line is whatever type of industry or trade your business is in you have numerous issues to deal with on a daily basis before you even start to think about your customers and suppliers.

And yet despite this apparent need for people in business to make their lives easier it is surprising to see many traders still choosing to have their numerous Insurance policies with many different insurance brokers and companies rather than under a single Traders Combined Insurance policy.

The result of this is that many Traders and business owners pay too much for their insurance and they spend time (that they simply cannot afford to waste) on looking after them.

Here a just a couple of reasons why business owners should seriously consider a Traders Combined Insurance policy when their insurance is next due for renewal:

1. All your risks together. By opting for a combined policy your vehicles, your staff, your premises and your profits can all be protected under one policy. No longer do you need your buildings insured with one Broker, your Business Interruption and Liabilities with another and your Fleet with yet another. Just all your risks under a Commercial Combined Insurance policy.

2. Time Savings. Gone are the days of many different types of cover with different renewal dates and provided by different companies. Just your Combined Insurance policy with a single renewal date. If you need to make a change you just need to ring one broker rather than hunt around your paperwork to find out who it is insured with. And if you chose the right broker they should ring around all the main Insurance companies to find you the best deal.

3. Money Savings. By putting all your risks under a Traders Combined Insurance policy you can very often benefit from savings on your premiums as many providers offer discounts. At a time when getting value for money from your service providers then making savings by getting a policy that is easier to administer could be just what you need.

Traders Combined Insurance can save you time and save you money and that is why it works.

Construction Safety in the Modern World – Your Responsibility as a Client

For people and businesses in the construction industry safe and efficient working practices should always have been at the forefront of your mind. Recent changes in the law have now seen the onus for safety extend to the client or persons having construction or building work carried out.

This article looks at the implications the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 may have on clients, contractors and workers in the construction industries. And the first part of this article looks at Your Responsibilities as a Client.

To begin with it’s perhaps worth looking at what the CDM regulations are and put simply they have been introduced to ensure construction projects are safe to build, use and be maintained whilst delivery good value to the client. As well as this they have also been put into place to ensure through good health and safety planning projects are well managed and problems and unexpected costs are kept to minimum levels.

For some this may seem like yet more regulation and unnecessary paperwork and processes but in reality the CMD 2007 regulations have been introduced to ensure construction and building work is done by competent people who work safely and efficiently.

When it comes to requirements of clients (or the person having the work carried out) the regulations don’t apply to domestic clients. A domestic client is defined as being someone who will or does live in the premises where the work is being carried out. The premises at which at work is being done must not also relate to any trade, business or other undertaking for the client to be deemed as domestic.

So if you’re a non domestic client under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 you have to:

1. Appoint the right people – trade associations are a great way to find designers and contractors who are competent, have sufficient resources and will carry out work safely.

2. Allow enough time for your project – failing to allow for adequate time for the design, planning and construction is likely to mean more chance of it being unsafe or of a poor quality.

3. Information is vital – to ensure your project runs smoothly you have to ensure that your construction team is told what you want, how you will use it as well as details of the site, structures and hazards as this will allow them to plan, budget and work to your exact requirements.

4. Communication and co-operation – injuries, overspending at a later stage and misunderstandings can all be kept to a minimum if you, your contractors and your designers communicate and co-operate as much as possible.

5. Management – having adequate and suitable management in place is vital for construction projects as they can be extremely complex due to the various types of contractors and tradesmen all working together. And as some of these contractors are involved in high-risk activities (for example, roofing contractors and scaffolding contractors) then it is important that management arrangements are in place to ensure all work done is safe and is completed in a timely manner. Clearly contractors like roofers and scaffolders will have their own ways of working and protection in the form of construction insurance, roofers insurance, scaffolders insurance and contractors insurance but management of all parts of the project and checks should be done to ensure all parties are working with safety in mind.

6. On site Welfare facilities – you should ensure that workers on your site have been provided with adequate welfare facilities before work starts including any information needed for the health and safety file.

7. Workplace design – it is up to you to make sure your design team complies with the standards set out in the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 if your project is for changes to an existing workplace (e.g. office or factory) or if the project is for a new workplace.

In addition to the above requirements as a client you also have to make sure you do the following for notifiable construction projects with the definition of notifiable construction work being that which lasts longer than 30 days or involves 500 person days of work.

For these projects you also have to ensure that:

8. You appoint a CDM co-coordinator – although CDM 2007 doesn’t mean your Construction Design and Management co-coordinator has to supervise or monitor work on site you should appoint one before the initial design and preparation stage. Their role will range from helping you select competent designers and contractors to making sure the Health and Safety Executive is notified of your project.

