News

Flying Car Crosses The English Channel

Pegasus There are numerous ways to travel from France to England that involve crossing the English Channel such as by ferry, plane, helicopter, Eurostar on a high speed train or having your car transported through the Channel Tunnel. There may be some of you that have made the trip in a hot air balloon or a paraglider but has anyone seen a flying car make the journey?

Well, that is exactly what happened in the last few days. A French pilot by the name of Bruno Vezzoli has safely completed a 59 kilometre flight from Ambleteuse that is located a few kilometres south west of Calais and landed in a village not too far from Dover in a flying car called Pegasus.

The name Pegasus was no doubt chosen as, in Greek Mythology, there was a white winged stallion by that name. The vehicle looks a bit like a beach buggy with a motor, paragliding propeller and extremely large parachute. Quite simply, it appears to be a powered paraglider but you are actually sitting inside the buggy. As a result, this no doubt results in the conditions being a little more pleasant than normal for the pilot.

The biggest concern was probably if Bruno Vezzoli had to make an emergency landing whilst crossing the English Channel and ended up in the water. Therefore, some sea rescue equipment was stored on board but we are pleased to be able to confirm that fortunately they were not required.

The air-borne vehicle is capable of traveling at a speed of as much as 80 kmph so it did not take too long to complete the trip. So, we would just like to say well done to this intrepid gentleman.

Here at AIB Insurance we have many years experience in arranging quality and bespoke, cover for many airborne sports. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with one of the team to discuss your requirements and obtain a free, no-obligation quotation.

Introducing Our Newest Team Member – Steve Hambleton

Airsports Insurance Bureau are delighted to announce Steve Hambleton joining our ranks as one of our High Net Worth & Niche Specialist Consultants.

Based in our Eastleigh office, Steve, has over 20 years’ experience working within the insurance industry. Initially working as a broker for Bennetts Insurance in Southampton he moved to insurer Aviva, dealing with high profile and unusual claims. Steve returned to broking and managed a team at JLT dealing with high net worth clients before moving on to his most recent role at Ageas as an Account Manager for a large UK based charity.

Steve has an excellent understanding of both Personal and Commercial client’s needs and everything in between and said: “When talking to Darren I instantly knew the opportunity at AIB was the right fit for me and a fantastic opportunity to grow my expertise and knowledge whilst working for a progressive and customer focused business. It’s an exciting and dynamic place to work and a great vibrant atmosphere, I’m really enjoying the new, fresh environment”.

AIB Director Darren Nangle said: “Another great addition to our team in Eastleigh and Steve will hit the ground running with his enthusiasm and transferable skills, he will help further expand our client bank and offer exceptional customer service levels to our new and existing clients. We wish him the best of luck and have high hopes for a long and mutually beneficially career”

Aston Villa supporter Steve lives locally in Southampton and has a fear of spiders and zombies. He loves playing the guitar, considers himself a film buff and his claim to fame is he once met Geoffrey from Rainbow!

Rare Camper Van To Be Auctioned

If you are an enthusiastic VW camper van collector then you may wish to get along to Classic Car Auctions June Sale on the 9th and 10 June at the Warwickshire Exhibition Centre. The reason is that a rare classic 1959 Volkswagen 23-Window ‘Devon’ Camper Van with a 1.6 litre engine is going to be auctioned and there may well be an awful lot of interest in this particular vehicle.

It is described on the website of Classic Car Auctions as “The “Holy Grail” of VW campers.”

Having been built in Germany all those years ago, it was transported to South Africa where it remained until 2005 at which point it was brought over to the UK. It is right hand drive that, in itself, is unusual. It has been restored to the highest standards over a three-year period here in the UK. The owner just happens to be a cabinet maker and he restored the interior using original parts where necessary. It must have been quite an achievement to source such parts bearing in mind the rarity of this classic vehicle.

No doubt whilst it was in South Africa it was used for some delightful holiday breaks in a lovely warm climate. Let us hope that the new owner is able to enjoy taking his or her family on numerous holidays in whichever country the new buyer lives as well as trips overseas.

