The full story here;

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2011/10/30/property-war-rages-on-plush-atlantic-seaboard

There was a big increase in this specific crime in the latter half of 2010 in Ireland, when temperatures, and demand for home heating oil was high. By siphoning out the oil in unguarded free-standing oil tanks, thieves can easily and quickly – and most importantly quietly remove thousands of euros of fuel in a relatively short space of time.

Most at risk are isolated houses in rural areas, while residential suburban areas, most notably terraced houses reporting the lowest incidences of this particular crime. However, commercial properties with higher volumes of fuel for stealing have found themselves targeted and have resorted to extensive security measures in response to ever more aggressive thieves. In these particular cases, more sophisticated equipment and a greater level of violence is associated.

Business and residential home owners must ensure that their fuel supplies are safe and secure. Luckily, most insurance policies will cover the cost of the theft of oil – but there are a number of insurance factors within the policy that are of note. Some insurance policies talk about ‘due care and attention’ this means it is necessary to prove you made an effort to protect your valuables. So, your home insurance may not cover you for oil if the oil tank was unprotected. A simple lock may not actually deter a committed thief, but a broken lock is physical evidence that a thief was on the premises.

Read your home insurance policy and check under contents – the tank is not covered for damage, but the contents of the tank should likely be included as one of your personal belongings. After all, you paid for it, and you brought it to your home! Your house insurance policy may then go on to say that ‘oil may not be excluded’ that is – it is covered as part of your contents insurance. Most home insurance policies require that stealing or attempted stealing involves forcible and violent entry. So if your home fuel was not locked, and was easy for someone to walk in and take, you may not be covered.

For commercial premises with large amounts of fuel it is imperative that the fuel storage area is well lit, totally secure and that individuals with access to the area are approved and known to each other at all times. Security signs and CCTV can also be an effective deterrent. The most important thing of all is the health and well being of those working in the area and these are best practice guidelines to reduce the risk of violent theft.

For both residential and home insurance cover, the best idea to read your policy, or if in doubt call your insurance provider and ask them to clarify the ins and outs of your policy. Best practice anyway would be to pick up a good quality lock and avoid the confusion and dismay of a tank emptied before it’s time!

Ever seen the movie ‘127 Hours’? Climber Aron Ralston made the cardinal mistake of a person travelling alone; he never told anyone where he was going and it literally cost him an arm! So for peace of mind when travelling alone always do the following:

Inform family: Make sure to tell someone where you are going and where you will be staying. Stay in regular contact with family or friends so they know that you are alright.

Ask Locals: A survey taken on women-travel.com revealed that safety is a primary concern, particularly among women who travel alone. Get advice on where you should and shouldn’t go and what you should and shouldn’t wear from hotel staff and local tourist information centres.

Buy a travel guide: Before you leave, study a travel guide of the local area.
Photocopy: It is always a smart idea to get your passport and travel insurance documents photocopied.

Keep separate: It is also a good idea to keep your money and credit cards in separate places in case of loss of theft.

Consult travel websites: Many travel websites specialise in helping individuals travel alone and provide helpful tips to help you along the way. One such website is www.intrepidtravel.com

Get a travel insurance policy: Travel insurance which gives you appropriate cover when travelling alone is crucial. The right travel insurance will cover your medical costs, your baggage and your cancellation costs in the event of a medical emergency. Being alone you are going to need all the help and support you can get!

Your travel insurance should cover any issues that may arise for you like illness, accidents, loss or theft of property so always make sure that you have all details relevant to your travel insurance policy close at hand.

This article is provided by Getcover – Irelands Top Insurance Company

Be sure also to discuss your trip plans with your healthcare provider before you book your flight. Most doctors will advise you not to fly at all in certain high-risk cases, such as:

- If you’re carrying twins or multiples
- If you have high blood pressure or
- If you have diabetes

Carry a note from your healthcare provider stating your expected due date to avoid disputes at the boarding gate. However, consult your airline before booking as each airline has different rules and regulations. Most will not let you travel after 36 weeks and in some cases 26 weeks. And don’t forget to take into account how far along your pregnancy will be on the return flight.

Carry a list of emergency contacts and, if you’re in your second or third trimester, carry a copy of your prenatal chart as well.

Do have travel insurance in case you have any other non-pregnancy issues. Your travel insurance policy should cover things like illness, accidents, loss or theft of property so always make sure that you have all details relevant to your travel insurance policy close at hand.

