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A hole new way save on fuel costs

Jul 30th, 2010
by Pauric.
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Potholes are usually a motorist’s worst nightmare – lumps and bumps in the road that are hard to spot and can do serious, costly damage to your car. But soon you could actually be seeking them out as a way to save money!

A ground-breaking new shock absorber which has been developed in American looks set to change the way we view the humble pothole. The ingenious invention, known as ‘GenShocks’, not only absorbs the impact from driving over rough surfaces, it also converts it into electricity.

The power it generates then helps run the many electrical devices in your car, such as your radio, headlights and windscreen wipers. As a result, you use less fuel to power the electrics and save money when you fill up at the petrol station.

So in the not-so-distant future, you could be more worried about avoiding the numerous smooth new motorways and finding alternative bumpier routes to your destination – a good pothole may soon be hard to find.

What once was a money pit could now be the pot(hole) of gold at the end of your motoring rainbow!

Although ‘GenShocks’ will cost slightly more than normal shock absorbers, Levant Power Corporation, the company behind the device, claim the savings it makes will cover the cost of buying it within a year and a half. It will be launched in Europe in 2012.

For more information read the Irish Independent article on this new device or visit Levant Power’s website. Or if you are just interested in finding out more about potholes, then just check out Potholes.ie.

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Motoring.
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Fraud in a time of Recession

Jul 23rd, 2010
by Pauric.
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As Ireland’s recession forces most people to adjust to their changed circumstances, a growing trend in insurance fraud indicates that some are finding other ways to ‘supplement’ their lifestyles. With the country’s top bankers getting to keep their million euro bonus many may feel that they too are entitled to their piece of the action.

Although it is often assumed that people commit fraud for personal gain, the reality can be more complex. Maintaining personal reputation or the avoidance of loss can be strong motivators. As people lose their jobs, the pressure to commit fraud to maintain a lifestyle beyond their reduced means increases.

The Irish Insurance Federation (IIF), the representative body for insurance companies in Ireland, is continuing its effort against insurance fraud. Michael Horan, Non-Life Manager in the IIF believes “there is definitely an increase in claims in the recession”. The number of calls to Insurance Confidential, a hotline run by the IIF where people can anonymously report suspected cases of insurance fraud, had more than doubled in 2009.  There were almost 700 new cases of suspected insurance fraud reported to the Insurance Confidential hotline in 2009 – up from approximately 300 in 2008.  And as the recession continues, the risk of fraud will increase.

The insurance industry really began to focus on fraud prevention and detection about ten years ago. One of the main ways insurers work together in this respect is through Insurance Link, a database used to identify repeat claimants. Nick Starling of the ABI in the UK, adds:  ’Whether claiming against a third party for bogus personal injury or on their own insurance, fraudsters are more likely than ever to get caught, leading to more expensive and harder-to-obtain insurance and credit and the possibility of a criminal record’ .

With the introduction of the most draconian budget in years, more people are likely to find themselves in precarious financial situations. It remains to be seen whether the steps currently being taken to tackle insurance fraud will be enough to deter people from seeing it as an easy way out.

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car insurance, Home insurance, Motoring.
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Don’t lose your bonus….protect it!!

Jul 16th, 2010
by Pauric.
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You have spent a long time – maybe even years trying to earn up it up. It’s valuable to you and helps save you money. So you really don’t want to lose it.

Whether you know it as your No Claims Bonus (NCB) or No Claims Discount (NCD), the discount you get on your car insurance as a result of not having any claims is an important way of giving you cheap car insurance.

AXA offers no claims discount of up to 75% off its insurance rates, something to consider if you are shopping around.

In 1970 Joni Mitchell released the song ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ where she sang the iconic words: “You don’t know what you got til it’s gone”. Words which can just as easily describe your annoyance if you lose your no claims bonus following an accident.

Luckily, with AXA there are some claims you can make which will NOT affect your no claims discount:. Your NCD is not affected if:

  • You have a Fire or Theft claim*
  • You have a Glass breakage claim
  • AXA makes payments for emergency treatment the law says we must pay;
  • AXA makes payments (together with associated costs and expenses) which we later get back in full
  • AXA makes payments for personal belongings or replacement locks.

