Home Insurance News

Blaze destroys home in Wigan

October 12th, 2011

The value of a good household insurance policy was demonstrated yet again yesterday as a fire blazed through a home in a North Western town. Only the quick actions of fire-fighters stopped the incident turning into a tragedy but the home was still wrecked.

Fire-fighters were called out to the blaze on Sandy Lane in Lowton, Wigan in the early hours of the morning and had to rescue a mother, her two children and a family pet from the blazing home. In all three fire engines attended the fire, two from nearby Leigh and another from Atherton. The crews spent two hours at the scene and had to use extending ladders and breathing equipment to affect the rescue.

Watch Manager Iain Ronaldson explained: “We broke the front door down and all the smoke started coming out. Fire-fighters wearing breathing apparatus went in and carried the two children out. The mother was rescued from the bedroom window by ladder.”

Despite the unfolding drama happening a few yards away from their home one neighbour said they had been unaware of the incident until they got up several hours later, saying: “I only noticed something when I looked at the CCTV camera this morning. At the time I slept right through it. I saw a fire engine turn up on the camera at about 4.05am, and that was it. I only really looked at the house and noticed what was happening this morning when I saw the police cars were outside.”

The blaze was thought to have started in the kitchen of the property but Police and Fire Rescue officers will investigate the matter thoroughly over the next few days. All occupants were rescued safely and recovered well.

Tags: Fire, Fire fighters, household insurance policy, Wigan
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Housing market still in limbo

October 10th, 2011

The latest figures from one of the UK’s largest mortgage providers still shows a great uncertainty in the housing market, with the bank claiming the sector is “lacking general direction”.

The Halifax, once the biggest Building Society in the country and now a part of the Lloyds group, reported house prices had dropped in September by half of one per cent. The figure represents little change in prices; the average home in the UK now costs £161,132, but does represent the topsy turvy way prices have fluctuated throughout 2011. Martin Ellis, a housing economist at the Halifax, explained just how unpredictable the year has been, saying “September continued the mixed monthly picture experienced so far this year with four rises, four falls and one no change since January. This mixed pattern is consistent with a market where prices are lacking genuine direction.”

The slight drop has not prevented quarterly figures still being very slightly up on the second quarter of 2011, but does indicate a drop of over 2% on figures for September 2010. The Halifax still believe homeowners are keen to organise home insurance quotes on new homes but are being frustrated by the financial situation.

The report actually indicates that homeowners are paying less of their monthly income in mortgage repayments than at any time this century. According to the figures the average loan repayment is now just 26% of income. Four short years ago the figure was almost 50%. The next few months offer little in change for the sector with low interest rates and relatively low asking prices arousing the interests of buyers, but rising inflation and high deposit requirements stopping that interest in its tracks. For the moment at least it is the rental sector that will remain the focus of interest for most people looking to move home.

Tags: Halifax, home insurance quotes, homeowners, housing market
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Insurance company refuse to bear the cost of wild animal intrusion

October 7th, 2011

Buying a comprehensive household insurance policy is something that many people do all over the world every day, once the policy has been bought then most people sit back and presume that they are covered for all eventualities. A couple in the USA have just discovered that this is not quite true and a life and death situation that they could never imagine happening has left them seriously injured and out of pocket.

It all started as a normal Monday morning for Rich Moyer and his family in Newport, Pennsylvania but things suddenly changed after Rich let their dog Bindy out of the back door just after he had come downstairs. Moments later the dog came careering back into the kitchen pursued by a fully grown female Black Bear. Within moments the bear turned on Rich, who suddenly found himself in a death struggle with a furious animal. The commotion quickly brought Mrs Moyer downstairs to see what was happening and in a flash the bear turned on her knocking her down and dragging her outside onto the patio. Husband Rich realised the bear was looking to kill and chased out after the bear who by this time was attacking his wife with a vengeance. The ensuing fight between the black bear and Rich who weighs in at over 20 stone and 2 metres tall ended when the bear eventually took flight after wife Angie waded into battle alongside her husband, but both ended up seriously injured.

Rich had to have 37 stitches inserted into a scalp wound and Angie suffered bites to her buttocks and torso. Insult was added to injury when their house insurance company told them they were not covered for an indoor attack by a wild animal, which has left them with big medical bills and a big feeling of injustice. Meanwhile the bear has not been captured and the Moyer family are not only unnerved but out of pocket by the whole incident.

Tags: Animals, Bear, house insurance company, household insurance
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Cameron prepares to address the nation

October 5th, 2011

As the Prime Minister prepares to address his party members at the Conservative Party Conference, journalists are predicting Mr Cameron’s speech will be aimed at homeowners across the UK rather than those sat in the conference hall.

In a speech that will define his role as Prime Minister in a Coalition Government he is expected to ask the people of the UK to take responsibility for their own debts. His speech will urge the public, who are experiencing price rises in commodities such as energy, buildings and contents insurance, car insurance, food and fuel, to concentrate on paying off loans, credit cards and other outstanding finance.

