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Precious metals high on thieves shopping lists

Thursday, May 12th, 2011

The ever increasing price of precious metals across the world is having a profound effect on crime figures in the UK. Many cases of copper and lead thefts from railway lines and public buildings have hit the headlines over the last few months, now homeowners are being warned to ensure their home owner insurance policies are up to date and fully comprehensive as the thieves target private homes in their quest for easy pickings.

Soaring precious metal prices

The price of gold and silver is at record highs and thieves have not been slow to realise how they can benefit. Watches and other jewellery items are comparatively easy for the burglar to carry away and last month’s British Crime Survey revealed that burglaries across the UK had risen by almost 100,000 compared to the previous 12 months.

High value technology items also targeted

Gold is proving particularly tempting for the thief because of its high value at the moment and homeowners should bear this in mind when getting a home insurance quotation. A lot of families collectively own quite a large amount of jewellery and the hike in prices means that policy cover arranged just a couple of years ago may now be massively undervalued. In the same period, the introduction of a new tier of smart phones and computer tablets costing considerable amounts of cash also means many homes could now be under insured.

Law change required to stop the thieves

The problem for homeowners and police forces is the ease in which the criminals can get rid of their ill gotten gains. Selling gold online or on the high street for cash has never been easier, and police officers believe this is encouraging thieves to increase their activities. They are now putting the activities of scrap metal companies under the microscope and believe that the way to discourage the crime wave may be to stop scrap metal transactions being made in cash. It will not be easy and in the meantime homeowners should increase their home security levels and ensure their home insurance providers are giving them the cover they require.

Tags: crime, gold, Home Insurance, precious metals, Theft
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Make some New Year’s resolutions for the home

Tuesday, January 11th, 2011

Just after Christmas every year, people make New Year resolutions in an effort to improve themselves. It may involve taking more exercise, drinking a lot less and quitting smoking, all of which are easily made and easily broken promises. Indeed once the initial enthusiasm wears off, not many can really claim to stick to the resolutions. New Year’s resolutions do not just have to be about people though, why not make some resolutions to improve your home?

They do not have to be big expensive projects either, although the goal of a new conservatory will need a reduction in spending it is an excellent reward. Most other projects will require very little time and expense so why not make some resolutions for the home.

Don’t neglect the roof and carry out a visual inspection, taking note of any missing or loose tiles along with any leaking or blocked guttering. Taking early action via maintenance will save a possibly large bill later on down the road, not to mention the potential for considerable damage to the interior of the home. It will also avoid a homeowner making an unnecessary claim on their household insurance.

Regular maintenance of the properties heating system will make sure that it’s working at peak efficiency, plus it will help cut down on the risk of any costly breakdowns or even worse, poisonous fume leaks which can threaten all the occupants of the home. If the home does not already have them, think about fitting some immersion tank and radiator thermostats which will help save some money on the energy bills. Loft insulation is relatively straightforward and more importantly cheap, the savings though, can be massive. Lagging the hot water pipes will make sure no energy is being wasted.

Hang a curtain over all the exit doors and use draught excluders around old door frames, not forgetting the letterbox. Old windows will also need some attention. DIY stores have an array of draught excluding products to seal old windows; these include strips that fit around window openers and films that fit over the glass and window frame. Replace any loose or missing putty on the outside of the windows and use sealants around the frame. If it is possible, think about the long term and consider replacing any old windows and doors with double glazed units.

Tags: Garden design, Home Insurance, interior design
Posted in Contents Insurance, Possessions Insurance | 1 Comment »

Don’t get caught out, backup the computer today

Tuesday, January 4th, 2011

With so many expensive items in homes throughout the country, it is vital to have household insurance which will replace items should the worst happen. However, it is possible to lose everything on a home computer without the machine being stolen at all.

Backing up a computer is one of those things that many people always promise themselves that they will do, but never get round to it. If a computer or laptop dies and the hard drive is lost, including all of the applications and all of the data, the impact can be huge. Backing up a computer is never something that is forgotten once the worst has happened because there is nothing like the benefit of hindsight.

It is important to backup all data regularly, not just any documents used but also mail files, calendars etc. Everyone unfortunate enough to lose their entire hard disk, not only loses data and applications but other little things such as; Cookies which automate all login information used on a daily basis, links and bookmarks for favourite websites and options and preferences for all apps used, not to mention all of the default settings.

Assess just how vital the computer is and take appropriate action; CD, DVDs and memory sticks are fine for saving a small amount of data or some important documents. However, an external hard drive is more than worth the cost if the other option is being without the computer for a few days or losing data. For the average home user an external hard drive will be more than adequate, the more complex systems are aimed at business users. The older a computer is, the more likely it is to happen. But just because the computer is new, does not mean regular backups should be ignored.

