Your bank balance

Although horse insurance premiums may be on the rise due to rising vet fees, without the insurance plan, you may be forced to spend up to thousands of pounds in bills and sometimes compensation. It is important to check policies thoroughly as some insurers place cap limits for operations and other medical procedures.

A business

If you are the owner of an equine business such as riding school then insurance should be one of your biggest concerns. If an adult or child is in risk of injury whilst in your care, you will be charged with hefty compensation bills and could face prosecution. From slow donkey rides to lessons and courses for experienced riders, a policy should be in place to protect your horses and customers. Some third party liability insurance can amount in the region of £1 million. This may sound like a steep figure; however, the price of an accident can vastly exceed this sum. This is why some insurers recommend that you pay up to £3 million in third party cover.

Losing your horse

Without adequate insurance, you may risk losing your horse if you cannot afford to pay the bills for its care. This can be a distressing situation to you and your family and can be catastrophic for a business. The situation can then be made worse as the costs associated with the death of a horse can leave you even more in debt. Look online at a range of policies including E & L Horse Insurance to avoid this unnecessary situation.  

Your own health

Insurance doesn’t just help your horse and other riders; it can also help with costs if you get injured whilst riding. If you are planning to do a spot of horse riding either at home or abroad, you should invest in riders insurance to cover the cost of private medical bills, lost or damaged equipment and vet bills. A policy can also cover the costs of any child tuition fees if they cannot attend a class due to injury. Anyone between the ages of 5 and 75 can claim so protect you and your family from costly and distressing situations now.

• Used or new? – Is the craft borrowed, or new? This could mean a lot to insurers, who may deem the quality of the craft questionable if it’s an old rust-bucket, as opposed to a brand new yatch.
• How can I save? – The best thing to do is go on a Personal Watercraft Course (or PWC), in order to prove yourself as an adequate sailor. This will help save on premiums in the long run. There are also several different policies and exclusions for each different type of watercraft. Jet-ski insurance, for instance, may only cover you by a limited distance between you and the shore. And remember, it’s only the craft that’s insured. Items such as wet suits, life vests and emergency telephones have to be covered on another policy, such as contents insurance.
• What am I going to use it for? – There are many reasons to buy a boat in terms of investment, whether financial or personal. Of the many differences in policies, for instance, Yatch insurance may or may not include racing. Also whether you’re covered in only British waters, or abroad. You normally need to declare that others will use your craft, especially those under 21. As mentioned above, if it’s your family then it’s best to get them qualified with a PWC.

When buying a policy it’s best to check for exclusions, especially to do with theft exclusions, as there are many differences between policy holders. Otherwise, if you’re all set, then happy sailing!

Business cover

The level of insurance you need will vary depending on how you intend to use your van. If you wish to use your vehicle for business purposes, you will need to get business cover. If you need to make a claim and you’ve not got the proper cover, your policy will be invalid. It’s therefore highly important that you tell insurers exactly how to use your vehicle.

Repairs

If you do intend to use your vehicle for business purposes, getting an insurance policy that will provide you with a replacement vehicle or offer quick repairs will ensure that your work is not interrupted by any sort of misfortune.

Changes to the law

With recent changes to the law that force insurers to treat both genders as equal, prices are now the same for everyone. Traditionally, men have been charged more than women. However, prices for men have dropped slightly due to this legislation, meaning you should definitely check how much a new policy will cost.

If your renewal is still a few months away, it may be worth cancelling early (bear in mind you may have to pay leaving fees and this could impact on your No Claim Discount).

Contents

For those of you who rely on using expensive equipment for work purposes, you’ll no doubt want the contents of your vehicle to be covered. Thieves target business vehicles for the goods they know are stored in the vehicle. Not having adequate insurance could therefore leave you completely unprotected and liable to cover the losses yourself.

Payment methods

In order to get the best possible price on your van insurance, be sure that you pay the cost in full. Monthly insurance payments are deceivingly expensive, as insurers lend you the full cost and make you repay the interest on a monthly basis, costing you significantly more than had you paid outright. As with all contracts, read the small print before accepting any offer.

Hunt around

Finding the right insurance is all about finding the appropriate level of cover, for the right price. In order to find cheap van insurance you need to do some thorough hunting and research. Pick up the phone to insurance companies to discuss the best deals available. This way you can compare insurance policies on a like-for-like basis and ensure you get a policy that suits you.

Many people considering suing the NHS might worry that the medical professional who was responsible for the negligence will face disciplinary action. Often, however, this will not happen and this needn’t be a concern. Moreover, some critics argue that it is unethical and morally wrong to sue the NHS. Nevertheless, if a patient suffers injury due to the fault and negligence of a medical professional who should be ensuring patients’ safety and wellbeing, then surely it is right that the patient is able to claim reparation for the wrongs and injustices they have suffered.

