Bird poo costs car sellers £6.5 million

New research has shown that bird poo costs car sellers £6.5 million a year, and causes British motorists a staggering £24 billion in annual damage to paintwork.

It might be our feathered friends way of jumping on the global-warming band wagon - but nearly 60 % of us suffer from the dreaded droppings at least once a month, with nearly half of cars in Britain pelted with poo at least once a fortnight, and an unlucky one in six  splattered every single day.

And bird poo is more than just an unsightly nuisance for British drivers; it can also cost us dearly. A quarter of used car buyers expect a discount of at least £100 if a vehicle has been used as a dumping ground by our feathered friends.

The number-crunchers at eBay motors have even pin-pointed those most likely to be targeted by the doves from above - their research showed that black cars are the most frequent victims of bird-strike, with over half of them being  hit at least once a fortnight and nearly a fifth of them being struck daily. 

Bird droppings contain uric acid, a corrosive chemical that can eat through paintwork and discolour cars, leaving an ugly bleached effect behind. As if that wasn't bad enough, birds also swallow grit and small pebbles to aid their digestion, which scratch the paintwork as the poo hits the car. Motorists are warned to watch out for pigeons and gulls as they are the worst offenders.

You'd think the unsightly smears and soiled screens would encourage drivers to keep it clean - but it seems British car owners can't be bothered to wipe poo off their cars. Even though bird excrement can be ugly and corrosive, nearly a fifth of motorists (18%) rarely clean it off their cars. Those that do bother to wipe off the waste tend to let it fester for a few days, only getting round to cleaning it at the weekend (31%), regardless of the effects of long-term damage to the vehicle.

eBay Motors conducted the research to uncover just how much the corrosive crud could cost car sellers.  Jody Ford, Senior Manager at eBay Motors, points out that "for many car buyers, bad maintenance on the bonnet can mean bad maintenance under the bonnet. Simple details such as making sure your car is fully cleaned can have a direct impact on the number of people interested in your car, and ultimately the final selling price.

Key research highlights include the following:

•       Black cars are the most likely to be hit - over half of them (54%) are hit at least once a fortnight and nearly a fifth of them (18%) are hit every day!

• Scots are the most unlucky car owners in the UK with 64% finding their cars covered in crud at least every other week and nearly a quarter of them (24%) frustrated to have their cars attacked every day

•       Female drivers' cars are more likely to suffer from bird poo attacks (only 8% of women's cars never get targeted opposed to 12% of men's cars that are never hit)

•       Two thirds (66%) of cars owned by those who live by the sea are targeted at least every other week and over a quarter (27%) of those cars in coastal areas are hit every day

•       The roof of the car is the easiest place for birds to do their business with a third of all droppings (33%) landing there eBay Motors top tips for cleaning up your car and dodging those droppings:

Revamped and ready to go with MINI Cherished online

MINI UK is responding to a huge surge in interest for its 100 per cent approved used cars with a complete redevelopment of its MINI Cherished website.  From 01 April 2008, UK customers will be able to locate their perfect used MINI faster and even more easily.

In February of this year, searches for used MINIs totalled nearly one million .  That equates to a staggering 91.5 per cent increase on the same period in 2007*.  The amazing residual values and low ownership costs of pre-owned MINIs are proving irresistible to British buyers, with sales already up 25.2 per cent over the first two months of last year**.

Site visitors will now be able to compare a shortlist of MINIs and even email the car's details to a friend directly from the website.  If they can't find exactly the right car, there is an alert service with email, SMS or MMS text formats available ensuring they don't miss out on the MINI of their dreams.

In addition to the more detailed search facility, a quick search option by model, price and postcode features on the new site. A significantly revised summary page showing pictures of all MINIs matching the selected criteria is also provided. 

Peace of mind is central to the success of the manufacturer-backed scheme, with every Cherished MINI coming with the following range of benefits:

• Minimum 12 months MINI Warranty
• Minimum 12 months MINI Emergency Service Cover across the UK and Continental Europe
• Minimum 12 month MOT and MOT Cover
• Full Service History
• Independent vehicle history and mileage checks
• Finance and Insurance available through MINI Financial Services

MINI UK General Manager Andy Hearn said: "With the phenomenal growth in sales of used MINIs, we are delighted to be supporting our dealers through this more interactive website. 

