Author Archives: AIB

Things Just Got Bigger!

Expansion AIB Insurance has been in operation for over 20 years during which time we have grown in so many ways. For instance, we have progressively increased the number of insurance partners on our extensive panel providing our valued personal and business customers with access to a larger, more comprehensive range of insurance products resulting in them having a greater opportunity to obtain competitively priced, quality insurance cover.

This has resulted in a significant increase in the number of customers that we look after on a daily basis. That meant it has been necessary to recruit additional staff to provide our bigger customer base with the outstanding level of service that they have come to expect from us. You only have to take a look at our News section where we introduce our clients and business partners to our carefully selected newly appointed staff members to see what we mean.

Of course, those new staff and the additional office furniture and equipment that they needed have taken up more space meaning that we were outgrowing our current accommodation and required further room. As a result, we are pleased to inform you that we have been able to increase our office space but without having to move from our current location as the premises next door became available and we have signed a new lease.

At the present time, we are having building works carried out around us such as the removal of walls between both sets of offices to create one large premises. We will retain our current address. When the works are completed, we will have doubled the floor area that will also have the capacity to comfortably cope with our anticipated steady growth in the future.

We would just like to take this opportunity to thank our clients, insurer partners, advertising and marketing friends as well as our staff for bearing with us during the alterations. We can assure you all that it is “business as usual” here at AIB Insurance so feel free to continue to give us a call or pop into the office to discuss your insurance requirements.

AIB Sponsors The Hymer Owners Club’s Tea Urn

For some time, here at AIB Insurance we have been arranging competitive insurance for a number of Hymer Owners club members on their Hymer motorhomes and campervans. This includes cover for both modern and classic vehicles.

Well, you may be interested to read that our relationship has grown even stronger as we are pleased to inform you that we have agreed to sponsor the Hymer Owners Club’s tea urn. This means that members have access to the likes of a traditional cup or mug of English Breakfast tea or perhaps a cup of caffeine-free tea that may help bring out someone’s inner tranquilit-tea whilst at the club perhaps whilst exchanging stories about their recent holiday in a Hymer motorhome. After all, it is thought that avid drinkers of tea can be rather chat-tea.

We love to arrange insurance cover on RV’s, motorhomes and campervans that come in a variety of shapes, sizes and ages. So, if you are the proud owner of a brand new Hymer motorhome, a second hand or classic one, a fully converted vehicle, a DIY conversion or a professional conversion then why not get in touch with us on 02380 268351.

A member of our team will then happily arrange to obtain one or more quotations from our panel of specialist insurers for your consideration without any obligation on your part. As with most types of insurance, there are many providers of motorhome insurance but, dare we say, some of them are not everybody’s cup of tea. However, our experienced staff should be able to brew up one that is ideal for you. You will be pleased to hear that we are usually able to cover most drivers – even some of the naught-tea ones!

We look forward to hearing from you.

Rare Classic 1930’s Motorcycle Sold At Auction

This 1933 Matchless Model B Silver Hawk 593 cc classic motorbike with the registration number YD6392 was one of only 500 that were sold between 1931 and 1935. Furthermore, it is believed that only around 60 of these wonderful bikes are in existence today making it a rather rare motorcycle.

It is interesting to note that, back in 1933, brand new Matchless Model B Silver Hawk 593 cc motorbikes sold for the princely sum of £72. When production ceased four years later in 1935 you would have had to pay a little more for a new one as they had gone up in price to £79 – an increase of £7.

Well, earlier this month, this motorbike was offered for sale through auctioneers Dee Atkinson & Harrison at an auction in Driffield, East Yorkshire. It was sold for the sum of £43,000 – a substantial increase in value.

