19/11/2008 12:24:33 - Credit Crunch starts to bite

The credit crunch and economic recession is now beginning to have an impact on everyone. With the UK on the brink of a recession , we are already starting to see unemployment figures rising quite sharply. In fact there are now 1.87 million people out of work, with some experts predicting that this figure could well reach 3 million by 2010.

Whilst none of us want to become part of this statistic, it is important to think about how you would cope if you or your partner were to lose their job. The bills will not stop coming in just because you are not working and unless you have got some savings to fall back on, how will you manage to cover your mortgage, credit cards or other loan commitments?

It is a matter that deserves some serious thought and it is better to act whilst you can because once you are in a situation where you have been made aware of the possibility of a redundancy, it is to late to take out cover to help you make ends meet while you are looking for a new job.

Do not assume that the State will automatically help you out. In the case of mortgages, anyone who has taken out a mortgage or re-mortgaged since 1st October 1995, is not eligible for Income Support for payment of mortgage interest (ISMI) until after nine months of unemployment or disability. For loans taken out before that date, some help will kick in after eight weeks. But in either case, anyone with savings of £8,000 or more, or with a earning partner, will normally not receive any support. The rules are to be revised and from January 2009, (ISMI) will be available 13 weeks after you make your claim, which has been brought down from 39 weeks. Homeowners will be eligible for help on the first £175,000 of their mortgage, which is up from the previous limit of £100,000. However 13 weeks will still leave you having to find at least three monthgs mortgage repayments before state assistance kicks in.  

Whether you need cover for your mortgage, loan or perhaps income protection, why not check out the Simple Homepage (Personal Lines - Payment Protection), to obtain quotations from our award winning partner British Insurance to obtain some of the most competitive quotations currently available.

Alternatively contact Simple for a personal service on 023 8038 6611 

16/10/2008 12:00:00 - Energy Permormance regulations affect all commercial property owners and landlords

In 2007 the UK goverment announced that the Energy Perforance Regulations will form part of the final implementation of European Directive 2002/91/EC on the Energy Performance of Buildings.

This meant that from the 6th April 2008 nobody can sell or lease a commercial building over 10,000 square meters in England and Wales without providing an Energy Performance Certificate to a prospective buyer or tenant. From 1st July 2008 this treshold has been reduced to include commercial buildings over 2,500 square meters.

From the 1st October 2008 this had reduced yet again to include all commercial buildings over 50 square meters.  

Non compliance by property owners will result in failure to complete conveyancing or possible action by Trading Standards Officers including potential fines up to £5,000. 

Simple Insurance Solutions have teamed up with RSA Energy to assist clients to comply with this new legisalation. Simply contact SIS on 023 8038 6611 or email at sis@simpleinsurancesolutions.co.uk and we can arrange for RSA Energy to contact you and issue the required certificate that will meet with the new legislative requirements.

11/06/2008 16:04:22 - Simple discounts premiums

Simple Insurance are currently offering discounts of £25.00 on all new Household policies with an annual premium over £200.00, all new Motor policies with an annual premium over £300.00 and all new Tradesman's Liability policies with an annual premium over £200.00.

Ask for your £25.00 discount to be included when you ask Simple for your quotation.

Terms & Conditions: Only one discount voucher per new policy may be used during the offer period. The voucher may not be redeemed in conjunction with any other offer or special event. The discount voucher does not have a redeemable monetary value.

Keep reading here for further new client offers.

14/03/2008 09:05:14 - Do you need personal accident and sickness insurance ?

Nobody likes having accidents or falling ill.  But when these things happen you could potentially face loss of income from not being able to work. 

That’s why it’s important to have insurance.  This type of insurance is generally linked to mortgages and pays out if you are unable to work because of an illness or an accident.  Buying a personal accident and injury insurance policy might be a relatively simple but deciding which is the right policy for you can be more complex.

Do you really need this kind of insurance?
When considering the purchase of accident and sickness insurance you will need to think about your potential loss of income as well as other factors and compare that with the cost of the premium. If you play any form of sports or you are self employed this should be a insurance policy you may wish to consider to protect your income. 

The insurer will take into account your current health, sex and age, all of which will affect the premiums you will have to pay.  It’s possible that in some cases severe or chronic illnesses can mean you won’t be able to find suitable and affordable insurance.  Although insurers are not allowed to discriminate against you on any but the clearest medical grounds.

Many, if not all insurers offer accident and sickness policies and choosing the right one for your circumstances is important.  Remember to consider the following points:

• How much can you afford?  Remember to balance this against the level of cover you need· 
• Use the expertise of your insurance broker and ask them obtain quoted from a number of insurers.  You many want to discuss with a financial advisor as well.
• As with most suppliers, review the service standards of the short-listed insurers.
• Don’t forget claims procedures.  Once you decide how much to pay and what cover you want, consider the insurer’s claims procedures and the time they take to pay.
• Remember you are responsible for disclosing all material facts about any medical conditions you may suffer or have suffered from.  The law in England often rules in favour of insurer if there is doubt about the information submitted at policy inception.

There is a simple solution - click here to send an email or call Simple Insurance Solutions on 023 8038 6611 to discuss your indivual needs.

21/02/2008 15:15:12 - SIS launches Simple Insurance Solutions

The independent insurance broker Southampton Insurance Services Limited (SIS) has launched it's new trading style of "Simple Insurance Solutions".

In a highly competitive marketplace full of direct insurers, it is refreshing that SIS have launched a solution where people can obtain a simple but competitive insurance quotation across a whole range of insurance products, with the focus being on providing a simple but effective customer service.