"Prospective MINI customers will be able to quickly search a wide variety of MINIs from the comfort of their own home, contact the selling dealer and receive all of the benefits of buying a 100 per cent approved used MINI as part of the MINI Cherished scheme.

Female drivers are dangerous

I'M NOT a betting man, but if I was, I wonder if I could get odds at the bookies that every (almost every) time I catch up with an articulated lorry, a bus, a crane or even a farm tractor, there will be a small car behind it with a female at the wheel.

This female with her small car will be tucked well into the left, as she (the lady driver) has absolutely no intention of even looking to see if there's any oncoming traffic, let alone pass the aforementioned lorry/crane/bus/tractor.

She will sit there in her safe little zone until the again aforementioned lorry/crane/bus/tractor takes a different route at a roundabout or a road junction. Until she comes upon another lorry/bus/crane/tractor, and follows it. Does she not realise hugging the back of the aforementioned lorry/crane/bus/tractor so close is both dangerous and stupid.

He, the aforementioned lorry/crane/bus/tractor driver has air-operated brakes. These are much more powerful than her car brakes, so if he stops in an emergency, she might not be able to and maybe have an accident. She cannot, after all, anticipate a problem ahead if she isn't looking ahead.

Her eyes are firmly fixed to the back bumper of the lorry/crane/bus/tractor. "I'm quite happy here, I don't need to overtake." It's also very inconsiderate, as those of us who like to get past and be on our way have at least two vehicles to overtake (sometimes more than one car and lady driver), which takes more room on the road to manage the overtaking manoeuvre safely.

This exhibition of poor driving is evident almost everywhere I go, but the A19 to York and the A63 to Leeds in particular suffer quite badly each and every weekday morning. Ring any bells?

But please, all of us, drive safely, with consideration to all road users, even if they're super-glued to the back of a lorry/crane/bus/tractor.

Tony Flannery Baffam Gardens, Selby

More than 60 per cent of appeals against parking tickets heard by independent adjudicators are successful, but fewer than 1 per cent of drivers who receive them appeal.

From today, councils will be required to include information about the right to appeal on tickets or when issuing a penalty by post. Previously, many drivers discovered that they had the right to appeal only when their challenges were rejected by councils.

Motoring groups say that hundreds of thousands of drivers pay tickets that they believe to be unfair because they do not realise they can appeal and that they have a high chance of winning if they do so. More than eight million parking tickets were issued last year but fewer than 70,000 were taken to an appeal.

Caroline Sheppard, chief adjudicator of the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, said: “It is important that people know that they have the right to appeal to an independent adjudicator if they want to continue to challenge a penalty after the council has rejected their case and says they should pay. Each case is determined by an independent adjudicator – a lawyer who will consider evidence from both parties before making a decision.”

Councils that reject challenges will, from today, be required to offer the motorist the opportunity to pay the fine at a 50 per cent discount rate for a further 14 days. However, drivers will lose the right to pay at the discounted rate if they decide to appeal.

Last year 60 per cent of appeals outside London were successful: 32 per cent were not contested by councils and 28 per cent were won by motorists. In London in the year to March 2007, 68 per cent of appeals were successful.

The IAM Motoring Trust said that councils that failed to contest appeals should pay drivers ten times the value of the ticket in compensation for the time, stress and expense of fighting their case.

Neil Greig, the trust’s director, said: “Knowing that failure to follow through on questioned penalty charges could incur compensation of about £800 would encourage local authorities to take every motorist’s appeal seriously.”

Other changes coming into force today include a two-tier system of parking penalties, with lower fines for overstaying on meters or parking outside the markings of a bay and higher fines for parking on yellow lines or in a resident’s bay. Outside London the lower penalty will typically be £50 and the higher penalty £70. In Central London the penalties will be £80 and £120.

Councils are also being discouraged from clamping, except when the driver has at least three outstanding unchallenged penalty charge notices, or those displaying no tax disc.

From tomorrow councils will also gain powers to tackle utility companies that cause unnecessary congestion when they dig up roads for long periods. Under changes to the Traffic Management Act, councils will have powers to manage when and where streetworks are carried out.

Gas, electric and water companies will have to apply for a permit before starting work. Councils can charge companies that breach the conditions of their permit or take longer than agreed. Utility companies will also have to give councils three months’ notice of nonemergency excavations.

Rosie Winterton, the Transport Minister, said that disruption from street works costs the economy about £4.9 billion each year, and added: “These strengthened powers will allow councils to better coordinate when work happens on their roads. We are tackling the frustration of roads being dug up time and time again.”