It has an estimated price of £45,000 to £55,000.

Here at AIB Insurance, over many years, we have arranged tailor made competitive insurance cover on numerous camper vans and motorhomes. So, if you would like such a quote then why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak to a friendly, knowledgeable member of the team who will discuss your requirements and obtain a quotation from our extensive panel of quality insurers.

Four World Record Attempts In Wingsuit

Fraser Corsan from the UK is an experienced wingsuit pilot who has made around 1,300 wingsuit jumps. He is attempting to break not one but four world records in respect of this airsport as well as raising a significant sum of money for the armed forces charity known as ssafa.

His first attempt at breaking the world records was scheduled to take place on the 22 May but weather conditions meant that the aircraft he was to jump from could only get to 33,000 feet. Unfortunately, that was less than the current world record.

Another jump was scheduled to take place in Ontario Canada before the end of May but this time he will jump from a hot air balloon from in excess of 40,000 feet. At the time of writing, the weather has not been kind to Mr Corsan so the date of the second attempt is not certain.

The four wingsuit jump records he will hopefully attempt to break are for the highest altitude, the fastest speed, the longest time and the furthest distance.

The current record for the highest altitude is 37,265 feet. He hopes to jump from more than 40,000 feet where the temperature could be as low as between -50 degrees centigrade to -70 degrees centigrade. Aircraft fly at around 36,000 feet. At the moment, the highest speed is 234 mph and Mr Corsan hopes to reach 250 mph. The current Guinness world record for the longest time flown is 9 minutes and 6 seconds and Mr Corsan is going to attempt to stay airborne for 10 minutes. The furthest distance flown so far by someone in a wingsuit is 19.01 miles. He is going to try to travel a distance of 20 miles.

We are sure that our readers who participate in airsports will agree that it would be a remarkable set of achievements if Mr Corsan were to break all four world records in a wingsuit. No doubt you will join us in wishing him the very best and a safe landing.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have been arranging insurance cover for a huge variety of airsports through our extensive panel of insurance companies for many years. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with a knowledgeable member of our team to discuss your requirements and obtain a competitive quote without any obligation.

ABTA Travel Trends Report 2017 – An Interesting Read

The ABTA Travel Trends Report 2017 provides some interesting information about the travel industry including a review of 2016, what the prospects are for the industry in 2017 and some destinations that are worth keeping an eye on. Below we highlight some of what the report covers but you can view the full report on the abta.com website.

What happened in 2016?

In 2016, there was a rise in the number of people in Britain going away on holiday with a 7% increase in the year to September of last year in comparison to the previous 12 months. Also, individuals were taking more holidays. Interestingly, British holidaymakers were not jetting off on as many holidays on the beach but the number of breaks to cities rose.

Places like Turkey and Tunisia saw the number of holidaymakers drop due to safety concerns. Countries that benefitted included Portugal, Spain and Cyprus that saw increases in numbers of 23%, 20% and 17% respectively.

Another interesting statistic was that 53% of people enjoyed a package holiday with this being in excess of 10% more than back in 2011.

In 2016, there was a significant increase in the number of domestic holidays in comparison to 2015. In 2015, 64% of holidays taken by British people were domestic ones but in 2016 this had increased to 71%.

Prospects for 2017

It was forecast that this year there would be a rise in the number of people choosing an all-inclusive holiday. In 2016, 18% of holidaymakers enjoyed such a holiday yet it has been predicted that in 2017 25% of people intended to enjoy such a holiday.

More people are expected to take long haul city breaks visiting such cities as Dubai, Cape Town, Los Angeles, Washington, Tokyo and New York to name but some.

There is expected to be an increase in the number of people enjoying adventure holidays such as horse riding expeditions and kayaking.

Possible Destinations

There are many wonderful holiday destinations around the world. One or more of the likes of Bermuda, Croatia, Andalucia, Vietnam, Sardinia, Chile, USA or South Africa may appeal for varying reasons. For instance, Andalucía for the warm climate and South Africa for the exchange rate.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have arranged holiday insurance for a huge number of people whether it is for a short break to the likes of Venice or an all inclusive holiday in the South of France. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 to discuss your requirements and obtain a competitive quotation.