If you have been a victim of negligence and substandard care at the hands of medical professionals, then you may be thinking about suing the NHS and claiming compensation. The team of medical negligence experts at Bolt Burdon Kemp solicitors have a great deal of experience bringing claims against the NHS for a variety of mistakes and incidents including misdiagnosis of cancer, failure to provide treatment and birth injuries. Their team of professionals are experienced dealing with sensitive issues and will compassionately and sympathetically progress your claim.

The aim of compensation is to put a victim back into the position they would have been in if the negligent treatment or mistake had not occurred. Compensation can be recovered for injury and suffering and also for financial losses resulting from being unable to work or the costs of treatment. Solicitors at Bolt Burdon Kemp, at www.boltburdonkemp.co.uk, can recover compensation for their clients on a no win no fee basis and they fully understand the aftercare and rehabilitation which may be required after an accident or injury.

The particulars of a full coverage policy can often be difficult to comprehend, especially for new and inexperienced motorists. What is important is for a driver to understand what each service within a policy is for and whether it is right for them or not. Selecting the right services can be what separates an expensive policy from one that is reasonably priced. It is normal for motorists to want to be as protected as possible, but adding extra features will also increase their monthly premiums, so this is something that they must consider. A balance between the two is necessary in order to find a fair price for your needs.

Liability Coverage

Liability coverage is something that not only full coverage insurance policies must have, but all policies for that matter. It is the minimum amount of protection required in every US state. It is used to cover expenses done to a third party when a driver causes an accident. These expenses include medical bills for injuries, as well as repairs and replacements for property damage. In certain situations, legal expenses are also included in this coverage should the accident lead to a lawsuit.

Collision Coverage

Damage done to the at-fault driver’s property is not included in liability coverage. This is handled by collision coverage. Obviously, the most common expenses will be repairs and replacements necessary on the motorist’s vehicle. There will be certain limits to the amount of money that can be obtained for repairs this way. Each policy comes with a predetermined amount of coverage and, needless to say, a higher limit results in a higher premium. This limit extends not only to collision coverage, but to all services included in the car insurance policy. At the same time, the repairs done to the automobile must also not exceed the market value of the vehicle since, in those cases, the car is replaced altogether (if the policy limit will allow it, of course).

Comprehensive Coverage

Comprehensive coverage is the last form of coverage included in all full coverage policies and it involves repairs for damage sustained to a vehicle when it is stationary or otherwise not involved in a collision. Most common examples include violent acts of nature such as tornadoes and torrential rains, as well as random acts such as falling tree branches. Comprehensive coverage also takes care of costs in the eventuality of theft or vandalism.

Some states require their policies to include additional services in order to be considered full coverage. In other cases, the insurers simply choose to add more features in order to make their policies more appealing. While certain drivers will enjoy the extra services, others will want to keep their policies minimal in order to save money. Other possible features include towing services, gap insurance, free rental services, lease payoff coverage, roadside assistance coverage and personal injury protection.

You can access an entertaining video series that illustrates how the different types of coverage included in a full coverage insurance policy work here. The videos in the series are an excellent way to introduce new and young drivers to the basics of auto insurance.

http://www.cheapfullcoverageautoinsurance.com

Most drivers even understand that their car insurance rates also vary depending on where they live, but many are surprised to find out just how large the discrepancy is between states. CheapestCarInsuranceInCalifornia.com performed a study that revealed just what the monthly average cost for automobile insurance is in each state and the results were very telling.

Louisiana had the dubious honor of being named the state with the most expensive car insurance at $165 per month, followed by, in order: Michigan with $150, Georgia with $119, Oklahoma with $112 and Montana with $101 to round up the Top 5 and also the only states where the average climbed into the triple digits.

At the other end of the spectrum were the states with the cheapest monthly average, in descending order: Ohio with $33, New Hampshire with $32, North Carolina with $30, Iowa with $26 and the cheapest state to insure an automobile in, Maine, with only $19. The study performed by CheapestCarInsuranceInCalifornia.com can be viewed in its entirety here.

As it is plain to see, certain motorists can expect to pay a lot more on insurance simply because of where they drive. Why are some states are so much more expensive than others when it comes to car insurance? The answer usually has to do with the particular insurance laws that are applicable on a state by state basis. The second-most expensive state in that list, for example, Michigan, has guaranteed unlimited and lifetime PIP coverage for car accidents. Michigan is the only state to provide such a guarantee with insurance policies, where the insurance providers must pay the first $500,000 in medical bills and the rest is covered by the Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association. This also means that each insurance policy comes with an association assessment that is automatically included in the costs.

Louisiana has various reasons for ranking as the state with the most expensive car insurance. The biggest issue is the abnormally high number of claims made for bodily injuries resulted in car accidents. Often this is due to claims being filed that are fraudulent. Louisiana also has a law that sends all automotive accident-related lawsuits under the sum of $50,000 before an elected judge instead of a jury and the insurance companies claim that the judges have a tendency of siding with the consumers regardless of who is at fault.