How to contest a ticket

— Write to the council explaining in detail why you disagree with the ticket and include any evidence such as a pay and display ticket or a timed receipt showing you were collecting items from a shop. If you write within 14 days, you will still be offered the early payment discount if the council rejects your representation

— Stick to the facts and resist the temptation to be abusive about wardens or parking

— If relevant, include in evidence photographs or videos of the street showing the visibility of signs and lines

— You can also call the council’s parking office when you receive a ticket and officials may make a note of special circumstances

— If your representation is rejected, you will be sent a Notice to Owner ordering you to pay. You have 28 days from then to pay or appeal

— If the council rejects your appeal, it will send you a form that you can use to appeal to an independent adjudicator. You have 28 days to make this final appeal

— You can appeal to the adjudicator by posting your form and evidence; appearing in person at a tribunal; taking part in a conference call with the adjudicator, a council official and any witnesses; or appealing online

— The adjudication service will acknowledge receipt of your appeal. The council should send you a copy of its evidence within 21 days

— Most drivers receive the result at the end of the hearing

Sources: Traffic Penalty Tribunal, Which?

Car Drivers Hit By Higher Insurance

Motor insurance is costing drivers 5% more on average than a year ago, new statistics have revealed. And it is motorists aged 40 to 50 who have endured the biggest increases, a survey from Sainsbury Car Insurance has found. Average premium almost £500

While the average insurance premium has gone up by 5.24% in the last 12 months, the average rise for drivers aged between 40 and 50 is 7%. The average premium for all motorists is now £497.26, while under-25s have seen the average rise by 6.59% to £1,255.99.

Those aged over 65 have seen their insurance rising the least - up 4.14% to £353.53 on average. Meanwhile, those aged 50 to 65 now have the lowest premiums - paying an average of £332.80.

Sainsbury's Car Insurance manager Joanne Mallon said: "There are a number of factors leading to higher premiums, including a rise in the cost of personal injury claims and also repairs. "However, given that nearly 70% of us admit to some form of potentially dangerous activity while driving, such as eating or using mobile phones, by cutting out these practices we can reduce the chances of being involved in an accident."

Eco Friendly Car Insurance 

Students with an eco-friendly conscience are being encouraged to go green with their car insurance. The Green Insurance Company is a car insurance provider which donates money to charities that aim to lower the carbon footprint. On the website of the company, it comments: "If you have a car, you need car insurance. Why not get insured and help save the planet too? If you insure with us, your car's CO2 emissions will be completely offset by using trees that will absorb the same amount of CO2 that your car produces." A discount of five per cent is also offered to drivers of cars which are fuel-efficient. The company is also offering drivers advice on how they can help the environment while driving, such as slowing down to 50 mph instead of 70 mph as cars use an average of 30 per cent less fuel at this speed. In related news, a report has found that 15 per cent of British drivers admit that they have driven a car in the past which they have not been insured to drive. The research from moneysupermarket.com also revealed that six per cent of people had driven their own car without any cover. To read reviews and compare the latest car insurance offers available

Second Car No Claims Bonus 

Drivers can add almost 70 per cent to their car insurance premiums if they cover a second car with an insurer that doesn’t mirror their no claims bonus, moneysupermarket.com has found.

Of the UK’s 10 biggest car insurance providers, moneysupermarket.com has found that approximately only half offer drivers the same no claims bonus on their second car as on their first, but the other half of drivers are paying over the odds to insure their second car, sometimes 67 per cent or more. Some insurance companies will asses each case on an individual basis, or attach other conditions to the policy.

"It is a little known fact that many insurers now allow you to mirror your no claims discount from one car to the next." Richard Mason, director of insurance at moneysupermarket.com, said. "The most common question on our forums is 'why can't I use my no claims discount on two cars?' It is a good question and thankfully one that more and more insurers are starting to wake up to.

"If you are thinking of having more than one car in your household, it is prudent to choose an insurer that allows you to make the most of your NCD. Hopefully all insurers will soon follow suit on this."

In order to save as much as possible on car insurance, Gocompare.com has urged drivers not to become ‘april fools’, and suggested some ways to keep the costs down, such as installing an alarm or immobiliser, shopping around, and never providing incorrect or misleading information which could lead to the policy becoming invalid.