Backing up the system is very easy, first plug the external hard drive into a power source and place the external hard drive’s USB cable into the respective port on the computer. Next click start then “accessories” then “System Tools” and then click “Backup”. Follow this by Clicking “Next” on the “Backup or Restore Wizard” screen which will appear. Ensure that the “back up files and settings” option is selected and Click “Next”. Then select the “All information on this computer” option from the “What to Back Up” box and Click “Next”. Select external hard drive on the menu asking to “Choose a place to save the back up”. Provide a name for the back up in the space provided and click “Next”. Finally Click “Finish” on the “Completing the Backup or Restore Wizard” page and click “Close” once the

Tags: Contents Insurance, Home Insurance, household insurance
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The mouse that everyone needs

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

Before 1984, the thought of a mouse being inside most homes and people happily handling the mouse on a daily basis would have been crazy talk. However, 26 years later, that is what happens in millions of homes and offices throughout the world. The Mouse first entered into the public consciousness with the introduction of the Apple Macintosh, and since then they have helped to completely redefine the way that we use computers today.

Every day of computing life, means reaching out for the mouse whenever the cursor is needed to move or something needs activating. The mouse will sense any motion and the clicks are sent to the computer so that it can respond appropriately. It is amazing how simple and effective a computers mouse is, something else amazing is the fact it took so long for a mouse to become a part of everyday life. It was originally born in the 1960s, but it took a couple of decades before the mouse was to become popular.

For many years light pens were used on an array of machines as a pointing device, and graphics tablets and even joy sticks were also popular in the 70s. None of these really took off as the perfect pointing device. However, when the mouse hit the scene (attached to the Mac), it was an instant success. It is easy to see why as there is something about it that is natural. When compared to a graphics tablet, a mouse is inexpensive and they also take up very little space. In the computer world, the mouse took longer to gain ground; this was because of a lack of support within the operating system. Once Windows made Graphical User Interfaces standard, the mouse quickly became the pointing device of choice for the public at large, and PC’s started appearing more and more in the home. Now most homes will have some sort of computer covered by their household insurance.

The first type of mouse around was the mechanical mouse (also called a ball mouse), and it used a moving ball to work. As the mouse was moved across a surface, the ball moved as well. An optical mouse is one of the most common computer mice in use today. It works by using optical technology and so does not need any moving parts. As the optical mouse is moved over a surface, a small red LED (Light-Emitting Diode) will emit light onto a surface and then it will read the pattern on that surface. The mouse will then convert the surface information into meaningful data which it then sends to the computer. Laser technology has been the newest technology breakthrough in a computer mouse. They work similar to an optical mouse, but with better results as it can deliver up to 20 times the performance of an optical mouse.

Tags: Contents Insurance, home entertainment, Home Insurance, technology
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Students urged to protect themselves

Tuesday, August 10th, 2010

Next month, new students starting university will take an average of £4,000 worth of belongings with them, making protection against theft essential. Research has found that a third of the value of these possessions will be carried with them when they are out and about. The average student will leave their digs with over £1,300 worth of possessions on them; these will include books, bikes, clothing, laptops, MP3 Players, smart phones, clothing and even cash. Other items that make up the total value of possessions that students take with them to university accommodation include cameras, hair straightener’s, a games console, and a musical instrument.

Vicki O’Connell, spokesperson for the research team, said: “Students are more tech savvy than ever before. Compared to just a few years ago we are seeing a much greater number of smart phones, games consoles and laptops filling students’ rooms. As lifestyles become more mobile the ‘must have’ items become more portable. Our research shows just how easily the value of your possessions accumulates. It’s important to remember that items which are lighter and smaller are also more prone to loss or theft. Our research looked at the possessions of an individual but the value of a household can increase considerably when second and third year student house share and have multiple sets of equipment. We would encourage students not to rely on being covered by their parents’ insurance.”

Modern day higher education makes it a necessity for students to have a range of expensive technology and when moving away from home for the first time will mean taking a lot of expensive items with them. This means it is vital that students take precautions, having cheap home insurance will protect against theft and damage and will give peace of mind and also make sure that they are not left out of pocket.

Tags: Home Insurance, Possessions Insurance, students, university
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A tasty way to start saving the planet

Wednesday, July 21st, 2010

Growing your own food is one of the easiest ways of reducing a carbon footprint. There are not many better feelings than snapping off some leeks, pulling a handful of new potatoes or harvesting green beans from the garden. With money still tight for most people, home gardening is a great way to eat affordable and healthy food, as well as connect with nature and have the joy of watching them grow. Leeks are a very easy vegetable to grow and also one of the mildest tasting vegetables in the onion family. Leeks are known for their long stems and are great when used in soups, stews and casseroles, while lettuce is another easy vegetable to grow, and is very popular with gardeners old and new because within 6 weeks of planting, they can be harvested.