9. You appoint a main contractor – a main or principle contractor will plan, co-ordinate and manage work on notifiable jobs whilst construction work is being done

10. You have health & safety plans – Work shouldn’t commence on site until the principal contractor has produced a construction phase health and safety plan that ensures that work will be carried out safety

11. You keep a health & safety file – the health & safety file should contain a record of health and safety information and should be given to your at the end of your project by the CDM co-coordinator. This file should be used in the future by anyone who is looking to maintain, repair or demolish the building.

Failure to comply with CDM 2007 from a clients’ point of view could result in construction work being stopped by HSE or your local authority. Likewise failure to take the necessary steps to ensure good health and safety procedures are in place could dramatically increase the chances of a dangerous or fatal incident occurring whilst your construction work is carried out. And in the most serious cases you could even find yourself open to prosecution.

Make sure your site is safe – you have a duty to do so.

4 Reasons Why Childcare Has To Improve

According to the latest results released by the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills (or OFSTED) 4% of childminders, nurseries and creche facilities were deemed as inadequate for inspections carried out between April 2006 and March 2007.

The good news of course is that 96% of childcare providers inspected were deemed as adequate or better with 3% rated as outstanding, 54% good and 39% satisfactory.

However for the 4% of childcare providers in the Getting on Well: Enjoying, Achieving and Contributing report who were judged to provide inadequate childcare some of the reasons citied for their rating included:

1. Insufficient range of toys and activities, so that children wander aimlessly

2. Adults with lack of knowledge of how to guide children's learning

3. Lack of regular observation

4. Lack of opportunities to engage children's interest

5. Poorly-organised environment

Another piece of good news from the report seems to be that once a childcare facility has been rated as inadequate steps are often put in place to bring it up to a satisfactory standard. This is highlighted by the fact that inspectors returned to almost 300 childcare providers who were previously deemed as unsatisfactory and upon re-inspection 85% of these had improved.

Clearly however the bad news is that 4% is 4% too many when it comes to inadequate childcare and therefore OFSTED, the Government and Childcare providers are working together to make sure standards improve.

The fact is most childcare facilities are run extremely well with hard working, dedicated and totally professional staff who love what they do and are good at their job. For the 4% of nurseries, childminders and crèches who remain unsatisfactory lessons could certainly be learnt from the vast majority who do such an excellent job in educating and looking after our children.

And for the good of our society as a whole it is imperative that standards amongst carers and educators of children continue to improve. This is because research shows that there is in many cases a direct link between high quality early years learning and care and improved intellectual, social and behavioural development in the future.

Mark Burdett, Marketing Manager of The UK Nursery Insurance Brokers Northern Counties had this to say about OFSTED’s latest results, “We provide Nursery Business Insurance and other types of Business Insurance to many different types of childcare providers and what strikes me most is how hard people in the childcare industry actually work. It is clear that if 4% of childcare providers aren’t meeting certain standards then improvements will need to be made but I don’t think the vast majority of parents should feel the need to unduly worry as the childcare facilities in the UK are amongst, if not the, best in the world.”

Mark went on to add, “Northern Counties provide protection and peace of mind in the form of Nursery Insurance and I know the vast majority of childcare providers are also doing all they can to make sure the children in their care are happy, safe and develop in the right way.”

Childrens Safety in the Education & Childcare Industries

Whether you are a parent or not most people would I’m sure agree that a child’s safety is paramount. This article looks at what our childcare providers can do to help make sure the risk or chance of an accident occurring in Schools, Nurseries, Kindergartens and Day Care Centres is reduced.

Before we look at what steps childcare providers can actually take to reduce exposure to risk we should first perhaps look at what risk actually is. Risk can be defined as a hazard, a source of danger, the possibility of incurring a loss or misfortune or put another way an accident waiting to happen.

So what can Nurseries, Schools and other childcare providers actually do then to manage risk and make sure our children’s safety is always at the forefront of their minds?

Well to begin with they can carry out a risk assessment at their premises and this is perhaps best organized, arranged and co-coordinated by the person who is ultimately responsible for the health and safety at the nursery or school.

And whilst the actually risk assessment doesn’t necessarily have to be complicated it can be time consuming as it involves looking at each area of the premises and noting any potential hazards or risks. It also should involve looking at the existing safety measures in place and make recommendations on how implementing additional safety measures could reduce these risks even further.

The fact is accidents do happen in nurseries, schools and in all types of business but by following some simple checks the chances of an accident happening can be reduced. And as the owner, manger or person responsible for health and safety has a duty of care to employees, children, visitors or indeed anyone visiting the premises risk assessment and ultimately risk reduction is vital.

Here are just a few areas that nurseries, schools and other childcare providers should be looking at to firstly see if a risk exists and then to put preventative measures in place to reduce it.