Hayley Parsons, Gocompare’s Managing Director said, "Insurance represents a significant part of the cost of running a car these days, so everyone is looking for savings."

"One of the best ways to save money on your insurance is not to just accept your renewal quote; the best company for you 12 months ago, may not be the best today. I’m always amazed that only around a quarter of people switch their insurer each year – potentially throwing away hundreds of pounds."

Swiftcover.com also suggests that gadget-mad Brits don’t leave their valuables on display in their cars, as this makes them easy pickings for opportunist thieves. Research found that 96 per cent of drivers leave valuables in their car, and a foolish one in three regularly leave such items on full view. As a result, 21 per cent of drivers have had their cars broken into and their gadgets taken.  

Cheaper Car Insurance In Ten Steps

By Neil Faulkener

 I used to work in the insurance industry on the legal side and as a consultant, amongst other things. During this period I learned some incredible facts about how car insurance is sold.

What directly concerns every driver, almost without exception, is that you pay at least £20 too much every year for your car insurance. Many of you pay hundreds of pounds too much. The largest mark-up I've ever seen was for £1,600 but I'm sure there's been worse.

For a wealth of reasons buyers are behind the game and the sellers win every time. Here are ten tips to significantly reduce the price of your motor insurance.

1. Get three or four quotes in writing
Despite, or even because of, greater regulation on insurance sales, we're less inclined to shop around now, so says the Association of British Insurers. This is a big mistake because insurance prices vary massively from insurer to insurer. Start looking for quotes early, and get three or four. Don't assume that, as your insurer seemed cheap last time, it will be again next time. This is the easiest way to get ripped off.

2. Keep your initial quotes to yourself
Don't tell any of the insurers or brokers what your other quotes are. It's common practice in the insurance industry not to offer the best price, but simply to beat the competition. For example, if you tell a broker that an online insurer has quoted £300, the broker isn't going to give you their best price of £250. Instead, they'll offer you cover for £290. You've now lost £40, and you'll probably do this every year if you don't keep your cards pressed closer to your chest.

3. Look and act the part
Don't visit a broker gloating about your latest business deal, and your resultant four-week holiday to Dubai. You don't want them to know you're made of money; you can get a quote for travel insurance later. Conversely, you don't want them to think you'll have trouble paying for it either.

Let's start with the wealthy. If you live in an affluent area and have a fantastic car, they'll find out about it during the course of the quote. You might want to drop into the conversation that you have to trade down, because you can no longer justify the maintenance costs. Hopefully this will put them off the scent of your fat wallet. If you can't pull off this act, at least dress-down; make it harder for them to guess what you can afford.

Conversely, if you live in a poor area you'll want to work on looking solvent. It's not unheard of for unscrupulous insurance providers to keep lists of roads and estates that have bad payment records. They then quote ludicrously high premiums to get rid of 'undesirable' customers. To overcome this, you could dress smartly and tell them straight away that you're going to pay for your policy in full and up front. It doesn't matter if it's not true, because when they quote they're committed. You can then ask for monthly payment terms, "Just in case."

4. Be friendly and polite
A good adviser can dig around, make phone calls and do extra work to find you a better price. They're not going to do this if you're rude.

5. Appear to be happy with your current provider
If you seem hesitant about leaving your current insurer and praise everything they do, other providers will feel they have to work harder to win your business. It also makes you sound like a loyal customer, which is exactly the sort they want. It all adds up to better service and, often, a cheaper quote too.

6. Don't answer questions about your budget
It's not unusual to be asked, 'What do you expect to pay?' or 'What have you budgeted for?' Put another way, they're asking, 'How much can we charge you?' Whatever you do, don't tell them. Just insist that you don't know yet.

7. 'Come back if you get a better quote elsewhere'
It's not unusual for an insurer or broker to tell you this. What it means is that they're not giving you their best quote from the start. You should head this off before they quote by saying something like, 'I don't have time to go backwards and forwards. I'm getting three quotes and I'm going to buy from the cheapest.' You must tell them this before they quote, or they'll be committed.

8. Understand the cover that's included
The policy might be cheaper, but that doesn't mean it has everything you want. Use this list of questions to check you're getting the right cover:

Is it Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire and Theft, or Third Party Only?
What is the total policy excess in the event of claims? What about the excess for windscreen claims?
Does it cover all the drivers I asked for?
Does it include legal expenses and breakdown?
Does it include a courtesy car? (Note that not all comprehensive policies include these by default.)
Can I make an unlimited number of windscreen claims?
How many windscreen claims can I make before it affects my no claims bonus?
Is the full cover extended to Europe for the period I asked for?