In a speech that is expected to be listened to throughout the world, Mr Cameron is faced with the prospect of convincing people his Government is following the correct path, but at the same time must ask them to prepare themselves for hard times ahead. It is an almost Churchillian situation. Drafts of his speech suggest he will say: “People can’t see it or feel it yet but the Government’s austerity plan will only work if we stick with it. The only way out of a debt crisis, is to ‘deal with our debts’ that means households – all of us – paying off the credit card and store cards bills. It means banks getting their books in order. And it means governments – all over the world – cutting spending and living within their means. Governments should tell the truth about the overall economic situation.

“People understand that when the economy goes into recession, times get tough. But normally, after a while, things pick up. Strong growth returns. People get back into work. This time, it’s not like that. And people want to know why the good times are so long coming. The answer is straightforward, but uncomfortable. This was no normal recession – we’re in a debt crisis. It was caused by too much borrowing, by individuals, businesses, banks – and most of all, governments.”

The message will be unlike one the British people have heard from their Prime Minister for a long time. It will certainly leave them in no doubt that the years ahead will be long and hard for those with limited means.

Tags: buildings and contents insurance, Coalition Government, economic situation, Prime Minister
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Chancellor declares Council Tax to be kept on hold

October 3rd, 2011

In what will come as welcome news to both householders and local authorities across the UK, Chancellor George Osborne will announce later today that Council Tax in England will be kept at its current rate until 2013.

The news that the Government will find £800 million from Whitehall “underspends” to redirect to councils in England who need the cash to keep Council Tax at its current rate, will be announced at the Conservative’s party conference in Manchester today and will be greeted rapturously by the delegates at the meeting. Mr Osborne will also divert equivalent amounts to the devolved parliaments in other parts of the UK to enable Council Tax to be frozen there.

It is certainly good news for households in all corners of the UK where rises in energy, household insurance and food have put financial pressure on many families. On average each household in England will benefit to the tune of £72, not much but still welcome. Mr Osborne said he was aware that the savings could have been used elsewhere to perhaps stimulate growth in the economy but he saw more value using the cash in this way. “I wanted to help families and pensioners with the daily cost of living” he explained.

The money may well be the only help some households receive for quite some time as the chancellor said he had no intentions of cutting taxes for the remainder of this parliament, which is due to last until 2015. When asked about tax cuts he said: “We’ll see how things develop in the rest of this parliament. I’m a Conservative who believes in lower taxes. They lead to a more enterprising economy. But I’m not somebody who believes you can fund lower taxes by borrowing more money because that is a deceit and the public are smart enough to see straight through it.”

Tags: chancellor, council tax, household insurance
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Final decision on a new large housing estate to be made

September 30th, 2011

Campaigners are urging local councillors to reject proposals to build as many as 450 new properties on green fields close to Bingley in Yorkshire. A planning panel are due to hold a meeting to discuss the plans for a new housing estate and dozens of objectors are expected to be at the meeting to voice their concerns.

Council planners believe the houses that will attract plenty of interest from home insurance companies are needed, but the Greenhill Action Group want the plans rejected which would then result in a public inquiry. Any development would be subject to financial contributions from the developers towards improvement schemes such as roads, parks and a community centre. The site has been designated for housing for some time but campaigners feel it should never have been earmarked in the first place because of the poor access. The Greenhill Action Group has also recruited two planning consultants who hope to put the protesters case at the forthcoming meeting.

A council spokesman said: “There is substantial opposition to this development from the local community. It is clear from the letters of representation that one of the main concerns of this scheme is how traffic from this development will create highway difficulties due to the provision of a swing bridge over the canal. It is, however, considered by the council’s highway engineers that the provision of a replacement swing bridge is acceptable and there would also be new traffic lights and improvements to the other junctions.”

The council feel that any harm from the development would be less than the benefits for the area and will go a long way towards meeting the housing requirements. They also believe that the need for housing should outweigh any objection to the plan. The action group argue that the swing bridge will cause major problems if it suddenly breaks down or when emergency vehicles need access to the estate.

Tags: Campaigners, Councils, home insurance companies, housing estate
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New start for former homeless family

September 28th, 2011

The Salvation Army are sadly seeing a increase in the number of families who are coming to them for help because they are in need of food, clothes and space in a hostel. They expect the numbers to go up even more once the Coalition’s changes to the amount of rent paid comes into force.

Even in their wildest dreams, Rob Matthews and Jenny Michie never believed they would have a family home that they could call their own. They had hit rock bottom when they turned up at a Salvation Army hostel with their young daughter after the pressures of living at Rob’s mothers home became too much. Thankfully just ten months after being homeless they are delighted to be unpacking their few things in a new house that they will be protecting with their home insurance policy.

The sad predicament that Rob, Jenny and their one-year-old daughter found themselves in is becoming a common occurrence as the recession takes hold of the United Kingdom. Rob and Jenny were first put into a hostel which the Salvation Army quickly found. Staying there gave the family some important breathing space. The Salvation Army does not record official statistics but they have confirmed that there has been a marked increase in demand for services in most parts of the UK. This has been a particularly hard year for many people. The Salvation Army will support anyone who has lost their job or their home and have ended up on the street.

