Commuters typically carry £3,800 worth of gadgets
Posted on April 5th, 2011
Gadget-loving commuters are carrying over £3,800 worth of technology to and from work, according to new research from esure.
The typical commuter bag or briefcase is likely to contain electronic kit worth £593 more than two years ago, including costly smartphones, laptops, e-readers and MP3 players.
With over 35% of Britons considering buying an iPad 2 this year, the cost of the commuter bag looks set to rise even further.
The research also indicates that 46% of commuters lug a company or personal laptop around with them, with the proportion rising to 56% in London.
However, more than half of all respondents were not sure whether their personal belongings insurance covered the cost of the gadgets they regularly carry to and from the workplace.
Commenting on the findings, esure’s head of home underwriting, Nikki Sellers, says: “Brits are now inadvertently carrying around a treasure trove of digital devices for both work and pleasure.”
Tags: Worth, Worth Gadgets
No Comments »
Home insurer finds burglars are targeting middle class semi-detached houses
Posted on April 4th, 2011
A middle class semi-detached house with a Ford Mondeo parked outside and games consoles on view inside is a perfect target for burglars, claims a new study from Halifax Home Insurance .
According to the research, burglars prefer to steal from a semi-detached house worth around 150,000 as they believe expensive properties have more rooms which makes it more difficult to find the items they want to take.
Burglars look for items that are must have because they will be able to sell them on. Top of the list are games consoles (PS3 and the Nintendo Wii are favourites), followed by mobile phones and jewellery . Read more…
Tags: Class, Middle Class
No Comments »
Pennsylvania Health Insurance Rankings
Posted on April 3rd, 2011
JD Power and Associates is in their 5th year of ranking health insurers through the US Member Health Insurance Plan Study and according to their recent annual report Pennsylvania health insurance ranked well for overall customer satisfaction. They exceed the national average for customer satisfaction significantly.
The article “UPMC, Geisinger, Highmark lead PA Customer Satisfaction Ratings” by Bob Graham on IFAWEBNews.com summarizes the most recent results specifically for Pennsylvania. UPMC Health Plan received a score of 744 out of 1000 and performed very well in Pennsylvania in information and communication approval processes. Behin
Tags: Health Insurance, Insurance, Pennsylvania Health, Pennsylvania Health Insurance
No Comments »
Consumers Cut Auto Insurance Costs During Recession, Taking On Risk
Posted on April 2nd, 2011
A new study says that Americans took on more risk during recent years as a way to reduce car insurance costs. Quality Planning conducted the study and found an increase in the number of people who opted not to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance between 2006 and 2010. They saw even higher jumps with older vehicles.
Between 2006 and 2010 Americans spent an average of $721 to insure each vehicle. During those years, the average insurance cost for a new vehicle was $913 and older vehicles cost $528 on average to insure. The study revealed that most owners were willing to pay for complete coverage for new vehicles.
But when it came to older vehicles, consumers were more likely to take a gamble and reduce insurance coverage.
Tags: Insurance Costs, Risk
No Comments »
43 Articles With Advice for Borrowing Against Your Life Insurance
Posted on April 1st, 2011
Whole life insurance policies, provide both a death benefit and cash value. Your monthly premium is higher, but your policy is an actual asset and will increase in value over time. The fact that your whole life insurance policy is an asset gives you a major advantage, in that it is something you can cash in or borrow against in an emergency. Of course, the death benefit will be reduced proportionately if you reduce the value of the policy by cashing in some of its equity.
Tags: Insurance, Life Insurance
No Comments »
Cost of disasters tripled in 2010
Posted on March 28th, 2011
The global cost of natural and man-made disasters more than tripled in 2010 to $218 billion (154 billion euros), reinsurer Swiss Re said Tuesday, with the human toll the highest for decades.
“2010 was not only characterised by severe earthquakes that ranked among the deadliest, costliest and most powerful in history, but also by a series of extreme weather events, such as major floods,” said Thomas Hess, chief e economist of Swiss Re.
Such “severe catastrophes” claimed 304,000 lives last year the highest level since 1976, compared to 15,000 in 2009, the report added.
These disasters cost the global insurance industry over $43 billion in 2010, up more than 60 percent from the previous year.
Earthquake losses — in particular those in Chile and New Zealand – accounted for almost a third of all disaster losses in 2010, and high claims from seismic activity are expected to continue in 2011.
“Incidentally, earthquake losses for 2011 will also be above average as the total insured claims for the February 22 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, are estimated to be between $6 billion and $12 billion,” said the reinsurer.
“The massive Tohoku earthquake that struck Sendai, Japan on March 11 is also expected to trigger significant insured losses,” it added.
Swiss Re estimated last week that Japan’s earthquake and tsunami have cost the company some $1.2 billion, but warned that this figure could be revised upwards.
“Although no long-term trend of increasing global earthquake activity has emerged, the number of fatalities and insured losses from earthquakes are on the rise,” said Balz Grollimumd, who co-authored Swiss Re’s study on disasters.
“The main reasons are population growth, the higher number of people living in urban areas as well as rising wealth and rapidly increasing exposures. Many of these rapidly growing urban areas are
Tags: 2010
No Comments »