Another reason why certain states have costly insurance policies is their high level of urbanization. Big cities are almost always flowing with heavy traffic and the chances for an accident climb substantially. The number of cars in such states is also greater and it stands to reason that more claims will be filed in these states. These are two reasons that keeps California among some of the most expensive states to purchase car insurance.

Alternatively, states with cheap insurance still have large rural landscapes with underdeveloped road systems where heavy traffic is not an issue. Other states, such as Maine, also have more advanced licensing requirements in place that apply certain restrictions on young, inexperienced drivers. These type of drivers are one of the main causes of road accidents, making Maine’s strict licensing policies one of the main reasons they can offer the cheapest automobile insurance in the United States.

Risks with medical treatments  

The issue of sub-standard medical care has been the subject of recent press attention following the public inquiry into the poor standards of care identified at Mid Staffordshire hospital.

However, problems have also occured at GPs’ practices, in nurse’s rooms, at dentists and many other healthcare facilities. There are few medical treatments that can be considered risk-free, and if medical professionals responsible for treatments fail to provide a good standard of care while carrying them out, the chances of something going wrong may be significantly increased. 

 What is medical negligence?

Medical or clinical negligence is the term used for incidents in which a patient has been injured or death has occurred as the result of sub-standard care from a medical professional.

Examples of clinical negligence may include:

• making a mistake during surgery
• making an incorrect diagnosis
• prescribing the wrong medication or an incorrect dosage
• failing to provide necessary treatment
• failing to obtain consent for providing a treatment
• failing to advise about the risks of treatment carried out.   

Medical professionals may include:

• GPs
• Private doctors
• Surgeons
• Nurses
• Dentists
• Midwives
• Osteopaths
• Mental health professionals
• Opticians
• Ambulance teams.

 Medical negligence claims  

If you have been hurt as a result of medical treatment that was negligent, you may be able to make a claim for compensation.

There were 13,761 medical negligence claims made against NHS trusts between April 2011 and April 2012, according to figures from the NHS litigation Authority (NHS LA).

Claims have been for sub-standard medical care that has resulted in:

• Birth injuries to infants
• Still births
• Injuries during surgery or procedures
• Contractions of MRSA and other infections
• Damage or pain from anaesthetic errors
• Psychiatric problems
• Effects from neglect

Your rights

If it can be proved that you or a member of your family has suffered medical negligence you have a right to claim against the medical professional responsible.

Claims should be made within three years of the medical negligence occurring, or from the time you first had knowledge that malpractice had occurred. Exceptions may be made for claims for children, or patients that have suffered mental incapacity.

You should receive compensation relative to the extent of the injuries and pain suffered and the consequences, and to help recover any financial expenses you incurred. These may be related to loss of income, the cost of resulting medical conditions and prescriptions, care costs and legal expenses.

 Making a claim

 Personal injury solicitors can help you understand if you have a case for a claim. Choose a member of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers to find a suitable solicitor with the necessary accreditations and specialist expertise.

Yacht Insurance: Don’t Get that Sinking Feeling

Buying a boat is often a hefty financial commitment and you would never make such a commitment on other commodities without ensuring they were fully protected; boats and yachts are no different. According to a report in the Telegraph, more and more people are seeking a bit of freedom out on the open waves but experts are warning of the importance of taking out boat insurance on any vessel you wish to purchase in order to ensure it is covered in the event of an accident or damage. Boat insurance is not something to take lightly, you need to seek expert advice from companies specialising in yacht insurance. Boat insurance from Towergate and other specialists can ensure you find an insurance policy to suit you.

Getting Your Sea Legs – Yacht Surveys

 According to the report in the Telegraph, the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) stresses the importance of getting a marine consultant to carry out a boat survey for anyone thinking of purchasing a yacht. The very nature of boat travel means that vessels are susceptible to damage and general wear and tear, which is why a yacht survey and boat insurance are an imperative step when making a purchase. Speaking to the Telegraph, Mandy Peters of RYA states, “With regard to a second-hand boat, the onus is completely on the buyer to ensure that the boat he or she is buying is in a satisfactory condition, or that they are fully aware of the condition of the boat, prior to completing the sale.” This just goes to show the importance of a boat survey as a marine consultant will be able to spot any flaws in a vessel’s structure and give advice on the costs of repair. Should anything go awry with your second hand boat, yacht insurance will be there to cover you.

Boat Safety – Better Safe Than Sorry

Safety should be of paramount importance when taking any vessel out to sea; which is why, particularly if you’re a relative newcomer to sailing, you should take out boat insurance to ensure that any vessel that you purchase doesn’t leave you with any nasty surprises lying in store. The cost of yacht insurance will often depend on the size of your yacht, its current value, where it is docked and where you choose to sail it.