Rob said: “It was very difficult when we were living with my mother. There wasn’t much space which led to a lot of arguments and we found it difficult to establish our own family. But when we moved into the hostel we had much more space and we got lots of support. I learned how to cook and better ways to care for my daughter and there was always someone to talk to. And now we’ve moved into our own place, which is still a bit daunting because there is so much more responsibility, but it feels like a big achievement. We never thought we would have our own home this time last year.”

Tags: home insurance policy, homelessness, The Salvation Army
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Police vow to make residents feel safer

September 26th, 2011

Oldbury residents have been have promised by police that they will clamp down on yobs who are plaguing the area. There has been a marked increase in the number of problems where youths are continually causing problems and burglaries have also increased.

The town centre is also being targeted by officers who want to see an end to the increase in crime. The police are keen to have regular meetings with residents where problems can be discussed. The behaviour of the yobs is raising concerns about the safety of residents, many of whom have been a victim of theft, meaning they have had to claim on their buildings and contents insurance policies. Four of the group have been handed ASBOs (Anti-Social Behaviour Orders) and a further six have been given ABCs (Acceptable Behaviour Contracts). In addition another three of the offenders have received both the 1st and 2nd stage warning letters prior to an ABC issue.

Sergeant Darren Jones, from the Oldbury Neighbourhood Policing Team, said “An action plan has been put in place to tackle an increase in crime and people having to claim on their house insurance quotes in Oldbury town centre. Visibility will increase in the town centre and a robust offender management style will be taken against known offenders. Officers are keen to develop a retail watch so that local shops can raise concerns and share best practices regarding crime prevention.”

The police have had numerous complaints regarding anti social behaviour and residents have raised concerns about the number of burglaries and damage to vehicles in the area. They have made sure that there is an increase in the visibility of police officers and PCSOs in the neighbourhood in the hope that it will help. The PCSOs have also given out crime prevention advice to residents. The next Neighbourhood Watch meeting will take place in three weeks time.

Tags: anti social behaviour, buildings and contents insurance, house insurance quotes, Police, Residents
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Revised development will see student flats and apartments built in city centre

September 23rd, 2011

Sheffield Council will decide next week if town houses, apartments and student flats will be built on land which was the former home of a nightclub. The plans were rejected in June but the development has now been resubmitted after significant amendments have been made.

The revised application from developers Cartwright Pickard Architects will be considered and if approval is granted, all buildings on the site will be demolished and a six-storey block of 23 student flats, another six-storey block of 21 private apartments, and 24 new houses will be built in their place. It will certainly prove popular with household insurance brokers. So far only one letter of objection has been sent to the council about the revised planning application. The objector feels that, while the scheme is an improvement on the original plans, should trends in accommodation change, the whole development may have to be demolished. English Heritage who were against the previous plans are now comfortable with the new proposals.

A spokesman for the planning officials said: “This revised scheme is considered to result in a significant improvement in the mix of accommodation on site, by introducing additional private residential apartments and flexible use houses. The site is located in close proximity to the Sheffield Hallam University campus and the city centre and is a sustainable choice for both student and private housing. The scheme will also refurbish a number of buildings which are considered to contribute to the character and appearance of the conservation area.”

City planners have recommended that permission is granted, subject to a legal agreement (Section 106 agreement) that will see the developer pay £290,000 to Sheffield Council. This money will fund a project that will see new parks and open spaces created which will benefit everyone in Sheffield. The scheme has been changed substantially to address the previous reason for refusal.

Tags: home insurance, Home insurance quote, household insurance, Sheffield Council, Sheffield Hallam University
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Increase in property values is not good news for everyone

September 21st, 2011

The value of properties in the United Kingdom has increased by £100 per week since the turn of the year. Property experts have carried out research on more than one-million homes and found that in almost every area prices have gone up by an average of 1.7% or £3,667.

The positive news is a big relief to homeowners because a huge number have been left in negative equity after their home value collapsed when the recession was at its worst. However, it is bad news for first time buyers who will find it even harder to get on the property ladder. Twenty years ago the average deposit on a property was £6,000, today it is £66,000 meaning many young couples will never trouble an insurance broker with a request for household insurance. Investors who have money available will still be able to make money from bricks and mortar which will be a safe haven for investing their hard-earned pounds.

Samantha Baden, analyst at the firm who carried out the latest research, said, “The rise in house prices shows confidence in the property market remains steady as a result of homeowners realising the old adage is true – in times of trouble invest in bricks and mortar. Despite economic tough times, property has proven a far more solid investment than might have been thought at the start of the year. This growth is encouraging amid a still struggling economy.”

Experts say the shortage of properties in the UK means demand is the reason for the price increase. They also revealed that properties are being sold ten days quicker than they were at the start of 2011. The only area where prices dipped was Wales while at the other end of the scale Scotland saw the biggest increase with prices increasing 4.9% or by £720 a month. Earlier this month it was revealed that the price of an average house will rise 14% by 2015 meaning they will be at the highest ever value recorded.

Tags: home insurance, household insurance, property market, Rising House Prices
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