Not since The Good Life was on television has the United Kingdom been planting, sowing and harvesting in such numbers. Many people are very worried about food miles while others want to eat more wholesome organic produce, whatever the reason more and more are choosing to grow their own. It is not surprising then, that sales of vegetable seeds have now overtaken sales of flowers. An important job of being in the garden more is making sure the home is secure; make sure all doors and windows are secure in case any opportunist thieves are in the area. Also if you bring anything valuable out into the garden with you while working, contact your household insurance company to check theft from the garden is covered on the policy.

The good news is that anyone can grow vegetables. It does not matter how big or small the plot size; it can be a window sill or a massive garden. Many are doing organic gardening as a hobby that helps them relax. The organic garden has increased in popularity over the last few years, and even though organic food is very easy to get at all supermarkets, gardeners would rather do it themselves. Organic gardening is very satisfying and is done with the use of no chemical fertilizers no pesticides and no artificial supplements during the growing process. Making the compost is so much more fulfilling than grabbing a bag of chemical fertilizer. It is simply using up garden and kitchen waste material. Use potato and other vegetable peelings; add some rose cuttings which will help with the texture.

Organic gardening can give a good sense of pride even if the only space available is a small patch of land. It is even possible to get the children involved in organic gardening, by encouraging them to have an interest in how the food is made. They are sure to have some fun helping with the making of the compost, planting seeds and trying to think up ideas on how to remove any bugs. But most of all, they will love eating all the delicious food that has come from the organic garden. “

Tags: Garden, Garden Insurance, Growing vegetables, Home Insurance, Home Security, household insurance, Saving Money
Posted in Advice for Tenants, Contents Insurance, Garden, Home Insurance, Home Security, Possessions Insurance, Saving Money | No Comments »

Make room for DVD’s

Thursday, July 8th, 2010

The dawn of the digital era has seen most households acquire more luxury items, thus making cheap household insurance an essential to a great many families. It was not always like that, many years ago the state of the art piece of technology in most homes was the video player. And for those of a certain age, somewhere in the house there will be some big bags or even boxes containing dozens of video tapes. Some of these tapes will be important and have footage of a wedding or birthday party, while others will perhaps have episodes of Quincy or Magnum PI. Whatever the reason the tape was kept for posterity, it is very unlikely it will be on its own. People have hoarded millions.

When the video came out, it was as if the future had arrived. We could record a television programme and watch it at a later date. Everyone thought it could not get any better. Well everyone was wrong, VHS cassettes have gone the same way of the dodo, and they degrade over time due to repeated playing, they are just too big and unwieldy for the digital age. A video is now very tedious to have to use, endless rewinding and fast forwarding, trying to find the exact point on the tape can be exasperating. However, don’t throw away those old cassettes just yet, because we are now in the digital age and it is possible to transfer the entire contents of the tape onto a recordable DVD, which will allow the viewing of VHS movies and old television programmes. A video player is now very hard to get hold of, and the time will come when they will be gone. It is not a difficult job to transfer VHS to DVD, the easiest way is to use a recordable DVD player.

Before starting the journey on this transfer delight, remember these two points. Firstly, shop bought video cassettes of films that have a built-in copyright protection and cannot normally be copied be to a DVD disc. This should not really be a problem as any film that is likely to be on a VHS tape will be available on DVD for a very small sum of money. Secondly, when copying from tape to DVD, the resulting disc will not look as crisp as a newly bought DVDs as the image quality will be slightly compressed

By far the simplest and most efficient way to record a VHS tape over to DVD is to use a combo player with a recordable DVD built in, which will carry equipment for both formats in a single (if rather large) unit. Place the VHS tape in the unit (and set the television to show the VHS option), then press record on the DVD side of the combo just before playing the tape. Then simply let the VHS tape run from the start to the finish and do not stop the tape; if the tape is paused or fast forward put in motion, it will show up on the DVD. When the tape has run through to the end, press stop and check the DVD to see if the transfer was completed successfully.

It is also possible to buy a VHS-DVD burner, which is designed solely to transfer tapes to DVD. These are very easy to connect to a VCR and will convert the tapes much quicker than the combo unit does. If there are a large number of tapes to transfer it is worth thinking about.

Tags: DVD, household insurance
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Caution For Homeowners As Garden Thefts Expected To Rise This Summer.