Trips, slips and falls – do you have leads trailing across the floor or any other obstructions? Are there any spillages of water or any other liquids? And if so what steps are there to address these once they occur and to warn others? Are there any loose rugs, mats, carpets or other flooring including floorboards or tiles? Is the lighting within the school or nursery adequate (especially on stairs and in cellars or basements)?

First Aid and Accidents – do you have suitable first aid equipment on the premises? Do you have employees with first aid training? Do you have systems in place to deal with accidents including transport arrangement to the hospital if deemed necessary?

Safety of Personnel – are staff likely to work alone or handle cash? Do they have a facility to summon assistance and raise an alarm?

Outside Areas – will your outside play areas be adequately supervised? Has the play equipment you provide been suitably tested and is suitable for the children using it? Will the children be playing near plants that could be poisonous? Do you have systems in place to prevent or deal with sunburn and insect bites and stings?

These are just a few examples of potential risks that may exist within a nursery, school, kindergarten or other child day care facility. If you make sure you carry out a risk assessment with the intention of reducing your exposure to risk not only can you make sure your employees and children are protected but you could also see a reduction in your nursery insurance, school insurance or other business insurance premiums. This is because many insurance providers reward providers of child care facilities with discounts and premium savings who have good risk management procedures.

There really is no excuse for modern nurseries, schools and kindergartens to fail to make sure their premises is as safe as possible so make sure you do your best to protect the children in your care – failing to do so really isn’t worth the risk.

Why Scaffolders and Roofers Are Most At Risk

The latest figures released by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) show a slight increase in the number of workers fatally injured from 2005/06 to 2006/07. This article looks at why workers in the scaffolding and roofing industries are seemingly most at risk and what they can do to help reduce risk.

The Heath & Safety Executive (HSE) has just announced the provisional figures for worker fatalities in 2006/07 is 241 with workers in the agricultural and construction industries having the highest rates of fatal injury. In fact agricultural and construction workers accounted for 46% of all fatal injuries.

And scaffolders and roofers would seemingly be most at risk as falling from height accidents continue to be the most common type of accident, accounting for 19% of all fatal injuries in 2006/07.

So with such numbers of fatal injuries in addition to the hundreds and thousands of everyday accidents by people working at height here are just a few tips to help you reduce your exposure to risk and the likelihood of an accident occurring:

Plan ahead

As with most things careful planning is often the key to a job being done well. And when it comes to working at height this is even more important if the figures shown above are anything to go by. Someone once said if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Unfortunately for people working at height not taking the time to plan your work could result in not just failure but injury and death. Therefore when planning to work at height make sure the equipment you use is suitable for the job and the people assembling and using the equipment are trained and competent to do so.

Use the right equipment

When it comes to deciding on the best equipment for the job it is also important to remember not to try and save time by just using a ladder when for example scaffolding should be used. Ladders and stepladders are likely to be the most misused pieces of equipment for people working at height and as with any equipment you need to make sure that anyone using them have been trained and are competent using them.

And remember if the use of a ladder is appropriate then you should ensure it is in good condition, it placed on level and firm ground, it is secure and it is of the correct type (the HSE recommend class 1 industrial or EN131).

If you follow these simple yet highly effective tips then your chances of accidents and injuries should be greatly reduced. And the good news for scaffolding firms and roofers is that not only will this reduce your exposure to risk but it also could reduce your insurance premiums.

Scaffolding Insurance and Roofing Insurance often incur higher than normal premiums due to the fact that many of the accidents that happen are more serious than with other professions.

Therefore make sure you follow good health and safety procedures and make sure the only thing that falls are your Scaffolders Insurance and Roofers Insurance premiums.

Is it worth risking it all for cheap insurance?

Picture the scene, you wake up early one morning with the sound of the wind blowing and rainfall bashing against you bedroom window. You ease yourself out of bed, walk down your stairs and are faced with your home under 6 feet of flood water.

And so begins the long and distressing process of recovering from flood damage. And imagine your shock and horror when you call your insurance company only to be told you don’t have the cover you thought and your claim is rejected!

This horrific scenario whilst uncommon could well be on the increase as home and business owners seek the cheapest possible insurance premiums without first looking into the cover they actually provide.

Mark Burdett, Marketing Manager of Gateshead based Northern Counties Insurance Brokers had this to say, “The recent flooding many parts of the UK has seen is likely to have an adverse affect on insurance premiums with insurance companies like Norwich Union already announcing price increases. One of the problems with increased insurance premiums is that people will naturally look to cut costs by shopping around for the best deal. The potential downside to this is that they then opt for the cheapest premium quoted without actually looking into the cover it provides. And unfortunately this could well result in cover not being in place which may only come to light when a loss occurs and they find out they aren’t covered.”