Car Insurance Premiums Continue To Increase

According to the Confused.com Car Insurance Price Index that is produced in association with Willis Towers Watson, motorists will be disappointed to read that, in the first quarter of 2017, fully comprehensive car insurance premiums rose. This has been a trend for quite some time and it remains to be seen when it will end.

Such premiums have increased by an average of 16% in the 12 months to 31st March 2017. In monetary terms, this equates to an average rise of £110 per annum that is no small sum. In fact, there has been an average increase of 2% per annum in the first quarter of this year with this equating to an extra £14 per annum. The cost of providing such cover at the end of the first quarter of 2017 had reached an average of £781 per annum.

Regrettably, every UK region saw an increase in premiums over a period of 12 months with the biggest percentage rise being in the Scottish Islands and Highlands that saw a rise of 21%. The Scottish Borders saw an increase of 19% but, interestingly, premiums in that region are still the lowest in the UK averaging £547 per annum.

Those motorists living in Inner London have seen their fully comprehensive car insurance premiums increase by an average of £174 per annum to £1,260 per annum in the 12 months to 31st March of this year. That equates to a rise of 16%. The South West saw an annual rise of 15% although in the first quarter of 2017 the average premium in that region actually dropped by £1 per annum.

It is 66 year olds who have been subjected to the largest percentage increase with car insurance premiums going up by 23% in the last 12 months. The lowest increase in percentage terms was for 18 year olds who saw their premiums rise by an average of 9% although it is that age group who pay more for their motor insurance than anyone else with premiums being an average of £2,164 per annum.

With the cost of covering your car going up it is important that you shop around for a competitive deal. In that respect, why not speak to one of our experienced members of staff on 02380 268 351. AIB Insurance has access to an extensive panel of insurers and can help arrange cover on various makes and models of vehicle.

Classic Tractor Breaks UK Auction Record

Last month Cheffins Cambridge Vintage Sale took place at which a classic tractor was sold for £86,100 with this being a record price at an auction here in the UK. The vehicle in question was a Matbro Mastiff built in 1963 and had a guide price of £40,000 that it significantly exceeded.

The above sale included vintage and classic motorbikes, tractors, cars and steam engines and, by the end of the day, in excess of £2 million of such vehicles had been auctioned. Several thousand people attended from various countries around the world no doubt creating competitive bidding.

There were also a number of other classic vehicles that achieved record prices such as the £63,000 that was paid for a David Brown crawler tractor dating as far back as 1957.
There were also some interesting classic cars sold including a Rolls Royce 25/30 Light Tourer built in 1936 that went for £35,700 as well as a Mini Cooper MK1 built in 1966 that achieved a sale price of £14,700.
There were also some wonderful classic motorbikes for sale including a Scott Super Squirrel built in 1927 that achieved a sale price of £9, 396. An AJS Model 499cc manufactured in 1938 went for £11,340. There was obviously a great deal of interest as 92% of motorcycles were sold for in excess of their guide prices.

Classic steam engines were also a feature in the auction with two John Fowler Ploughing Engines that were constructed in 1918 achieving a total price of £147,000.

There is obviously a great deal of interest from around the world in classic vehicles of various types including the likes of steam engines, tractors, motorcycles and cars. Let us hope that this interest continues for many, many years.

If you are looking to insure your classic vehicle then why not get in touch with us so that we can discuss your requirements and seek to obtain a competitive quotation for your consideration.

40% Of Landlords Are Women

Landlords may like to set aside some time to read the Simple Landlords Insurance – Women in Property Report 2017 with 500 tenants and 400 landlords participating in the survey. The report contains many interesting statistics one of which is that around 40% of landlords here in the UK are now women.

Compare this with the fact that in the region of 17% of women are owners of business then the percentage of women that are landlords rather stands out. So, what are some of the differences in relation to male and female landlords?

Although the main reason why men and women invest in property is to generate monthly income, females were more likely to do so than men. A larger percentage of men invest for capital growth.

