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QuotesOnlineHow to keep your home secureYoui is a home and motor insurer which has embraced the growing need of online users with online insurance products aimed at people who are comfortable transacting via the internet. Youi is also focused on educating and assisting its customers with information. Besides just offering home insurance, Youi has put together a list of how to keep your house secure and avoid risks. Here is Youi’s10 ways to keep your home safe:1. See your house through the eyes of a potential burglar. Can you see any entry points? What looks insecure? Any way of climbing to an access point? Old screen doors that don’t lock properly? How about the back yard? Be patient with this check, because you need to do a complete examination of the premises. 2. Door locks. Get a deadbolt or safety chain for your door so you can see who’s there before you open it fully. These locks are easy to install. They look like hard targets to burglars. A combination of a chain and deadbolt will generally be enough to prevent access through the doors. 3. Window locks. There are many different varieties of window locks.Window locks can be as good as door locks, and the internal locking systems, particularly with multiple locks, are difficult to access from the outside. 4. Security lighting. Sensors can detect movement and flood the area with light.These lights are basically magnesium lights triggered by motion sensors. They’re a natural warning system as well as a deterrent, and extremely popular. 5. ‘Fake’ security cameras and sensors. Fake cameras and sensors are very difficult to spot.. Another benefit is that they suggest that there’s more security inside, a further deterrent. 6. Educating children on stranger danger. This is good training for home security. If kids know to be suspicious of strangers, they’ll definitely pay more attention to anyone hanging around the house. 7. Sliding doors. If you have ranch-sliders or glass sliding doors or windows, a length of wood will jam it closed and keep it that way. Sliding doors are strong and have good locks. If they’re shut in place, there’s no way of levering them open from the doorway. A simple piece of wood jammed against the wall and the sliding door will prevent opening. 8. Spare keys. Try not to leave spare keys on your property.Try and keep the spares in a place which is itself secure, where you can get them when you need them, like in a locked box in another locked area. 9. The lights are on but nobody’s home. Give the illusion that you’re home.It’s hard to be sure there’s nobody home with the lights on. Some special security fittings will even turn on and off TVs, stereos and lights. 10. A guard dog. A huge deterrent for any potential burglar.A guard dog is more trouble than any intruder needs. Professionally trained guard dogs aren’t excitable or vicious. They’re alert and effective. They do their jobs very efficiently, and usually scare off intruders very easily. For added peace of mind and some financial security, check out your options for comprehensive home and contents insurance.
Youi 10 Tips For Keeping Your Home Secure
September 7th, 2010Real Insurance remains focused
September 2nd, 2010
Real Insurance’s new CEO Clive Mendes, an international insurance veteran, commented about his appointment, “I am honoured to be handed the reins by Roger Grobler. This is a business that, in a short period, has made a big impact on the Australian insurance industry and a business that has been at the forefront of numerous innovative changes which have been very well received by customers.”
“I intend building on this platform moving forward and my focus will primarily be on three key areas: (1) A continued and intensified drive around truly exceptional customer relations and service; (2) finetuning our processes to allow us to offer even lower-cost insurance premiums for those customers who are careful and prudent and who, therefore, represent a low insurance risk, and; (3) delivering new or improved, good-value, innovative products at our customary affordable prices.
“I am intent on continuing Roger’s vision of building a world-class business that exhibits not only unparalleled operating excellence and customer satisfaction but also leadership and innovation across the industry.”
Real Insurance Chairman Roger Grobler said, “I have spent six years living, eating and breathing this business 24 hours. I am now ready to shift my focus to a more strategic role for Real as well as the broader Hollard group and in the process help identify new opportunities for both businesses.”
“I believe that Clive’s international experience and his strengths are well suited to the business at this stage in its lifecycle.In one year here he has shown what he can bring to this company and I am delighted to have someone of his calibre to take the business forward.”
He is the former CEO of Royal Insurance’s Italian direct insurance operation and was Group Strategy Director of Royal & Sun Alliance in the UK. At 23 years old, Mendes was the youngest country manager in the history of the Royal Insurance Group when he was appointed to a General Manager role in the Bahrain office. He later went on to manage the Lisbon, Portugal Branch Office. After founding Royal Insurance in Italy, he took on Europe-wide responsibility for Personal Financial Services including Motor and Household insurance before, in 2002, becoming Group Strategy Director of Royal & SunAlliance plc based in London. A multi-linguist, Mr Mendes studied Languages at Glasgow University, Business Administration at Edinburgh University and has a BA from the Open University.
