Tag Archives: insurance

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.

Chancellor Announces Another Increase In Insurance Premium Tax (IPT)

Many of you will be aware that most general insurance policy premiums are subject to Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) at 10%. The sort of policies this applies to include the likes of, motor, home, private health insurance and pet insurance.

That’s all about to change as the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Autumn Statement of a few days ago that this tax was being increased by 2% to 12% with effect from the 1st June 2017. This will be the third time this tax has been increased since November 2015. On the 1st November last year IPT went up from 6% to 9.5% – a rise of 3.5% and then it increased by 0.5% to 10% on the 1st October 2016.

This means that, if you are currently paying say £500 per annum for your motor insurance, say £400 per annum for your home insurance, say £300 per annum for your pet insurance and say £1,000 per annum for your private health cover then you would see your total premiums for these policies increase by £44 per annum which, if you pay monthly, means that you would have to find an extra £3.66 per month. This increase would exceed the forecast saving of £40 per annum that motorists may make if certain changes proposed by the Government were made to how whiplash claims are dealt with as referred to in our news article of the 17th November 2016.

This announcement has not gone down well with many in the insurance industry including the Association of British Insurers (ABI) that is concerned how hard it will hit some people. Of course, this increase will particularly affect those who are paying the highest premiums for their cover such as young drivers and motorists living in some inner city areas. Unfortunately, this rise may result in more uninsured drivers on our roads.

The ABI estimate that in excess of 50 million policies will be affected by this increase. Apparently, in Europe, the UK will have the 6th largest rate for IPT. It is estimated that by 2018/2019 Insurance Premium Tax will add around £6 billion to the Government’s “coffers”. The 20% IPT rate used for what some consider to be luxury insurance products including travel insurance, mechanical/electrical appliances insurance and even spacecraft insurance has remained unchanged.

The government will argue that the general cost of IPT throughout Europe is 19% but this does not take into account that the average motor insurance premium paid by UK’s drivers is significantly higher to begin with. In fact, the UK has the fourth most expensive average motor insurance premium in the world (behind the US, Austria and Germany).

It is to be hoped that this announcement does not encourage some policyholders to cancel any of their insurance policies as they no doubt provide valuable cover. In the case of motor insurance, it is a legal requirement that motorised vehicles are insured unless they are kept off the public road system and declared SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification).

Here at AIB Insurance, whilst we can obviously do nothing to prevent this increase in IPT, we will continue as we always have done to endeavour to provide our customers with competitive quotations for their insurance policies from the extensive panel of insurers at our disposal.

AIB teams up with Tansar on motor products

Airsports Insurance Bureau Limited are pleased to announce that Tansar Insurance has joined our panel of insurer partners.

Tansar are a specialist motor underwriting agency able to write a variety of the UK’s motor products. Some of those products include non-standard car and van insurance, specialist vehicles such as motorhomes or kit cars, motor cycles and high and mid net worth cars. They offer a wide range of benefits across all their products ranging from new vehicle replacement to personal accident benefits.

AIB Spokesperson Leah Burt commented: “We have known the management team at Tansar for many years and share the same passion for providing expertise and a true commitment to customer service and product provision. We are looking forward to forging a mutually beneficial, profitable relationship for our ever growing client bank to enjoy.”

To find out more about our new partner Tansar, visit the following link: http://www.tansar.co.uk/

Peugeot 205 GTI Sold At Auction For World Record Price

If you were old enough to drive a car in the 1980’s and early 1990’s and took a fancy to fast sports hatchbacks then it is almost certain that you will be familiar with the Peugeot 205 GTI. The 1.6 litre version was launched in 1984 and was later followed by the more powerful 1.9 litre engine.

One of the reasons why it no doubt appealed to some people was because of the speed produced by its powerful 126 bhp engine. It was capable of getting from 0 to 60 mph in an impressive 7.6 seconds and had a top speed of 125 mph.

You may be interested and some may perhaps be surprised to read that an F registered 1989 Peugeot 205 1.9 GTI with an estimate of between £18,000 to £22,000 was sold at The Silverstone Classic Sale 2016 that recently took place for £30,938 which was a world record for that make and model. That is quite a bit higher than its estimated sale price.

The silver metallic car was bought brand new by its only owner on the 8th May 1989 for £10,001.93. It has done a mere 7,986 miles as, not long after buying the vehicle, the owner’s employer provided him with a company car so it only tended to be used over the summer period. The car was laid up for a lengthy period between June 2004 and February 2012. The car is in wonderful condition throughout so much so that, apparently, nobody has ever sat in the back of it. The half-leather seats are two-tone and the interior is in immaculate condition. The ash tray and cigarette lighter have never been used.

There may be a number of other modern classic cars from the 1980’s and 1990’s that would make good investments and achieve excellent prices at auction.

If you are looking to insure your classic car, either from the modern era or one from back in the 1930’s, then why not get in touch with us here at AIB Insurance on 02380 268 351 and speak with a member of our team who will gladly obtain a quotation for classic car insurance for you to consider without any obligation.

