Whether you are buying a home or renewing your policy, it is worth checking for signs of subsidence if you live in a problem area.  These include cracked walls, ripples in wallpaper and increased difficulty in opening and closing windows and doors.  Though reporting the presence of such problems may result in higher premiums, it is most definitely worth being covered to protect your investment.

Thankfully, there are some simple things you can do to help prevent damage caused by subsidence.  Avoid planting trees near the foundations of your house as they suck up moisture and allow the clay soils to sink.  If there are any existing large trees of bushes close to your house, look into having them felled, (though be sure to do this within your local council regulations).

If you think you may be at risk of subsidence in your area, check your insurance cover and if you are in any doubt contact your insurer.

There are different policies to choose from with most providers offering a lifetime policy or a fixed time policy. Lifetime policies provide an unlimited time span of treatment whereas fixed time policies have a limit to the claim duration for each condition. The Financial Ombudsman regulates pet insurance and can be contacted regarding grievances with an insurance provider. You can also change your pet insurance provider, but will need to be aware that a new provider may have different conditions. If you change your insurance provider, check through the policy differences so that you know exactly what your new insurance covers.

You should always fill in a claim form when visiting your vet, even if the price is less than the excess on your policy. If it is a recurring condition, or requires additional treatment within the policy time, the original amount should already be discounted from the excess. It is important to read over your pet insurance conditions in detail so that you can ensure that you get the high level of support from your plan when it is needed.

It is not the mere physical value of our personal technology systems that is the concern, but all the invaluable downloads and digital data stored on them that costs so much to replace.  If you have a vast music collection on your i-pod and it gets stolen, you will have lost all your i-tunes downloads.  Imagine the cost of replacing thousands of your favourite tracks.  Equally, many digital products or programmes exist only on our laptops.  If your laptop is stolen, it is not the only thing that needs replacing.

You can protect personal computers and the invaluable digital data stored on them by frequently backing them up.  Store backed-up discs or hard drives separately from your computer.  Virtual storage facilities are included in many internet packages, and you should investigate the options of your service provider.

Viruses can disable your laptop and steal or wipe out personal data.  Make sure your anti-virus software is up to date.  If you have transferred your vinyl record collection into digital format, don’t throw them out.  They are the ultimate back-up if disaster should strike.

Finally, remember that when you compare house insurance policies do not overlook the protection of your digital assets.  We depend heavily on digital technology in our lives and we should ensure dependable insurance cover is in place to protect it. 

The main income earner of a family may take set up life insurance so that if they die the pay out can replace their earnings during this difficult period.  Similarly, if a couple has a large mortgage the one who is primarily responsible for the mortgage payments may wish to take out life insurance to ensure that their partner does not struggle to pay off the debts.  Life insurance may also be important for someone who has elderly parents who do not have large pensions, in order to feel confident that if they were not around to help, their parents could still afford the care they need in old age.

There are two types of life insurance.  Term insurance allows someone to decide how long they are insured, for example 10, 15 or 20 years.  This may be ideal for those who have a young family to support, but would like the insurance to end by the time their children are old enough to be independent.  The other type of insurance is whole-of-life insurance, which insures a person for an unlimited time until they die provided they continue to pay the premiums.  This option may be necessary for those who are likely to have dependents right into old age.

Although there is no financial benefit for the person who takes out the policy, life insurance can benefit by giving confidence and peace of mind that their loved ones will always be provided for.

When booking your holiday, it is worthwhile to research the medical care available to British tourists in the country you plan to visit. European holidaymakers fill out European health insurance cards—previously E111 forms—that entitle travellers free or reduced medical care in every country in the EEA. The UK also has reciprocal agreements with some other countries outside of Europe. In the case that a British tourist requires healthcare, they will be treated in the same way as a resident of that country.

This does not mean travel insurance should be completely forgotten when travelling in these countries. Healthcare may vary compared to the NHS, and certain treatments or procedures may not be free as they are in Britain. However, adequate travel insurance can cover these extra costs. Furthermore, unplanned travel back to the UK can be incredibly expensive, and these costs can be covered by the right insurance.

Be aware that America does not have any reciprocal agreement in place with the UK, so travel insurance is essential for a stateside visit. Moreover, an American hospital can refuse to treat you if you do not have sufficient cover; therefore, the right health insurance can not only save money, but also save unnecessary financial stress and worry.

It is recommended that insurance should cover up to £1 million for European holidays and £2 million for international travel.