AXA offers you a ‘step back’ facility – so if you have an accident where only your car is damaged your no claims discount is only stepped back one step on their scale, for example from 60% to 75% no-claims discount.

Even in the event of someone else makes a claim against you (a third party claim), you will only lose part of your discount you have 3 or more years claim free.

You can also decide to pay a little extra to protect your no-claims discount with AXA. Our No-Claims Bonus Protection allows you to make one claim without having any effect on your no-claim discount.

Once you make a claim, your Bonus Protection does not operate for any further claims and you will not qualify for this additional protection for at least three years. If you make a second claim, that claim will affect your no-claims discount.

Although you can protect your no-claim discount, your premium may increase if:

  • you make unreasonably large or excessive claims;
  • you receive motoring convictions; or
  • we decide it is necessary for any other reason

Unique from AXA – A LIFETIME no claims discount! - AXA is the only insurer in Ireland with this amazing cover. AXA automatically give this cover for free to loyal AXA Insurance customers who have had a maximum no claims discount with AXA for 10 years or more, you cannot buy or apply for this cover.

This cover means that AXA will not reduce your no-claim discount no matter how many future claims you have or what type of claim they are. This is unique to AXA and is another great example of how AXA are Redefining / Standards when it comes to car insurance.

(* AXA’s no claims discount works differently on Studentfirst policies – with Studentfirst fire or theft claims affect the level of discount given at renewal and our stepback scale works differently)

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car insurance.
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The benefits of getting older…in terms of car insurance

Jul 7th, 2010
by Pauric.
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I agree with the saying ‘certain things get better with age’. It’s certainly true if you have an AXA car insurance policy, a full licence and are over 22 years old (*terms & conditions may apply). If so, you are probably lucky enough to have a ‘Driving of Other Cars’ cover extension on your policy.

AXA covers most of our customers (aged over 22 years with a full licence or 25 years old with a full or provisional licence) while driving other people’s cars. This means you can drive someone else’s car and automatically have Third Party cover on it (without being a named driver on the owner’s car insurance), as long as you have been given permission to drive the car.*

Here is an example of just how valuable the ‘Driving of Other Cars’ extension could be to you: You are heading away for the weekend with two friends. One of them offers to drive the three of you down the country. Unfortunately over the weekend this friend breaks his arm and isn’t able to drive you all back. But all is not lost – if you have the ‘Driving of Other Cars’ extension on your AXA car insurance policy you could help save the day, hop in your friend’s car and drive you all home – safe in the knowledge that you have Third Party cover.

This cover only applies if you don’t own the car or haven’t hired it under a hire-purchase agreement. The easiest way to check if you have this cover is to have a look at your certificate of insurance – the covers you have are shown in Section 5(b).

Of course, it’s important to understand some of the things the ‘Driving of Other Cars’ extension does not cover. It only applies to private passenger vehicles, and does not cover you to drive..:

  • Vans
  • Car-vans
  • Jeep type vehicles with no seats in the back; or
  • Vans adapted to carry passengers

When you’ve been with AXA for 3 years with comprehensive cover, we will upgrade your Third Party “Driving of Other Cars” cover to Comprehensive “Driving of Other Cars” cover at no extra cost. This means we will cover you to drive someone else’s car on a comprehensive basis, so if you accidentally damage the car, the damage is covered. Obviously certain terms & conditions will apply, so it’s important to look at your policy to see if you have this great benefit. Make sure to check your policy schedule and policy document to find out more. No other insurance company in Ireland offer this type of cover to customers.

(* subject to certain terms and conditions, e.g your occupation, the type of car….)

Brought to you by AXA Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car insurance, Motoring.
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Going on holiday, don’t leave home without..?

Jun 29th, 2010
by Pauric.
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I don’t think there is anything more satisfying than marking up some days off on the work calendar for a well deserved holiday.  You’ve booked the flights and accommodation, you have the time off work, you’ve arranged your travel insurance …….now all that you have to do is pack your bags.