Did you know that almost half of all fires attended by Fire brigades are chimney fires? Any home insurance policy holder who has a chimney fire in the home should be aware of how they occur, the damage they can do and how to prevent them.

When coal, soot or wood tar deposits build up to a certain level there is the risk of a chimney fire.

Depending on the condition of your chimney, such a fire can pose a significant threat to the rest of your house. Flames from the fire can find their way through cracks in your clay chimney liner or mortar and ignite framing around the chimney. They can also spread onto the roof.

Should a fire start;

• Spray the fire with water
• Place a fire guard in front of the fireplace
• Close the windows
• Ensure that everyone in the house is evacuated safely
• Call the fire brigade
• If the fire spreads to the roof, use a garden hose to keep the flames at bay.

A significant number of home insurance claims show that the primary cause of these fires is due to the chimney not being adequately cleaned. The National Safety Council recommends that chimneys be swept at least twice a year. The more often a fire is lit and the more varied the fuels used, the more frequently it should be cleaned.

Most home insurance policies will cover you in the event of fire damage, but do make sure to read the details of your home insurance policy carefully.

As long as you have adequate home insurance, your property and valuables are protected. Your primary concern is to get out of the house safely and without risking life and limb and let your home insurance provider take care of the rest.

We all deserve a well-earned holiday – but many of us worry about the prospect that an accident might occur while travelling. An accident occurring while at home is bad enough – but when you’re travelling, there’s a good chance that won’t be familiar with the locale and so won’t be able to deal with an accident as well as you might if you were at home. We lay out the top tips to ensure that you’re well prepared if an accident should occur while travelling abroad.

It’s extremely important to have all relevant details for your travel insurance policy ready at hand. Make sure that you know exactly where your passport is at any given time and if you’re travelling with a group, ensure that you know where their passports are kept too. Your travel insurance company should have provided you with an emergency phone number. If you have not taken note of this number, you should be able to find it on your travel insurance provider’s website; if you can’t find it there don’t hesitate to call you travel insurance company – it is extremely important to have this number handy while travelling abroad.

If an accident should occur, call the emergency phone number and your travel insurance provider will provide you with instructions on how you should go about making a claim.

If you or anyone you are travelling with is on any medication, contact your doctor and make sure that you have enough for your trip. It is also advisable to bring along some minor first-aid supplies with you – for example: plasters, aspirins and antiseptics – these might be difficult to locate if you are abroad.

Have a great trip – and stay safe!

At some point in your life you’ll consider getting insurance, either for health, your motor car or for your holidays.

Unfortunately this could mean an additional burden to the monthly bills. But once you have insurance  you’ll see the benefits and realise the important of having insurance.

Why insurance is critical.

There are lots of possible answers to this question. Time is never on our side and a lot could happen within a short time so you should be prepared to face this head on. It’s always better to be prepared.

Here are a few reasons why you should consider insurance;

• You have bills to pay. The list is endless and includes telephone, electricity or even your mortgage. It is better that you already plan what to do about these bills in case the inevitable happens. If you die, who would take care of this? It’s not fair on the people you leave behind for them to take on a financial burden because you never planned for the future.
• Being young and healthy isn’t an excuse when it comes to health insurance. This is actually the best time to get a health insurance plan, because your premium would be less than you might imagine. The younger and healthier the individual, the less you have to pay for the monthly contribution (in theory at least). If you are thinking of keeping this bond for a long time, then you could gain a lot of savings which can be carried forward to the next year. If in the long run, you develop ailments, your savings would come into play
• If you have a family of your own, it is always wise to save up for their future. As mentioned before, we do not hold or control the clocks of our lives. This is why it is always best to prepare for the worst. Think of how your spouse or children would live when you are gone. It is better if you leave them with financial stability with life insurance (syntax)
• If you spent a vast amount of money on a flights, hotel accommodation car hire and you became ill and could not travel your travel insurance would cover most of the money that you lost – leaving you with enough money to replan your dream holiday

Complete Uk 2010 budget documentshttp://www.direct.gov.uk/fullbudgetreport2010 (requires a PDF reader)

• http://www.google.com/finance
• http://finance.yahoo.com/
• http://money.cnn.com/
• http://www.ft.com/home/europe
• http://www.economist.com/

The IMF (International Monetary Fund) predict that this year the worlds economy will grow by 4%. The UK is in a unique position with several other factors that should boost the economy further inline with the IMF’s predictions but at present its not working out…

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