So with flood claims seemingly on the increase for many home and business owners, Mark suggests people when looking to buy home or business insurance make sure they:


1. Get the cover actually required. For home owners this could mean accidental damage whilst for business owners’ business interruption could be more beneficial. Many of these types of cover are often sold as optional extras so don’t just be tempted with the lowest premium without understanding what it does (and perhaps more importantly) what it doesn’t cover you for.


2. Know what excess they will have to pay in the event of a loss occurring. One of the ways insurance companies can quote lower premiums is by increasing policy excesses. Make sure your policy has an excess you can afford.


3. Ask for advice and help if in any doubt. Insurance Brokers are a great source for this as they can use their experience to find you the right cover, at the right price whilst making sure you, your home and your business are protected


As a victim of flood damage in the past himself, Mark summed up the risks involved in buying the cheapest insurance possible, “Many people see insurance as a grudge purchase and one which only produces a benefit when a claim needs to be made. I was lucky enough to have the right insurance cover in place when my home was flooded and I would urge anyone looking to cut costs on their insurance to make sure they know the potential consequences of buying the cheapest policy.”

Fancy earning more money every month?

They say that "money makes the world go around" so how would you like to earn more, every month, for next to no work?

Stupid question right? I mean, who wouldn't?

Well with the brand new Northern Counties Insurance Partner facilities you could find yourself receiving a sizeable monthly payment into your bank account for just referring friends, family or people you know who need Business Insurance to Northern Counties Insurance Brokers.

There's every chance we all know someone who needs Business Insurance so now is the perfect opportunity to refer them to The UK Business Insurance Broker and if they take a policy, you will benefit from a generous share of Northern Counties commission. Up to 5% in fact of the total premium could be yours for Business Insurance and Travel Insurance introductions and a massive 10% of the total premium for Landlord Insurance premiums.

If you're in a position to introduce people looking for highly competitive business insurance and you want to earn more money yourself every month then help is now at hand.

Types of business who maybe in a position to take advantage of the Northern Counties Insurance Partner scheme are:

Lettings Agents and Property Management companies - do you have clients who need Landlord Insurance?

Travel Agents - with the sale of Travel Insurance will holidays and flights set to be regulated in 2009 now could be the perfect time to introduce customers in need of Travel Insurance whilst earning a share of commission on each policy sold.

IFA's - as well as offering your clients financial advice you can now offer them another valuable service by introducing them to one of the UK's Leading Insurance Brokers. Your clients then benefit from highly competitive Business Insurance and you earn extra money.

To see how you can benefit by becoming an Insurance Partner of Northern Counties Insurance Brokers simply call Northern Counties on 0191 482 1219 or visit the Northern Counties Insurance Partners section on their website at www.northerncounties.com/insurance-partners.php

Is this the best insurance comparison tool ever?

As modern living becomes ever busier it is little wonder that more and more people are looking to internet comparison sites to find them the best deals on utilities, services and various other types of goods. This article looks at what the insurance industry and specifically business insurance providers are doing (or not) to address this need.

Let’s be totally honest before we look at what could be the best insurance comparison tool ever, people don’t like buying insurance. Yes it is without doubt one of the most essential purchases a business can make (the recent flooding in the UK has once again highlighted this) but it’s hardly an exciting process is it?

You may trawl the internet, fill our numerous forms, make several phone calls and answer the same questions over and over and over again. However this can be long and drawn out process which takes time and costs business owners money.

Therefore why aren’t there business insurance comparison tools on every search engine or insurance website? Well the truth is business insurance is a little more complex than buying a CD as believe it or not getting the cheapest price isn’t necessarily the only thing you want. Yes getting the cheapest premium is of course important as nobody likes to pay over the odds but when it comes to business insurance getting other things like the right cover, an affordable excess (or deductable) and help and advice can be just as important.

So this leads us onto what could indeed be the best comparison tool over for businesses looking for business insurance. This tool has been around for years and for businesses looking to compare different types of insurance it could save them time and money. Ladies and gentleman could in fact the best insurance comparison tool ever be an insurance broker?

Insurance Brokers have been around for years but for businesses who want to compare many different insurance companies and insurance products they could still well be the best tool around. For those insurance brokers who don’t like to be referred to as a tool I’m very sorry but the fact remains they do the same job (plus much more) than any online insurance comparison site.

So if you’re a business owner or someone who is responsible for the purchase of business or commercial insurance for your company you really have 3 options when it comes to buying your insurance. You could go direct to an insurance company who will quote their premium or you could go to an insurance broker who isn’t independent and they will quote you a premium from the one insurance company they deal with.

Alternatively, you could go to an independent insurance broker to help you with your business insurance. Find a good one and they will search the market to help you find the right insurance cover, the right excess and the right premium. Not only this because they are independent and aren’t tied into using just one insurance company, they can often find you more cover for less money.

If you want to compare business insurance why not take advantage of what could the best insurance comparison tool there is?