9. Free legal expenses
The profit on legal expenses insurance is outrageous. We are typically charged £20 for legal cover, but the cost to the insurer or broker for each policy is usually no more than £2. That's a sickening 1000% mark-up.

You can get around this. Let's say a broker's given you their first quote and you've made it clear that you're not going to come back for another (see point 7). Now you give them hope, at a price. Tell them that, if they give you the legal cover for free, you promise you'll give them another chance if you get a better quote elsewhere. The canny providers will see this as a fair trade, and will accept your terms.

How to buy a greener car

The pressure's on to cut motoring emissions. These cars claim to do just that – but do their eco-credentials stack up? Nigel Pollitt does the maths

Beware insurer tricks on car write-offs

Many motorists will notice how insurance costs are rising when millions of renewal notices begin to be posted next week.New number plates are issued in March, when many cars are sold and insurance contracts arranged. So next month becomes the anniversary of these contracts – and an opportunity to reconsider whether you are obtaining good value or if you could drive a better bargain.It's always worth scrutinising insurance terms and conditions to see if you could cut costs – and that holds true for household cover, too. Last summer's floods have had a significant impact on the cost of household insurance due to the substantial claims that were made during this period. According to the AA's latest quarterly insurance index, which tracks the cost of policies from 85 insurers and brokers, average quoted premiums for buildings insurance increased by 1.4 per cent in the last quarter, bringing the cost of the average policy to £219 a year. The cost of contents cover has also increased, with the average premium now at £151, representing a 0.4 per cent increase over the past three months to the end of January. The AA says that increases in personal injury claims on motor insurance policies have resulted in an increase of 2.4 per cent in premiums over the last quarter, so that the average premium for comprehensive cover is now £629. Another contributing factor is the cost of repairing accident damage, which is increasing at 5 per cent a year, mainly because modern cars are built with expensive lightweight materials and secondary safety systems, such as airbags, which cost more to fix. So what can you do to ensure that insurance costs don't end up costing you an arm and a leg? First, and perhaps most obviously, never just accept the renewal quote you are offered for either home or motor cover. It is always worth doing as much research as possible when buying insurance, so get quotes from at least five different insurers before buying. Comparison websites such as Moneysupermarket.com, uSwitch.com, Confused. com and CompareTheMarket. com can all provide you with a range of quotes. Second, if you can afford to pay your insurance in a lump sum, you should do so as you usually pay more to spread the cost monthly. Third, consider increasing your excess – the portion of any insurance claim you pay yourself – in order to reduce premiums. There are also more specific changes you can make to keep insurance costs low. If, for example, you want to reduce household premiums, make your house as secure as possible. Fit proper window locks and make sure you have five lever mortice deadlocks on any main entrances, as if you don't, the insurer will consider that you are at much greater risk from burglary.Another tip is to sign up to your local Neighbourhood Watch scheme. If you live in an area where there is a high incidence of burglary, then joining a scheme could knock around 5 per cent off the cost of premiums.There are also plenty of ways in which drivers can reduce insurance costs. Anyone with access to a garage should use it, as again this could result in a discount of up to 15 per cent off premiums – particularly if you are living in an area where car theft is rife. Newly qualified drivers, for whom insurance can be prohibitively expensive, can cut the cost of premiums by taking part in the Pass Plus Scheme. The scheme, which takes a minimum of six hours, and involves your driving being continually assessed, costs around £150, and is designed to make drivers become more confident and responsible. Visit the website www.passplus.org.uk for more information.According to the AA, having the Pass Plus certificate can reduce the first year's insurance premiums by up to 35 per cent. Several insurers, including Zurich, Norwich Union, Royal & SunAlliance, Tesco, Direct Line, Churchill and AA all offer substantial discounts for drivers who successfully complete Pass Plus.Co-operative Insurance (CIS), for example, gives the holder of a Pass Plus certificate a one-year No Claim Discount. Another alternative is to go for usage-based insurance, whereby the cost of cover depends on how frequently and when you use your car. Norwich Union's Pay as You Drive plan, for example, enables drivers to pay variable costs based on when an where and how far they drive, plus a fixed monthly fee. T his scheme is designed for motorists who drive less than 6,000 miles a year. More Than operates a similar scheme, which is for 18-25 year-olds, and involves a free Global Positioning System (GPS) being attached to your car to calculate where and how much you drive. Whatever happens, don't be tempted to lie when buying insurance to keep the cost of premiums down.According to research by Admiral, withholding motoring convictions is one of the most common reasons why policies are cancelled. People with motoring convictions tend to be bad drivers and so pay more for their insurance. If you have had a motoring conviction of any kind in the last five years, you must tell your insurer. You should also avoid insuring a young person's car in the name of an older driver. This is known as "fronting", but if the insurer finds out the older driver isn't the main driver, they will again lose their cover and any claim will be invalidated.