This vintage motorcycle had a number of owners from March 1933 when it was registered in Taunton, Somerset to Mr AC Thomason. There is a gap in its ownership history until 1949 when it was bought by Mr E Randall from Bexley, Kent. In 1954 it was sold to Mr R Hooker residing in Crayford, Kent. In 1957 it was purchased by Mr PF Smith-Stafford. Up until then the motorcycle had been registered as a Sidecar Bicycle but later that year its registration was changed to it being a Bicycle. Following Mr Smith-Stafford’s death in 2009 the Silver Hawk motorcycle was sold at a Bonhams auction in Harrogate, North Yorkshire to Mr D Law who lived in Hull achieving a sale price of £28,000.

Whilst in Mr Hull’s possession, restoration work commenced on the motorbike but, unfortunately, he passed away whilst this work was underway. A Mr P Autherson took over the restoration project. Having completed the work the Silver Hawk was then auctioned achieving the figure stated above.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have insured many classic vehicles. So, if your cover is shortly due to be renewed or you require insurance for a new classic vehicle why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with a member of our experienced staff.

Cruise Critic Publishes UK Cruisers’ Choice Awards

If you are interested in taking to the high seas for a holiday on a cruise liner then you may find it of interest to visit the website of CruiseCritic.co.uk that has recently published details of the winning ships in their UK Cruisers’ Choice Awards for 2017.

The awards are based upon reviews carried out by a number of people going on cruises in 2016 and cover cruise liners that can accommodate 2,000 or more passengers (Large Ship), 1,200 to 1,999 passengers (Mid-Size Ship) and 1,199 passengers or less (Small Ship).

Below are some of the awards: –

In the Large Ship size, Celebrity Cruises vessel called Celebrity Reflection won the awards for Best Overall, Best for Value and Best for Cabins. Best for Public Rooms and Best for Service were won by Celebrity Silhouette.

In the Mid-Size Ship size, Oceania Cruises vessel called Riviera did particularly well winning six of the awards – Best Overall, Best for Service, Best for Dining, Best for Cabins, Best for Embarkation and Best for Public Rooms.

In the Small Ship size, Viking Ocean Cruises did well. Viking Star won the top awards for Best Overall, Best for Public Rooms, Best for Value, Best for Embarkation and Best for Service. Viking Sea won the top awards for Best for Fitness and Recreation, Best for Cabins and Best for Entertainment.

The Best for First Timers award was won by Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas that is a large ship. The Best for Families award was won by Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas that is also a large ship.

As well as publishing reviews from holidaymakers about cruises they have gone on, Cruise Critic provides other information about cruises. So, as well as doing other research, you may find the website of assistance in helping select a cruise that you feel is suitable for you.

Of course, if you are considering a cruise, you will no doubt wish to make sure that you have suitable travel insurance in place. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with a member of our friendly, knowledgeable team about such cover.

Traffic On Roads In Great Britain Has Been Increasing

Bearing in mind the number of occasions that we get delayed in our cars, vans and HGVs due to a traffic jam, perhaps caused by road works or an accident, it probably does not come as a surprise to motorists to hear that the volume of traffic on our roads increased in 2016. This is borne out by the Department for Transport Provisional Road Traffic Estimates Great Britain: January 2016 – December 2016 Statistical Release of the 9th February 2017 from which we highlight below some of the interesting data.

In 2016, it is estimated that motor vehicles covered a distance of 320.5 billion vehicle miles on our road network in Great Britain with this being a record. It is an increase of 1.2% when compared with 2015 so there has been a significant rise in the space of twelve months. When compared with 5 years ago the number of vehicle miles has gone up by 5.5%.

The distance travelled by cars and taxis last year is estimated at 249.5 billion vehicle miles with this being an increase of 0.7% when compared with the previous year.

The distance travelled by HGVs in 2016 is estimated at 17.1 billion vehicle miles with this being a rise of 2.8% in comparison to 2015.

The distance travelled by vans last year is estimated at 48.5 billion vehicle miles with this being an increase of 3.4% when compared with the previous year.

The volume of rolling annual motor vehicle traffic in Great Britain has increased by 5.5% from the year ending December 2013.