Real Insurance, backed by Hollard Insurance and part of the Hollard Group of companies, set up in Australia five years ago. The company has been responsible for a number of industry firsts including the “Real Bonus” – the 10% cash back to policyholders after three years if they haven’t had a claim – and the introduction of Pay-As-You-Drive motor insurance which they claim has fundamentally changed the motor insurance landscape in Australia.
Real Insurance remains focused
Real Insurance’s new CEO Clive Mendes, an international insurance veteran, commented about his appointment, “I am honoured to be handed the reins by Roger Grobler. This is a business that, in a short period, has made a big impact on the Australian insurance industry and a business that has been at the forefront of numerous innovative changes which have been very well received by customers.”
“I intend building on this platform moving forward and my focus will primarily be on three key areas: (1) A continued and intensified drive around truly exceptional customer relations and service; (2) finetuning our processes to allow us to offer even lower-cost insurance premiums for those customers who are careful and prudent and who, therefore, represent a low insurance risk, and; (3) delivering new or improved, good-value, innovative products at our customary affordable prices.
“I am intent on continuing Roger’s vision of building a world-class business that exhibits not only unparalleled operating excellence and customer satisfaction but also leadership and innovation across the industry.”
Real Insurance Chairman Roger Grobler said, “I have spent six years living, eating and breathing this business 24 hours. I am now ready to shift my focus to a more strategic role for Real as well as the broader Hollard group and in the process help identify new opportunities for both businesses.”
“I believe that Clive’s international experience and his strengths are well suited to the business at this stage in its lifecycle.In one year here he has shown what he can bring to this company and I am delighted to have someone of his calibre to take the business forward.”
He is the former CEO of Royal Insurance’s Italian direct insurance operation and was Group Strategy Director of Royal & Sun Alliance in the UK. At 23 years old, Mendes was the youngest country manager in the history of the Royal Insurance Group when he was appointed to a General Manager role in the Bahrain office. He later went on to manage the Lisbon, Portugal Branch Office. After founding Royal Insurance in Italy, he took on Europe-wide responsibility for Personal Financial Services including Motor and Household insurance before, in 2002, becoming Group Strategy Director of Royal & SunAlliance plc based in London. A multi-linguist, Mr Mendes studied Languages at Glasgow University, Business Administration at Edinburgh University and has a BA from the Open University.
Real Insurance, backed by Hollard Insurance and part of the Hollard Group of companies, set up in Australia five years ago. The company has been responsible for a number of industry firsts including the “Real Bonus” – the 10% cash back to policyholders after three years if they haven’t had a claim – and the introduction of Pay-As-You-Drive motor insurance which they claim has fundamentally changed the motor insurance landscape in Australia.
Please note GreatChoice Insurance News is an information service provided by third parties, Insure247 Pty Ltd doesn’t warrants the accuracy of any information contained there in, readers should make their own enquiry’s before relying on information in the stories
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The Buzz wins award for innovation
September 2nd, 2010
The Buzz Insurance has proven its belief the customer is always right works. They have won the 2010 Australian Business Award for Innovation.
The Buzz, part of Insurance Australia Group (IAG), was developed after an intensive co-creation process with consumers to be “the only Australian general insurer truly shaped by the community. The Buzz gathered more than 3500 ideas to lay the foundation for its acclaimed online customer experience and unique car and home insurance products. As a result, it offers the quickest and easiest insurance online experience with a 60 second car quote and multiple product and service choices”.
In the 12 months since it launched, The Buzz has recorded online conversion rates in excess of 30 per cent in comparison to global insurance standards of about 15 per cent. It has a Net Promoter score for customers with claims of 98%, and an internal staff engagement score of 90% – far exceeding global benchmarks of 82% (as measured by Towers Watson in The Buzz 2010 engagement survey).
The Buzz CEO, Jacki Johnson, said the unique approach of co-creating with consumers for service and product development has transformed The Buzz into a brand that truly resonates with people. “Innovation success can only be achieved by being creative and more importantly executing ideas to deliver true value to the consumer.”
“Winning the Innovation Award demonstrates that you can push the boundaries of traditional thinking, be open with consumers, and make a positive change for them.”
“What customers value today will soon be superseded by trends and new technologies. With a customer centric culture we’ll continue to be at the forefront of product design and innovation to deliver value to customers.”
Shaping insurance together is the core value of The Buzz. With Buzz Exchange (Buzz’s online community) and social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, customers continue to co-create with The Buzz and drive innovation.