Exchanging information

While being involved in a road traffic accident can be a traumatic experience, it’s important to regain your composure as soon as possible. When involved in an accident, you are legally obliged to exchange certain pieces of information with the other driver. This is extremely helpful, especially if the other driver is at fault and you plan to pursue a claim against him or her.

After a road traffic accident, give your vehicle registration number, name, address and telephone number to the other driver involved in the incident. If, for some reason, it is not possible to exchange this information at the scene, the accident must be reported to police as soon as possible, within the next 24 hours.  

Establishing liability

In some cases, it may be obvious who is at fault for the traffic accident in question. This is not always the case however and that’s when insurance claims can become fraught with difficulty.

If there is no immediate admittance of fault from either party, it’s important to collect as much evidence as possible from the scene. As well as taking down information about the other driver, take down the names, addresses and telephone numbers of any eye witnesses to the accident, while also considering taking photographs with your camera phone.

The golden rule is to simply collect as much relevant information as possible before leaving the scene. While there may be no admission of guilt from the other driver, this evidence could prove extremely useful when your insurance company is investigating the claim.

Complications

Pursuing an injury or insurance claim for damage caused to either you or your vehicle is not a straightforward process; even if there is an admission of guilt from the other party, cases can really drag on. If you sustain a personal injury during a traffic accident, for example, the other driver is legally obliged to produce a valid insurance certificate.

If they refuse to however, or flee the scene, then you must pursue other means of obtaining this information. In such a scenario, taking the vehicle registration number is critical. This number can be handed over to police, who can trace the vehicle and insurance company on your behalf. This is not always an issue which is resolved quickly however.   

 Pursuing your claim

If a person does not respond to a claim letter which holds them liable for damages that occurred as a result of their negligence, there are a couple of options for pursuing your claim.

If you have fully comprehensive insurance, your insurance company will pursue the claim on your behalf. If you have no insurance, or only have third party insurance however, your best course of action may be to pursue the claim for yourself. This is when engaging a firm, such as Injury Lawyers 4U, could be your best course of action.

Allowing fully qualified professionals to manage your claim will help to ensure that you receive all the compensation that you rightfully deserve if you’ve suffered an accident that was not your fault.

It is prudent for a teenager to buy life insurance since the premiums for the term of the insurance policy can be fixed at a much lower rate. This means that the insured person can benefit from much cheaper insurance. Insurance companies package insurance products for specific age groups to cater for the different risk profiles and needs of different categories of people in those age groups. Even if teenagers do not purchase age-group tailored insurance, there is an advantage to insuring earlier with more standard policies, which is that the premiums paid will be lower and can be locked in for the entire term.

That said, most teenagers do not have the earning power nor the ability to sustain a consistent income that many older adults have. This means that adult life insurance policies with expensive or even average premium costs can be prohibitive for teenagers. Closure of many term life insurance policies due to defaulting on payments or for other reasons can result in the loss of the premiums paid, as the majority of policies cannot be ‘cashed out’.

Although there are a few term life insurance policies marketed specifically to teens, most often a quote is generated for teenagers as it is for other adults. Insurance companies use a process called underwriting to determine the level of risk associated with the individual insurance buyer. This level of risk is based upon such things as national statistical averages for mortality and disease, statistics about rates of injury and accident, the age of the individual, their health, and other facts about their demographic and person.

All life insurance in Australia is now term life insurance. Term life insurance policies are available to provide cover in the event of lost income (called income protection), in the event of serious temporary debilitating injury or illness (trauma term life insurance), and to provide more permanent protection in the case of permanent and total disability due to disease or injury. Young people who have a good level of general fitness have different risk levels for things like chronic diseases and heart attack: generally speaking they are much lower than for older individuals. This means that a different combination of income protection, trauma and other life insurance sub-types will be suitable for teenagers than for older adults. Nevertheless, some thought should be given to the future and some notice taken of some rather morbid statistics in establishing even shorter term life insurance.

Initially, it may be advisable to focus on income protection and trauma insurance to cover for such things as sporting and industrial accidents. However, other contingencies should be considered as the individual moves into their 30s and 40s, when such things as chronic diseases are more prevalent.

Policies for shorter terms tend to be cheaper. This means that for teenagers in good health but with limited incomes and perhaps some income instability, a shorter term life insurance plan is probably a better option. When all of these factors are taken into account, it becomes clear that insurance policy costs are governed by health as much as by age. Age is taken to be an indicator of health status. However, provable good health has a two-fold effect: it diminishes the likelihood that one will ever need to use an insurance policy, and any policy that one does buy will be cheaper. Avoiding smoking, unhealthy foods, and lack of exercise come highly recommended for all ages.