But what must-have items to take? Well, according to a recent survey of holidaymakers in the UK, 56 percent of people heading off to the sun said they’d take some type of food or drink with them. Over a third of holidaymakers packed some tea bags for the trip and a fifth took coffee with them! I’m with the other 17% who always squirrel away some sweets for the journey.

What can you not leave behind? Leave us a comment below with your must-have travel items…

You’ve packed everything you need, you hop on the plane and before long you arrive at your destination airport but your luggage isn’t there to meet you. As anyone who has ever experienced this, it’s an annoying and upsetting start to any holiday and can really crush that feel-good holiday vibe. You think to yourself “Where’s me sweets and me teabags?!!”, but more importantly ‘where’s my clothes and sun-cream?’

Obviously there isn’t much you can do to stop this happening – apart from taking a vacation in your back garden, close to a plentiful supply of Barry’s Tea (which you may well need to heat up in the Irish sun)! But it’s always worthwhile having travel insurance in place. Check our AXA Travel insurance  product which will cover lost luggage up to €4,000.

Bon voyage!!

Related blog-posts: http://blog.axa.ie/category/travel-insurance/

Brought to you by AXA Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Travel Insurance.
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Lower drink driving limit law passed

Jun 28th, 2010
by Pauric.
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New lower drink driving limits will come into force in September 2011 after the Dáil passed a vote on Wednesday. Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey believes this change to the Road Traffic Bill will save lives and reduce injuries on the roads.

The new Bill will reduce the drink-driving limit to 50 mg – the equivalent to one glass of wine or a pint of beer – from the current level of 80mg. Anyone caught driving with a blood alcohol level of between 50 and 80 milligrammes won’t receive a ban from driving but will be landed with a €200 fine and three penalty points. Drivers who break the current 80 milligram limit are automatically banned from driving for a year.

The limit for learner and professional drivers has been cut from 80mg to 20mg.

The new measures will also bring in mandatory breath testing for all drivers involved in serious road accidents and ensure that foreign drivers get penalty points for drink driving.

Publicans have come out against the new law. They claim it would be the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for the pub industry.

AXA welcomes the proposed changes, as they will help save lives and prevent more families having to suffer a horrendous loss.

Read more: http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2010/0625/1224273271224.html 
http://www.rte.ie/news/2010/0624/drink.html

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car insurance, Motoring, Road Safety.
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Hit & Run: 20% would not admit damage to a parked car

Jun 21st, 2010
by Pauric.
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You’ve had a nice shopping trip, picked up a few deals. But your good mood evaporates as you return to find a small dent in the back of your car… Luckily enough you have a comprehensive car insurance to cover this lovely parting gift from a careless driver.

Many of us have had a ‘little tip’ in our time, especially as learners trying to negotiate around tricky car parks.  Would you leave your details if you left a scrape or a dent on someone else’s car?

According to new research, as many as one in five people would not own up if they damaged a parked car…

And if you’re lucky enough to be the proud owner of a hot motor you have more cause for worry than those with older, less pristine versions.  20 percent of the 3,000 motorists questioned in the poll by UK insurance company said their decision whether to leave their details would depend on what kind of car they hit… A meager 1 percent would own up if they hit a fancier car like a Volkswagen Golf GTi.

Of those who were surveyed, almost half had had their own parked car damaged, and only 15 percent of those were left details by the culprit.

Two thirds said they wouldn’t leave their details if they couldn’t see any visible damage on the car they hit – probably by persuading themselves that bang they heard was nothing after all!

Slightly more women (61 percent) would leave their details if they caused visible damage to another car than men (56 percent).

It’s a pity that so many people would walk away if they hit someone else’s car, as, let’s face it, it’s pretty horrible when it happens to you.

The worst culprits seem to be new drivers, under 18 years, as a quarter of them wouldn’t even admit they had caused damage to their friend’s car! The older, wiser drivers over 55 years are a more honest bunch – 94 percent of them would own up, probably because it has happened to them in the past.

Reference: http://www.independent.ie/and-finally/20-would-not-admit-car-damage-2220804.html

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Car Parking, Car insurance, Motoring, Road Safety.
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Windscreen water may cause Legionnaires’ disease

Jun 18th, 2010
by Pauric.
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As many as 20 percent of cases of Legionnaires’ Disease in England and Wales may be caused by windscreen wiper water, according to a new report by the UK Health Protection Agency.