Does cover for the girls really leave other deals standing?

Specialist firms claim to give female drivers great value. The premiums suggest otherwise, writes Esther Shaw

Women have long been the butt of jokes about their driving skills, but the tables were turned two and a half years ago when "female focused" car insurer Sheilas' Wheels was launched, promising "bonzer" deals. The firm played on being able to offer lower premiums to women because, statistically, they are safer drivers and make fewer claims, and so represent a lower insurance risk.

Its proposition clearly appealed, as today the firm has almost a quarter of a million policyholders, and now Sheilas' Wheels has moved into home insurance.

"Traditional home cover has been unisex in its blandness," says Asia Manzoor, spokeswoman for the company. "But we are offering features such as ID fraud detection, new-for-old cover on clothes, alternative accommodation if utilities are cut off, and free family legal protection – many of which are not available on other policies."

But while Ms Manzoor claims her company's products are "competitively-priced", not all are convinced. New research into the cost of car insurance by price-comparison service Moneysupermarket.com shows that a 30-year-old female teacher driving a Ford Focus would pay £225.50 for a policy with Sheilas' Wheels, compared to just £141.33 with Swiftcover. Diamond, another women-only car insurer, is even more expensive at £279.80.

"Specialist insurers like Sheilas' Wheels, Ladybird and Diamond promote themselves to women as the value alternative, catering specifically for their needs," says Moneysupermarket spokesman Peter Gerrard. "But female motorists should not be lulled into thinking a specialist will always offer the best deal. While they may sometimes come up trumps, they will usually be beaten on premiums."

He also points out that many of these brands are offshoots of bigger names. "Admiral is behind Diamond and Esure is behind Sheilas' Wheels. They are simply a variation on those insurers' policies."

It's not just in the female market where specialist insurers are carving a niche, with RIAS, intune and Heyday joining Saga in targeting the "silver pound". But Mr Gerrard warns that further Moneysupermarket findings show it is the same story for older drivers.

"A 60-year-old with a Focus, Astra or Megane would pay an average of £88 with Swiftcover and £255 at RIAS. Motorists shouldn't rely on specialists; it pays to scour the market for the best cover to suit your needs."

Saga argues that the cases highlighted in the Moneysupermarket research are "not representative of the Saga offering".

"In many cases, Saga is the cheapest insurer on the market, and this is backed up by a high level of customer service and comprehensive benefits," says Steve Ashton, chief operating officer of Saga Services.

However, there is widespread agreement among insurance experts that consumers should not be lured in by catchy slogans or advertising hype.

"Many of these specialist companies have come up with excellent marketing vehicles trading on age or sex," says Eric Galbraith from the British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba). "But the fact is that there are other insurers out there which can provide you with a better deal.

"We often find that older people, for example, think they have no choice but to go to a specialist because of their age. But there is a market out there for all types of cover, and a broker will help to search the whole market for you."

Michael Powell from financial analyst Defaqto points out that, in many cases, the cover provided by the specialists is no different to that offered by the mainstream market.

"As most policies would provide the same, or even better cover in some circumstances, I believe these types of insurers are really a branding exercise," he says. "However, Sheilas' Wheels and Diamond do provide something unique with the "handbag cover", which offers up to £300 for handbags that are stolen from a car – in addition to the amount of cover that is provided for 'personal belongings'."

He adds that those insurers that specialise in the older market also have their benefits.

"These companies come into their own when the policyholder reaches the age of 75, as neither Age Concern nor Heyday stipulate a maximum acceptance age, while Saga accepts policyholders up to 100."
 

Lloyds TSB to launch comparison site

Lloyds TSB has become the first high- street bank to launch a motor insurance comparison site, insurance.co.uk., which will search 35 policy providers for the best deal based on an individual's needs.