Introducing Our Newest Team Member – Jenna Stronach

Airsports Insurance Bureau is delighted to announce strengthening our Eastleigh team further with the appointment of experienced insurance professional, Jenna Stronach.

Jenna has many years’ experience within the insurance industry working both sides of the insurer and broker fence with her most recent position at as a Personal Injury & Litigation Claims Negotiator at Ageas. She joins our busy team where she will deal with every aspect of an expanding, predominantly high net worth personal lines insurance broker, including motor, travel, home and commercial insurance.

A delighted Jenna said:” I am really pleased that I have been successful and given the opportunity to return to the broker environment, especially with such a fast growing, positive company like AIB. I look forward to a long and prosperous career with the business and continuing to develop the high net worth motor and home book.

At AIB we pride ourselves on the quality of our staff and the professional relationships we are able to build with clients and insurer partners alike. We encourage our team to reach their full potential and give them the tools and resources for a rewarding career in a satisfying but demanding environment. If you are interested in a position with us please send your CV and accompanying letter to info@www.aib-insurance.co.uk

Jenna lives locally in Southampton and has a fear of raccoons and cats. She loves foreign travelling and has just returned from an extensive tour of Asia. A childhood fact about Jenna is when she was growing up she used to tell people she had a nut allergy, as she thought it made herself sound more interesting!

Good luck Jenna and welcome on board!

Which Car Will Win The “What Car? Car Of The Year Awards 2016”

There are so many makes and models of cars available to buy in the UK that it is often difficult for the motorist to make the right choice. Many of you will have read reviews of vehicles carried out by What Car? and some will have used these to help in deciding on a particular vehicle.

Well, in January, What Car? in Association with Warranty Direct will announce the winner of their prestigious Car of the Year Awards 2016. A long list of 138 cars have been fortunate to be nominated for this award with 21 of the cars being manufactured in the UK. Apparently, those that are on the list have only been placed there because they have met strict criteria.

The cars have been put into various categories – city car, small car, family car, electric car, coupe, estate car, MPV, hot hatch, convertible, small SUV, large SUV, compact executive car, large executive car, sports car, and luxury car. There is also a safety award as well as a reader award.

Some of the cars in the city car category include the Fiat 500 and Vauxhall Viva. The small car category includes vehicles like the Audi A1 and Mini Cooper 5dr. The family car category includes cars like the Skoda Octavia and Ford Focus. The electric car category includes vehicles such as the Audi A3 e-tron and the VW Passat GTE. Within the coupe category you will find cars like the Bentley Continental GT and Seat Leon SC. The estate car category includes many vehicles including the Ford Mondeo and BMW 3 Series Touring.

The MPV category includes cars like the Ford C-Max and Seat Alhambra. In the Hot hatches category you will find cars such as the Ford Fiesta ST and Honda Civic. The convertible category includes the likes of the Citreon DS3 Cabriolet and Fiat 500C.

The small SUV category incudes cars like the Nishan Qashqai and the Renault Kadjar. The large SUV category includes vehicles such as the Audi Q7 and the Volvo XC90.

Within the compact executive car category you will find cars such as the DS 5 and the BMW 3 Series. The large executive car category includes vehicles like the Audi A7 Sportback and the Porsche Panamera.

The sports car category includes cars like the McLaren 570S and the Mercedes-Benz AMG GT. The luxury car category includes the likes of the Jaguar XJ and the Rolls-Royce Ghost 11.

Those featuring in the safety award category include such vehicles as the Audi A4 and the Honda Jazz. Within the reader category there are cars like the Alfa Romeo Giulia and the Toyota Prius.

The full list can be found on the What Car? website.

AIB Christmas Opening Times

We would like to wish all our clients a very merry Christmas and a happy new year. Our opening hours over the festive period are:

Thursday 24th December – 9-12 noon
Christmas Day – CLOSED
Boxing Day – CLOSED
27th December – CLOSED
Monday 28th December – CLOSED
Tuesday 29th December – 9am-5.30pm
Wednesday 30th December – 9am-5.30pm
Thursday 31st December (New Years Eve) – 9am-5.30pm
Friday 1st January 2015 – CLOSED
Saturday 2nd January – 9-12 noon

Going Skiing This Winter? – What To Take With You.

It will not be long before the winter season is upon us. For those of you that enjoy skiing you may be looking forward to a week or two holidaying in a delightful ski resort either in the likes of a country in Europe such as France or Italy or perhaps further afield in Canada or the USA.

Whether you are an experienced off-piste skier or are planning your first skiing expedition on the more sedate nursery slopes there are a variety of things that you will want to bring with you. Some of the items you will take on any overseas holiday but some are exclusive to being required on a specialist skiing holiday.

To avoid the embarrassment of discovering that you have forgotten to bring one or more items with you, we thought that you would find the following list of things to pack a useful document to refer to when packing your suitcase.