The data for the type of roads that these miles were conducted on last year reveal that 67.9 billion miles were on motorways with this being an increase of 2.1% in twelve months, 93.6 billion miles on Rural “A” Roads with this being a rise of 2.5% in a year, 50.2 billion miles on Urban “A” Roads – an increase of 1.1% in twelve months, 44.2 billion miles on Rural Minor Roads with this being a drop of 0.6% and 64.6 billion miles on Urban Minor Roads – a drop of 0.3%.

The reasons why there has been an increase in road traffic in the last three years could be due to the likes of average fuel prices falling during part of the period resulting in more people perhaps going out for the day, a rise in the population and an improvement in the economy.

“Peel and Steal” – Van Owners Beware!

If you are the owner of a van then you may be interested to read that a number of such vehicles have been broken into by thieves without the use of any tools. Apparently some vans are being broken into by one or more persons by using their fingers and knees to partly peel down either the rear or side doors that gain access into the back of the vehicle where the likes of tools are often stored.

This type of break in is referred to as either “peel and steal” or “peel and seek” and is happening on quite a regular basis.

Once the door has been partially peeled open the thief is then able to shine a torch into the rear of the van to check if there is anything in the vehicle worth stealing. If there is then they will do what is necessary to gain access. As you are no doubt aware, tradespeople regularly carry very expensive tools and equipment as well as supplies of stock that may have a value of several thousand pounds.

Van owners may wish to get some advice about whether there are any additional security measures that they can take to reduce the possibility of being broken into in this way. If it is practical and safe to do so, they may also wish to consider parking their van in such a way that the doors referred to above cannot easily be opened by a thief. Manufacturers of vans are no doubt aware of the problem and, if necessary, are hopefully looking into ways to make their vans more secure.

Here at AIB Insurance we are able to provide our customers with competitive quotations for their van insurance from an extensive panel of insurers. So why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with a member of our team.

Skydivers Jump Over “Island of Love”

What did you do on Valentine’s Day? – take your partner out for a romantic meal, book a day at an exclusive spa with a few treatments included or perhaps go to the theatre or cinema? However, we suspect that not too many of you skydived over a heart shaped island!

Well that is exactly what three skydivers did on Valentine’s Day this year. The island is question, whose real name is Galesnjak, is known as the “Island of Love” because it really is heart shaped. It is located off the coast of Croatia and is beautiful. It is uninhabited and the only way that you can get to it is by boat – either by renting one or getting on a boat that makes a stop their. The owner of the island receives many requests from couples who would love to get married on the island.

The three people making the jump were from the Red Bull Skydive Team and are called Marco Furst, Amy Chmelecki and Marco Waltenspiel. Amy Chmelecki, who has made in excess of 16,000 skydives, unfortunately lost her skydiving equipment but a local skydiving team actually lent her some equipment enabling her to complete the jump.

The three skydivers, having jumped from the plane, got into a formation with the person in the centre and at the point of the formation having smoke come out of an attachment to one of their legs creating the shape of Cupid’s arrow. The weather was good considering it was winter time but it could not have been easy for Amy Chmelecki as she did not use her own equipment although she still completed the skydive without anything untoward happening.

Well done to those taking part who have no doubt increased the awareness of people around the world about the island. Perhaps this will give one or two of our skydiving clients an idea for Valentine’s Day next year!

If you are planning a skydiving trip abroad then why not get in touch with us here at AIB Insurance on 02380 268 351 and discuss your travel/skydiving insurance requirements with a member of our experienced team.

AIB Introduce Danny To The Team!

We are delighted to announce Daniel Denton joining our team in Eastleigh as one of our Insurance Consultants.

Danny has a wide range of insurance knowledge having previously worked for insurance broker, Swinton Insurance, before moving to a car leasing firm in 2015.

“As far as Insurance is concerned this is my dream job, talking about fast cars and motorcycles all day what could be better” Danny said.

Danny who lives locally is a keen motorcycle rider with a vast knowledge of motorcycle maintenance and repairs. His true love is his Aprilla RSV 1000 motorcycle, he has a cat with one eye called Jeffery and loves most German beers.