Each part of The Buzz home and car insurance is priced individually, offering customers flexibility to choose the type and level of insurance cover they want for their car, home or investment property, depending on their lifestyle and budget.
Key features of The Buzz that customers helped create
· Super speedy insurance with 60 Second Quick Quote.
· Online ‘slider’ tool to allow customers to adjust their car or home excess and level of cover, and see the difference in premium- instantly
· Unique reward program called Buzz Time where customers can trade points for ‘time saving’ awards like baby sitting and house cleaning
· Live chat to let people chat with The Buzz in real time
· Online 24/7 customer policy management through My Buzz
· Parents with P’s Facebook community to help parents help their teens on the road
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The Buzz wins award for innovation
The Buzz Insurance has proven its belief the customer is always right works. They have won the 2010 Australian Business Award for Innovation. The Buzz, part of Insurance Australia Group (IAG), was developed after an intensive co-creation process with consumers to be “the only Australian general insurer truly shaped by the community. The Buzz gathered more than 3500 ideas to lay the foundation for its acclaimed online customer experience and unique car and home insurance products. As a result, it offers the quickest and easiest insurance online experience with a 60 second car quote and multiple product and service choices”.In the 12 months since it launched, The Buzz has recorded online conversion rates in excess of 30 per cent in comparison to global insurance standards of about 15 per cent. It has a Net Promoter score for customers with claims of 98%, and an internal staff engagement score of 90% – far exceeding global benchmarks of 82% (as measured by Towers Watson in The Buzz 2010 engagement survey).The Buzz CEO, Jacki Johnson, said the unique approach of co-creating with consumers for service and product development has transformed The Buzz into a brand that truly resonates with people. “Innovation success can only be achieved by being creative and more importantly executing ideas to deliver true value to the consumer.”“Winning the Innovation Award demonstrates that you can push the boundaries of traditional thinking, be open with consumers, and make a positive change for them.”“What customers value today will soon be superseded by trends and new technologies. With a customer centric culture we’ll continue to be at the forefront of product design and innovation to deliver value to customers.”Shaping insurance together is the core value of The Buzz. With Buzz Exchange (Buzz’s online community) and social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, customers continue to co-create with The Buzz and drive innovation.Each part of The Buzz home and car insurance is priced individually, offering customers flexibility to choose the type and level of insurance cover they want for their car, home or investment property, depending on their lifestyle and budget.Key features of The Buzz that customers helped create · Super speedy insurance with 60 Second Quick Quote. · Online ‘slider’ tool to allow customers to adjust their car or home excess and level of cover, and see the difference in premium- instantly · Unique reward program called Buzz Time where customers can trade points for ‘time saving’ awards like baby sitting and house cleaning · Live chat to let people chat with The Buzz in real time · Online 24/7 customer policy management through My Buzz · Parents with P’s Facebook community to help parents help their teens on the road *
Please note GreatChoice Insurance News is an information service provided by third parties, Insure247 Pty Ltd doesn’t warrants the accuracy of any information contained there in, readers should make their own enquiry’s before relying on information in the stories
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Greatchoice now lets you compare 1Cover Travel Insurance
August 25th, 2010
Greatchoice.com.au now offers 1Cover Travel Insurance Quotes, if your planning an overseas trip, domestic or annual policy 1Cover Travel insurance offer quotes for families and individuals, Greatchoice also offers iTrel travel insurance and Ski Insurance
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Please note GreatChoice Insurance News is an information service provided by third parties, Insure247 Pty Ltd doesn’t warrants the accuracy of any information contained there in, readers should make their own enquiry’s before relying on information in the stories
Current Affair Review Online Car Insurance Quote Companies
August 22nd, 2010
Channel Nine’s A Current Affair investigate ways to save money on car insurance, review insurers The Buzz (Insurance Australia Group), Coles Car Insurance (Wesfarmers Insurance), Virgin Car Insurance (A&G Insurance Services) and through online insurance quotes Bingle (AAMI), Youi, Budget, QBE, AAMI, Allianz, and ING Insurance
Click here to read the results
http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=7946446
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Please note GreatChoice Insurance News is an information service provided by third parties, Insure247 Pty Ltd doesn’t warrants the accuracy of any information contained there in, readers should make their own enquiry’s before relying on information in the stories
Gadgets on the go increase theft risk
August 20th, 2010NRMA Insurance has reported new theft risks have emerged among the thousands of Queensland children taking mobile phones, laptops and MP3 players to school on a daily basis. Research has found up to 40 per cent of Queensland students take portable electronics to school and more than 70 per cent of parents were worried about the potential for theft.