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

HomeQuoteDirect would like to caution homeowners about the growing threat that they face this summer with garden theft. HomeQuoteDirect would like to ask that homeowners be vigilant this summer with securing their shed and garden items.

Garden theft is a growing problem in the UK. The threat of garden theft is highest between March and August. This summer, it is expected that 3 million Britons will fall victim to garden theft. Unfortunately, many Britons purchase tools and other garden items of value and do nothing to protect their goods from being vulnerable to garden theft.

A common misconception amongst Britons is that they don’t expect to be a victim of theft, as well as being prone to other damage such as vandalism or weathering damage. Some of the most notorious areas for garden theft in the UK are in the north of the UK.

Not all household policies cover garden loss, damage or theft. It is up to the individual to check with their broker to ensure that you have adequate cover for your garden tools, equipment and stored items. HomeQuoteDirect also provides household insurance policies that adequately cover your garden against loss, theft or damage.

Some types of theft and damage that is common include:

•    Garden stripping – whereby people (particularly rogue landscapers) steal and resell plundered assets to unsuspecting clients. Cases can be so extreme that people have returned home to find their entire garden and furnishings removed.
•    Garden property vandalism – People damaging the contents within your garden.
•    Shed contents theft – Whereby people break-in to steal valuable items. (Usually bikes or power tools.)

Common items that are targeted include:

•    Barbecues
•    Bicycles
•    Power tools
•    Garden ornaments (such as garden gnomes)
•    Lawn
•    Furniture

Some precautionary measures that homeowners can take during this summer include:
•    Installing security lighting in your garden to deter thieves.
•    Installing a sensor alarm to alert neighbours or authorities against trespassers.
•    Use a pen or engrave identification onto your valuable goods in case of theft.
•    Improve the secure latching on your shed or valuable items.

It would be ideal to take out a policy on your garden contents. Typically, garden policies will cover:
•    Theft
•    Fire
•    Storm/flood damage
•    Malicious damage
•    Accidental damage
•    Damage by wild animals
•    Branches

You can get with a from HomeQuoteDirect’s household insurance policy will usually provide you with basic garden cover, however you may need to adjust your cover to specific items that is in your garden. The basic garden policy can cover you for up to 15% of your value. Click here to get a quote on household insurance from HomeQuoteDirect.

Image credit : rainvt

Tags: Advice for Tenants, Contents Insurance, Garden, Garden Insurance, Home Insurance
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Home Contents And Personal Possessions Insurance.

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Students that find themselves living away from home during their times of studies often find themselves living in student residences. These are often in student halls of residence or shared accommodation off campus.

Living in these student dwellings usually open the first time student to the responsibilities of being independent and accepting the rewards and risks that come with being away from the family home. Unfortunately, some of those risks involve further risks against your own belongings.

Students should consider purchasing student insurance if they decide to live in a residence away from home to study. Student insurance is a type of insurance policy that will cover the cost of the goods that is owned by the student within their studying residence.

The student home contents and personal possessions insurance policy can cover the contents for a student living away from home either on or off campus. The student is responsible for their own personal belongings and to insure their items are adequately covered against theft, accidental damage and break-ins.

Insuring your belongings whilst you are away from your home can prove invaluable in the case that damage, theft or break-in occurs. Furthermore, policies may also protect the person over a short period of time whilst they are away from their student residence. (Typically over holiday season.)

The following items should be considered for protection when taking out student insurance.

1.    Consumer electronics
2.    Money
3.    Jewelery
4.    Personal Documents

The common items tht are often of high value and should be considered for taking out a policy include:

Electronic goods – these usually hold a high value, making them an ideal theft target. By insuring the electronic goods, you will have a degree of protection for replacing those goods if they are subject to theft, damage or break-ins.

Desktops and Laptop computers
Computers are a popular target for thieves. Laptops are a high value target for theft in a university residence, as they are often valuable and the replacement cost is usually expensive.

Mobile Phones
Mobile phones are also another popular item that is subject to theft in student residences due to their value.
MP3/4 players
Portable players are also another popular item which is usually subject to theft or loss.

Money
If there is money that is within the residence, most policies will cover this up to a certain amount.

Jewelery
Jewelery is typically a popular theft item due to its high value. You should insure valuable items and specify them in your policy.

Personal documents.
Loss of documents such as passports and bank statements can prove costly if lost or stolen. Identity theft is on the increase and the insurance policy can also cover you against this type of theft.

Students can take advantage of the student insurance provided by HomeQuoteDirect to start protecting their belongings when living away from home. Click student insurance to find a policy the right policy for your student residential needs.

Tags: Contents Insurance, Home Insurance, Insurance for Renters, Possessions Insurance, students insurance
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