However, this does not represent the full spectrum of car insurers, and questions of independence have been raised as Lloyds TSB offers its own package of motor insurance products.

Sara Evans, a spokeswoman for insurance.co.uk, said: "We are looking to grow the number of providers included on the site, although we are confident that the current range offers the best deals on the market.

"We are aware that consumers may have concerns [about independence], but the commission we take from all the providers is the same, so it is not in our interest to favour one over others."

The site will join a number of price- comparison websites, most of which offer searches on a large range of financial and utilities products and services. The popularity of these sites has grown as hikes in utility bills and other household costs have left consumers keen to cut everyday costs by switching providers.

Interesting
 

Make these car insurance dodgers pay

SO, according to statistics we have 5,290 cars being driven on our roads which have no insurance ("Drivers who shame town", Courier, February 4). No surprise there, then.
No doubt these individuals who drive around without insurance will, at some time, have been stopped by the police and will be going to court in the near future to face the consequences.
And what will happen? More than likely a small fine, six points, a slap on the wrist and away you go, or something like that (after all, you can't cause hardship to these nice people, can you? They wouldn't be able the afford their daily fix). And the next day they will be at it again.
What is required here is a stronger deterrent.
I suggest the following: When convicted, the criminal – because that is what he or she is – should be given a standard sentence of 12 months physical hard labour – and I mean hard labour, working and producing for the good of the community 14 hours a day, seven days a week, for the full length of the sentence.
No parole; the criminal would get, in return, a bed, food and medical treatment, if required. No videos, computers or other goodies; these people have done wrong and they should pay.
Any violation in behaviour would adda further month to the sentence for each occurrence.
No doubt the tree hugging, poliotically correct, human rights, "he came from a broken home" brigade will be throwing a fit.
They'll shout "You can't do that to another human being", to which my answer is "Give me the chance and just watch me."
Remember, when one of these criminals causes an accident that results in injury to another person or damaged property he isn't insured so the decent, law-abiding citizen loses out, either financially, by injury or, at worst, with his or her life.
So I say to all do-gooders: before you go into a seizure, ponder on that for a while because it may be you or one of yours who ends up paying the price, while Mr Criminal walks away laughing.
If caught for a second time, well, I hate to imagine the consequences but I can assure you they would be fitting.

Seizure of uninsured vehicles doubles

According to the AA, the number of uninsured vehicles seized by the police in 2007 was almost double that compared with 2006.

The AA added that there was a growing number of top-of-the range cars that were being seized. This was probably due to the fact that owners could not afford to insure them or chose not to.

The total number of cars seized increased from 78,000 in 2006 to 150,000 in 2007, with 40% of cars seized not reclaimed. Unclaimed vehicles are crushed or sold at auction.

The AA said the increase in seized cars is due to the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras by the police.

The ANPR system is relatively simple, a camera takes an image of the number plate and those details are then input into a system which checks them against sources such as the Police National Computer (PNC), Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Local Force Intelligence systems and motor insurers databases. If the number plate is matched to one of the sources, the ANPR equipment will sound an alert.

Edmund King, president of the AA said the more widespread use of ANPR cameras means that the net is closing in on uninsured motorists. However, some motorists are using foreign number plates to try to avoid detection.

Mr King added that the need for checks on foreign registered vehicles needs to be increased - plates from a left-hand drive eastern European country on a right-hand drive car are often a sign.

The AA also said that claims for accidents with uninsured drivers were down from 36,340 in 2006 to 34,239 in 2007.
 

Comparison Sites

The idea is these internet-based companies can examine thousands of car or home insurance policies, mortgages, loans and credit cards in an instant and find the best one for you - saving you time and money.
They have become big business. More than two out of every three car insurance policies sold last year were done through the 17 leading, and handful of smaller, comparison sites in the UK.

And you can't fail to notice them. Those shouting the loudest with big budget ad campaigns are Moneysupermarket.com, Confused.com, GoCompare, Comparethemarket, uSwitch and newcomer TescoCompare.

The biggest, Moneysupermarket, got more than 4.5m separate visitors in just one month last year, and took 55% of the market. In all, 10m people a year pay separate visits to look at its mortgages, motor insurance or home insurance.

Sites make their money by picking up commission for each customer they send to the provider or when a successful sale is made - they get around £45 for each successful credit card sale generated by the site or £3.50 per click through to the provider's site. They could pick up as much as £100 if you take out a loan.