When a new tenant moves into a rental property women landlords are much more likely to speak to them than men. The same applies when the tenant moves out. However, there are a slightly greater percentage of women landlords who never personally speak to their tenants in comparison to male landlords.

Women landlords are more likely to rent to people that are on housing benefits as well as students, those people that have retired and single employed people than male landlords. Male landlords are more likely to rent to family tenants than female landlords are.

Most tenants did not mind whether their landlord was male or female. However, 15% of male tenants preferred a landlord that was male and 11% of females preferred a female landlord.

Female landlords were more likely to have a smaller portfolio of investment properties (1 to 2 properties) than men. Male landlords were more likely to have a larger portfolio of properties (3 to 10 plus properties) than female landlords.

Women landlords were less likely than their male counterparts to have bought an investment property to let out with the assistance of a buy-to-let mortgage. More women owned their investment properties outright than male landlords.

It is interesting that women landlords were more confident about the year ahead than male landlords in respect of their investment property portfolios.

More information can be found in the above report that may prove of interest to both male and female landlords.

If you are a landlord then why not get in touch with us here at AIB Insurance on 02380 268 351 and we will be happy to discuss your insurance requirements and obtain quotations from our extensive panel of insurers.

Auction Of 1966 Aston Martin Barn Find

Classic Aston Martin DB6’s do not become available for sale at an auction too often but it is rarer still to come across one that is a “barn find”. Well, if you are an Aston Martin fan then now may be your chance to own one.

This is because, a right hand drive 1966 Aston Martin DB6 with an automatic gear box is being auctioned by Stacey’s Auctioneers and Valuers on the 7th May 2017 at the Essex Classic Car Auctions. Despite requiring full restoration work, it has an estimated sale price of £180,000 to £220,000.

Apparently, twenty-five years ago, this classic, sought after vehicle was placed in a barn having had its engine removed with a view to painting the bodywork. However, the car remained in the barn until recently and is now available for sale. It is reported that the instruments inside the car are still in situ and the lighting and chrome work on the outside of the vehicle are said to be in place. The engine is still there albeit it will not be firmly attached.

It would appear that whoever may decide to buy this rare classic car is going to have to spend some time restoring it or pay someone else to do the work. Hopefully, it will not be too long before it is restored to its former glory and is in perfect working order as there are few sounds that beat the engine noise of an Aston Martin.

Here at AIB Insurance, we have insured many classic cars including a significant number of highly valuable ones. So, if you are looking to insure a classic vehicle why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with one of our experienced members of staff who will discuss your requirements and provide a bespoke quotation without any obligation on your part.

Tandem Skydiving World Record Attempt By 101 Year Old

Skydiving is not for the faint hearted as jumping from a plane at heights of several thousand feet could prove stressful for some people. Well, at the tender age of 101, that does not appear to concern Bryson William Verndun Hayes who likes to be called Verndun.

This brave Second World war veteran plans to do a tandem skydive on the 13th May at Skydive Buzz near Honiton in Devon. Supporting him and making the jump will be several members of his family as well as his doctor.

Apparently, he had wanted to skydive when he was 90 but his family persuaded him otherwise. However, this is not the first time that he has been skydiving as Verdun currently holds the British record for the oldest person to do a tandem skydive from 10,000 feet which he achieved in 2016 when he was 100 years of age and thoroughly enjoyed the thrilling experience. If he is successful on the 13th May he will hold the world record for being the world’s oldest tandem skydiver jumping from 10,000 feet taking the record from a Canadian who was a few days younger than Verndun when setting the record in 2013.

No doubt our many skydiving clients will join us here at AIB Insurance in wishing Verndun good luck for his very special day and that he has a wonderful experience and a safe landing.

Any monies raised by Verndum are for the benefit of the Royal British Legion.

If you do participate in skydiving or another extreme airsport then why not get in touch with us on 02380 268 351 to discuss your insurance requirements without any obligation. We have many years experience in arranging such tailored cover from an extensive panel of insurers for a competitive premium. We look forward to hearing from you.