AIB spokesperson, Bethany Hepworth, said “We are delighted to have another great addition to our team in Eastleigh. Danny has a fantastic professional relationship with both clients and underwriters ensuring he gets the best rates possible, something we pride ourselves with here at AIB”.

Increase In Motorhome Registrations

Those of you who enjoy holidaying in a motorhome or are considering buying one may be interested to read that they would appear to be growing in popularity here in the UK. According to the National Caravan Council (NCC), the number of motorhomes that were registered in 2016 amounted to 12,332. This is a significant increase in comparison to 2015 when 10,572 motorhomes were registered.

The increase is being put down to the huge selection of campervans and motorhomes that can be purchased. People from a variety of walks of life are now taking to the roads in one of them whether it is for a short break or a longer holiday. No doubt one of the appeals is that those people owning a motorhome can decide at very short notice to take off in the vehicle if the weather is particularly pleasant and enjoy two or three nights away here in the UK or spend a few days longer across the English Channel touring in Europe.

Interestingly, approved NCC dealers are finding that more and more owners of motorhomes are using their vehicles throughout the year. This is being put down to motorhomes having improved heating systems, better insulation to keep the heat in and the fact that more caravan parks stay open for a longer time in the year.

For those people who are thinking of buying a motorhome but are unsure if they will enjoy this type of holiday they may wish to consider hiring one to get a taste for it before committing to what could be a significant investment There is an extensive selection of motorhomes to hire whether your preference is for an up to date luxury model that comes equipped with numerous mod cons or a classic VW campervan that has been well maintained.

If you are considering purchasing a motorhome or campervan then you may be interested to know that here at AIB Insurance we have many years experience of helping to arrange quality insurance on such vehicles providing our customers with complete peace of mind. So, if you would welcome a competitive quotation why not speak with a friendly, knowledgeable member of our team on 02380 268 351.

Race Retro Classic Car Sale 2017

If you are interested in buying a classic car then you may wish to get along to the above auction that is scheduled to take place on the 25th and 26th February 2017 with viewing also being available on the 24th February. The event is happening at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry so is centrally located in the UK.

There are so many classic vehicles available such as: –

1965 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 4.2 Roadster – this has a 6 cylinder 4,200 cc engine that has been in the hands of the present owner since 1996. It has been well used but has also been well looked after. It has an estimated price of £80,000 to £100,000.

1966 Volkswagen Beetle – with less than 18,000 miles on the clock this is certainly a low mileage classic car that has also been serviced until 2010. Its bodywork is in Java Green. It has never been restored but is said to be in almost its original condition. It has an estimated price of £15,000 to £20,000.

1970 Aston Martin DBS 6 Vantage – this is powered by a 6 cylinder 4,000 cc engine that was capable of reaching 0 to 60mph in 7.1 seconds as it reached a top speed of 141mph. The bodywork is in Olive Green and the car is said to be in its original condition. The estimated sale price is £115,000 to £130,000.

1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GT – this has a 6 cylinder 2,418cc engine. It has had a number of owners with the current one having bought it in January 1995 when it had a little over 30.500 miles on the clock. It has not done many miles since then as it currently reads 34,935. The vehicle has had a considerable amount of work undertaken on it with documents available to support this. This quality Ferrari Dino 246 GT is a rare model that has an estimated price of £300,000 to £350,000.

1963 Jaguar Mark 11 3.8 Manual Overdrive – this is the 6 cylinder 3,781cc engine model that just happened to be the world’s fastest saloon car when it was first produced. Its bodywork is in Carmen Red and it has wire wheels. It was actually transported to South Africa in November 1963. It has an estimated price of £24,000 to £28,000.

There are many other classic cars for sale at the above auction details of which you can find on the website of Silverstone Auctions so why not take a look.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have many years experience in arranging classic car insurance from an extensive panel of insurers. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and let us provide you with a competitive quotation without any obligation.