NRMA Insurance corporate affairs manager Sue Hawkins said, “Kids can be really attached to their portable technology but are often in situations or locations where it can be lost or stolen, such as school or sport events. It can be expensive and frustrating for parents when they have to replace the latest mobile phones and MP3 players.”
More than 50 per cent of surveyed parents said they allowed their children to take technology to school because they needed it for lessons or family communication, while more than 40 per cent said they allowed it because their children wanted to. Only 8 per cent of parents said their students took technology to school against their wishes.
The NRMA Insurance research found adults, too, cart about a valuable stash of technology. More than one third of Queenslanders carry more than one technology item to work each day and nearly one in five of us have either lost or had stolen electronic gadgets while out.
NRMA Insurance recommends consumers add portable valuables cover to their household contents insurance for expensive technology taken out of the home.
Research is based on a survey of 2600 Australian households by Pure Profile for NRMA Insurance in February 2010.
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Insurer gives tips for eco friendly driving
August 20th, 2010The Buzz Car Insurance, part of the Insurance Australia Group (IAG), suggests some small changes drivers can make to contribute to a greener future and save some money in the process. The 10 point plan includes:
”1. Go easy on the accelerator: Stick to the speed limit. Speeding burns excess fuel. Avoid excessive and frequent braking and accelerating to make your fuel tank last longer. When driving downhill, choosing the right gear and letting the engine do the downhill braking rather than only using the brakes can save fuel.
2. Lighten your load: Still got the gear from last summer’s camping trip in your boot? Clean up the junk from your car. Dragging excess weight around burns more fuel. If you have roof racks on the car which you’re not using, take them off as they only cause drag and increase fuel consumption.
3.Turn off air conditioning: Unless it is very hot or you need to demist, ask yourself if you really need the air conditioning. Open the windows instead to save petrol.
4.Check the tyre pressure: don’t over or under inflate the tyres. Incorrect tyre pressure can damage the tyres and lead to higher fuel consumption. Always check your tyre pressures when the tyres are cold.
5.Plan your trip: use a street directory or a GPS to choose the fastest and easiest route. Avoid rush hour. Use public transport when possible. Combine chores to reduce number of trips.
6. Service your car regularly: Always make sure your car is regularly serviced as dirty air filters, worn out spark plugs and even old sludgy oil in the engine can affect fuel consumption.
7.Share the ride: Car pooling is the simplest way to reduce your carbon footprint. Give your neighbour, colleague and friends a lift or ask for one. You’ll save on petrol and reduce traffic on road.
8.Walk or ride: Get those walking shoes out and walk or ride where you can. It’s great for your health too.
9.Give your car an eco friendly wash: Wash on the grass instead of driveway. Use a trigger-type hose attachment to reduce water usage. Choose bio-degradable, earth friendly cleaning products.
10.Buy green: When its time to get a new car, check its “green rating”. Australian Government’s The Green Vehicle Guide website has ratings for new Australian vehicles based on greenhouse and air pollution emissions.”
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Fire services funding should be fair says CGU
August 11th, 2010
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Rise in insurance premiums this year
August 11th, 2010
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Life insurer Zurich increases teleunderwriting to meet demand
August 10th, 2010
Zurich reports there is a growing trend among financial advisers to adjust their business operating models to provide increased risk advice by volume which means they spend more time with customers on recommendations and planning.
As a consequence, more advisers are embracing teleunderwriting, which effectively means advisers do not need to complete a customer’s personal statement. Zurich’s teleunderwriters talk to customers directly, which saves advisers time and follow up.
Zurich’s General Manager:Life Risk Australia Colin Morgan reports, “With the increasing demand for fee-for–services, advisers want to clearly demonstrate they are there to provide their customers with advice, rather than be bogged down on paperwork. Zurich’s teleunderwriting service is now consistently used for one in five applications, sometimes hitting 25 per cent of applications.To meet the growing demand from advisers for teleunderwriting services, Zurich is increasing its teleunderwriting team.”
Zurich has appointed two additional teleunderwriters, Pam Fitzgerald (with more than 15 years experience in the industry) joins Zurich from a life broker firm and Shayne Fortune joins the teleunderwriting team from Zurich’s own customer service centre.
“Zurich remains committed to its long-standing strategy of doing business with intermediaries, mainly independent financial advisers. The strength of our Life Risk business at Zurich enables us to continue to expand our team with highly experienced experts in their field,” said Mr Morgan.
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