Stagnant, warm water is a breeding ground for the bacteria connected to Legionnaires’ disease. It is possible to contract the disease by inhaling small particles of the contaminated water, but there’s no need to worry too much – fortunately this a rare disease and also it can’t be spread from one person to another.

The researchers found that professional drivers are five times more likely to be infected. You are more at risk if you drive a van, drive with your car window down or often drive through industrial areas. 

But the group of people at highest risk were actually found to be motorists that don’t use windscreen wash in their vehicles. This is because windscreen wash kills the legionella bacterium. As a result, drivers are advised to use screenwash in their wiper water.

So, if you don’t have screenwash in your windscreen washer maybe pick up a bottle in your local supermarket or call into Halfords where you can get a 15% discount if you’re an AXA Insurance customer.

Reference: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/10293519.stm
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/windscreen-water-could-be-legionnaires-disease-risk-1999908.html

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Motoring, Save Money.
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The World Cup is coming – see the bigger picture

Jun 10th, 2010
by Pauric.
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Even though Ireland isn’t in South Africa for the FIFA World Cup, many football lovers are still eagerly anticipating the first match between South Africa and Mexico this Friday 11th June at 3pm (Irish time)

So, us Irish footie fans will just have to dig back into the archives to relive the glory of Italia ‘90, USA ‘94 or Korea/Japan 2002. If you’re like me, you’ll pick a team at the start of the competition and then pin your hopes on them to go all the way (secretly wishing they were Ireland )

Whatever team you pick, try not to get too excited… I have witnessed sofa cushions being flung at TVs after a terrible shot at goals. I’ve also heard tales of shoes and remote controls being thrown in the heat of the moment.

But the thing that really frustrates me during a football match is my actual TV itself. It has definitely seen better days. We’ve been through a lot of quality viewing together but it’s literally been on standby for quite a while now. At least as an AXA customer I can get a 5% discount off* in D.I.D Electrical so I might invest in a new TV this summer. (*terms & conditions may apply).

So it’s goodbye old tv…., hello shiny new full-HD windscreen TV. Here’s to a great World Cup!!

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: AXA Plus, Save Money.
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The power of positive thinking or the power nap?

Jun 4th, 2010
by Pauric.
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Can you catch 40 winks in 20 minutes? Whether it’s the mid afternoon slump or early evening snooze, it’s all the rage. For my old man it was just a sign of, well, becoming an old man. But times have changed. The power nap suddenly has street cred and did you know that it could even save your life…

The RSA reports that driver fatigue could be a contributory factor in 1 in 5 deaths in Ireland. Can you imagine the horrific impact here? Your body is limp and asleep and therefore you make no last second evasive move. Just bang and the lights go out for good.

The only way to combat this fatigue is not to drive when you’re feeling knackered. It’s common sense really. But common sense is often left behind in amongst the carnage after people lumber into their cars after a bad night’s sleep or a tough day in the office.

And if you are out on the road, with nobody to take over the wheel, bear in mind that the old tricks of winding down the window, turning up the radio or even stopping to stretch your legs are all good ideas that might momentarily perk you up but eventually the eye lids will pick up an unbearable weight again.

The only thing to do is to stop at a safe place, lock your doors and windows and have a strong cup of coffee. It takes at least 20 minutes for the caffeine to kick in, so try to pack in a power nap. Any longer and you might wake up groggy. This is still not ideal by any stretch of the imagination. But the alternative is a nightmare you might never wake from.

With the June bank holiday almost upon us, the roads will be a dangerous and busy place over the weekend. So it’s great to see the RSA and Topaz once again promoting their ‘Driver Reviver’ campaign’. Free coffee will be available at over 100 outlets on this Friday so please avail of the service if you’re planning a long road trip (terms & conditions may apply).

AXA urges everyone to please take care on Irish roads this June bank holiday weekend – arrive home safely.

Brought to you by AXA Car Insurance Ireland

Posted in: Motoring, Road Safety.
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