If you are burgled or your home suffers damage, make it a priority to contact your home insurance provider.  They are experienced in dealing with all sorts of problems covered by household insurance, and have access to networks of local tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, glaziers) to fix problems promptly.  Insurers often give customers a dedicated telephone number to call in the case of emergencies.

When the immediate emergency has passed, take time to assess any damage.  It can be helpful to take photographs at this stage to help with any subsequent claim.  The more evidence you have to illustrate your claim the better.

Locate your policy documents and read carefully through the procedure for making a claim.  Follow all instructions closely and try to submit your claim without delay.  If expensive items are being claimed for, you may be required to provide receipts.  Try and develop a habit of filing away receipts for the items you purchase.

Make sure you provide accurate information to your insurance provider.  Exaggerating your loss will result in a claim being invalidated, so double-check your facts and figures for accuracy.  If the insurance claim is rejected, contact your insurance provider in the first instance for clarification.  If you are not satisfied with their response, The Financial Ombudsman can be contacted for further information.

A liability insurer has certain duties and obligations to the insured, namely to defend, to indemnify, and to resolve reasonable claims.  Breaching any of these three duties means the insurer can be held liable for a tort of insurance bad faith in addition to being held in breach of contract.

Duty to Defend

When the insured party is sued, the liability insurer has three options: they can seek a declaratory judgement of no coverage, meaning that the claim is not coverable under the purchased policy; they can defend the insured party against the suit; or they can elect to refuse either to defend or to seek a declaratory judgement. 

Insurers often defend rather than do nothing.  If nothing is done and it is later determined that the duty to defend applied to the situation, the insurer could risk a suit themselves on the basis of bad faith.

Duty to Indemnify

The insurer has the duty to pay all cost for which the policyholder is deemed to be liable for up to the agreed policy limit.   

Duty to Settle Reasonable Claims

If the claim is reasonably clear, the insurance company is obligated to settle the claim and not risk endangering the insured party in an attempt to avoid having to pay on the policy.

The Certificate

This gives the details of the vehicle that has been insured, the name of the driver (and the names of any other drivers permitted to use the vehicle), what the insured vehicle will be used for and the dates that the policy is valid for.  The certificate provides the required legal evidence that motor insurance cover is in place.  It must be produced when an accident happens, when it is necessary to tax the vehicle, or if the police ask for it to be produced.

The Policy

The insurance policy sets out the exact terms and conditions of the motor insurance cover taken out and motorists should ensure they understand it.  Any queries should be sent to the insurer immediately.

The Schedule

The schedule contains the specific details about the policy taken out.  It will cover what level of excess has been agreed upon, what amount of no-claim discount applies to the policy, and whether cover is comprehensive or third party only.  It will also include information on additional cover, such as legal protection, provision of a replacement vehicle during repairs after an accident, or breakdown recovery.

It is essential for motorists to check all documents carefully so that all details are correct.  If they are not, then they should be amended at once.

An unexpected illness can cost hundreds of pounds to treat, as can an accident, so it is easy to see that pet owners may not have this money to hand when it is most needed. Pet insurance gives peace of mind with the knowledge that your pet can receive the help that they need whenever they need it. Although some insurers will provide policies for older pets, it is definitely regarded as better and cheaper to insure your pet whilst they are still young. 

As well as the key conditions covered by insurance, such as accident or illness, some policies offer additional benefits such as covering advertising costs for lost pets, third party liability cover, emergency treatment, plus cover for the cost of alternative pet care if the owner is hospitalised.

High quality veterinary health care is increasing, with advances in the veterinary field leading to pets living longer. Whilst this is excellent news for pet owners, it also requires them to have finances in place to benefit from the treatments available to their pets. There are numerous types of policies available on the market, with varying payment options, meaning it is possible to find a plan that will suit the exact needs of the pet and owner.

Websites exist that let you compare home insurance providers online.  You can obtain instant home insurance quotes and make informed decisions about a wide range of insurance products.  Additionally, no one likes paying for something they don’t need, so keep your home insurance policies up-to-date.  Inform your insurer if you have sold a high value item, as this may reduce your premium.  Furthermore, if you have given away jewellery or other pricey goods, tell your insurer.  Why pay high premiums for unnecessary cover?

Conversely, if you forget to include expensive new purchases on your home contents policy, your premiums will remain the same.  However, if the worst happens, it will be a false economy as you won’t have adequate cover.

Why pay for unnecessary cover?  Why be under-insured?  The golden rule for avoiding nasty surprises is to keep your insurer up-to-date with any changes that might affect your home insurance policy.