Essential Holiday “Documents”

• Passport/Visa.
• Airline/train/coach tickets
• Debit and credit cards plus cash
• Driving license if you are going to be hiring a car or driving your own vehicle
• Holiday accommodation details including directions/map
• Travel Insurance to include winter sports cover
• Ski hire details

Ski Clothing

• Waterproof ski trousers, jacket and gloves
• Ski socks
• Hat
• Fleeces
• Thermal trousers and tops
• Goggles and sunglasses
• Neck warmer

Ski Equipment

• Skis and poles
• Ski boots
• Helmet
• Water bottle
• Rucksack
• Probe, shovel and transceiver for off-piste skiing

General Clothing

• Underwear
• Fleece/jumper
• T-shirt
• Trousers/jeans
• Socks
• Gloves
• Coat/jacket
• Scarf
• Boots/shoes
• Nightwear
• Swimwear

Sundries
• Toiletries including makeup
• Sun protection
• Mobile phone/charger/overseas plug adaptor
• Reading materials
• Chocolate bars
• Medicines
• iPad
• Camera
• Wrist/knee/ankle supports
• Snow chains for those of you driving a vehicle
• Hand and boot warmers

We do hope that the above list takes the strain out of deciding what to pack to take on your skiing holiday and avoids the embarrassment of forgetting to bring something important with you. Why not print the list and use it to tick off the items as you pack them.

Whilst most people will enjoy a trouble free skiing holiday there are some that will be unfortunate to have their break shortened due to suffering an accident on the ski slopes. Should you be one of the unlucky ones, it is important that you have suitable travel insurance in place to cover most mishaps. In this respect, here at AIB Insurance, we can arrange extremely competitive high quality winter sports cover to give you peace of mind. So, why not give one of our experienced team a call on 02380 268 351 and we will be pleased to discuss your travel insurance requirements.

Introducing Lydia Price – Our Newest Team Member

We are delighted to announce Lydia as our latest successful applicant to join the ranks of Airsports Insurance Bureau this month as part of our on-going apprenticeship scheme within our Eastleigh office.

The role will see Lydia gain extensive knowledge in all aspects of a busy, fast paced, expanding insurance brokers.

At AIB we pride ourselves on the quality of our staff are and the personal relationships we’re able to build with our clients and our insurer partners. We will encourage our apprentices to reach their full potential and give them the tools and resources to gain a professional qualification.

Lydia said: “I am very pleased that I have been offered the position to join AIB and am really excited about being part of their growth plans. I look forward to gaining my qualifications and developing a long term career as well as playing my part in a successful organisation.”

Lydia is partly Australian, an accomplished dancer, lives locally in Hedge End and has a cat called Miss Thomas. She is excellent on a trampoline; however, even Lydia is not perfect as she is a huge Harry Styles of One Direction fan!

So, how does the apprenticeship work and for how long?

The apprenticeships scheme runs for 12 months and is a full time position, 35 hours per week. Lydia will email and telephone clients and insurers, file, deal with post, data entry, answer the telephone as well as general office duties. As Lydia develops her role will develop too and she will learn travel, home, motor, liability and landlords insurance too.

Like other apprentices, Lydia will be assigned an experienced Assessor who will visit her 3-4 working days after the start date to carry out a full induction. The assesor will run through everything with Lydia regarding the training programme and how it works. The tutor will then visit every 2-3 weeks throughout the 12 months for feedback and coursework settings.

The apprentices are initially employed with us for a 12 month period and after this period will normally be offered a full time permanent position within the company or the opportunity to continue studies further.

What are the Qualifications?

The Apprentice gains an NVQ level 2/3 qualification in Business Administration or IT.
We continue to look for talented, enthusiastic individuals who have a desire to work within the insurance industry and if you feel you are the right candidate, please enail us your CV to info@www.aib-insurance.co.uk

Lotus Festival Fun

The 2014 Lotus Festival is in it’s 7th year for the event and despite a couple of very brief showers (!) the day went very well for all involved at Brands Hatch. With an on the day official presence from Lotus Cars, displaying their current range including an Pewter Grey Evora SR, Exige S V6 coupe and Roadster and Elise Club Racer along with Lotus Motorsport who attended with the full carbon bodied Evora GTE we last saw in Geneva in 2012, the $1m T125 track car, Elise Cup R and Evora GT4. Classic Team Lotus didn’t disappoint with a selection of cars showing of the race team livery over the years with a green and yellow Type 32B as driven Jim Clark, the Gold Leaf Type 49B which Graham Hill won the Monaco GP driving in 1968 and 1969, JPS Type 79 and Camel Type 99T which was the last car Team Lotus won a GP with in the hands of Ayrton Senna in 1987.
The trade village, which this year was 50% bigger than the previous event reported a brisk day and car clubs were all packed out with terrific examples of their chosen niche. On track, there were demo’s of some classic F1 cars including the Lotus 101 and Micheal Schumacher’s Benneton 109B among others. The LoTRDC racing was eventful and enjoyable and we’re pleased to report than Marcus Jewell, who had a significant off on the GP circuit was released from the Medical Center and seen walking around the paddock later in the day.This story has been provided by our friends at www.thelotusforums.com and artwork courtesy of www.nineteen80one.com