They also get money from companies advertising on the site, and some by passing on your personal details to other salespeople.

What's the catch?

The British Insurance Brokers Association recently claimed that the sites make assumptions that have misled consumers into making the dangerous mistake of taking out insurance they will never be able to use.

And they have angered independent financial advisers who must spend thousands of pounds a year to comply with the strict sales rules of the City watchdog Financial Services Authority when they make a recommendation.

The FSA is considering bringing in similar rules for comparison websites. The main complaint is the lack of consistency. Consumers expect comparison sites to find them the cheapest deal available. But while the results you get back may save you money, a cheaper deal can often be found elsewhere.

Then there is the issue of independence. British Gas and BT have both had issues with comparison sites in the past. They complained they were unfairly represented in best buy tables because they did not have a commercial arrangement with the website. A frequent complaint will be that sites have headings such as 'Editor's Choice' or 'Best Rate You Can Get Online Today'.

These aren't necessarily the cheapest deals, but the ones that will make the comparison site the most money. However, it is not hard to see how you could be misled into thinking that these results are the cheapest. Some companies even specifically bring out products with low rates to get in to best buy tables.

The problem with this is that there will be a lot of clauses and small print adding to the cost. Another frequent complaint is from customers who don't get the price they are originally quoted on the comparison site. One reason is that this quote is not in real-time, so it is only an indication.

A second reason is that most sites only ask for a limited amount of information and then make a series of assumptions to fill out the forms. If your circumstances don't fit these assumptions then the final quote you are given from the insurer is likely to be far higher.

When it comes to savings, mortgages and credit cards best buy tables are not all they seem. With credit card and loans, most lenders give 'typical rates' which means you may get a vastly different interest rate quoted based on your track record of handling credit when you fill in an application.

Criticisms are that savings rates are artificially boosted by short-term bonuses - something Money Mail's savings tables never take into account. It something Nationwide is campaigning to have included in the Banking Code.

Mortgage tables usually disregard higher lending charges which can be levied on loans amounting to more than 90% of the price of the property. Arrangement fees based on a percentage of the loan that are uncapped can be astronomical on larger mortgages - but the provider could still be at the top of the table if it offers the cheapest rate.

What we found

Money Mail compared the sites using two typical scenarios - one for motor and one for home insurance. The difference in price can be huge. And the way the sites work differs massively, too.

Research from data compilers Defaqto found that just over one in ten of those looking for car insurance were given the same premium by the insurer as they received on the comparison site. Of the three leading comparison sites for credit cards the best buys for balance transfers and purchases differed widely.

The top three for Moneysupermarket, Confused and uSwitch were all different. Insurance is one area where the differences are most marked. We were baffled trying to understand which insurers appeared on each site.

TescoCompare has a panel of just 30 insurers. They go to for quotes in the same way as a traditional broker will do and claims Lloyds TSB, Nationwide, Churchill, Privilege, Prudential, Virgin and Tesco don't appear anywhere else. You can compare the product features of the cheapest four, but we found it refused to give the next four's details despite six attempts.

Confused.com meanwhile, says it covers 97% of car insurers compared with just 70% of home insurers and 100% of energy companies. But its site proved confusing when looking for home insurance. Because one section was filled in incorrectly we had to start again and, in all, took an hour to complete the search.

Comparethemarket's home insurance form didn't ask for the value of contents, items away from home and high value items. Its cheapest quote came out very low, but its quotes are likely to be inaccurate. With Gocompare we didn't appear to be able to increase the cover for items away from home from their automatic £750 to £2,000.

Motor insurance premiums on the increase
 

According to the latest Car Insurance Index by Sainsbury’s Bank, car insurance premiums have risen by 5.24% in the last 12 months.

Currently, the average motor insurance premium is £497.26, compared with £474.52 twelve months ago.

Drivers aged between 40 and 50 experienced the largest increase with an average of 7% while motorists aged 65 and over had the lowest rise in premiums at 4.14%. Furthermore, under-25s pay the most car insurance, with an average premium for that age group costing around £1,256.

In addition, men pay on average £71.97 more for their car insurance than women.

Joanne Mallon of Sainsbury’s recommends that consumers shop around for the best deal on cover. Research shows that 20% only obtain one quote when they buy car insurance.

Ms Mallon added when comparing policies do so with a like for like approach, it is worth considering why the cheapest policy is so cheap, you may find you’re not just compromising on service but cover too.