Plan Insurance Launches ‘Follow Us’ section

Follow Plan Insurance on Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, Linkedin…..

Following the success of the Plan Insurance Blog the company have announced that they will be supplementing their Blog by placing content on additional social networking sites. Plan have amended the design of their websites to include a ‘Follow Us’ section with links to the most the popular social networking sites on the internet.

Cynics may say that for a self-proclaimed forward thinking company Plan Insurance has been a bit slow to catch on to the opportunities that Social Media presents. Plan Insurance’s Marketing Director Grant Georgiades argues, ‘I prefer to think that we’ve bided our time slightly in order to evaluate the best way in which social media can be used to serve our client base. Rather than jump in feet first and bombard them with emails and updates that wouldn’t have been relevant or useful.’

Plan Insurance have scheduled video postings on Youtube that will include a, ‘MID Update Submission Form Users Demonstration Film’ to aid their motor trade clients with keeping on top of their MID requirements. There will also be videos from market experts offering Money Saving Tips on various types of insurance policies including motor trade insurance and Commercial Buildings Insurance.

The company’s marketing director can certainly see the benefit to both client and company of social networking, ‘We have a very loyal and satisfied book of clientele as demonstrated by our incredibly high renewal retention rates and the large number of enquiries that we receive from recommendation. So by engaging in these new forms of social media such as Twitter and Facebook we can make it even easier for clients to pass on our details to friends or business contacts and to be in their minds when any insurance policies that they hold fall due for renewal.’

He continues, ‘We also receive some genuinely fantastic testimonials from clients that we’ve arranged motor trader insurance, chauffeur insurance and all types of policies for. These can be read on the testimonial pages of our website. However thanks to some very willing clients we’ve been able to make some of these into video testimonials. This should hopefully bring them to life for the web browser and convince them fully of the sincerity of the contributor.’

Well, the Plan Insurance marketing team certainly sound enthused with their latest initiatives. Let’s hope the results prove useful to their motor trade insurance and chauffeur insurance clients.

Plan Insurance is a trading name of The Plan Group Ltd. The Plan Group Ltd has been in operation since 2001 and offers an extensive range of insurance products via specialist divisions Plan Insurance, Commercial Plan Insurance, Chauffeur Insurance and Trade Plan Insurance.

MID To Go Mobile

A new version of www.tradeplaninsurance.co.uk/mid will be launched shortly designed specifically for smart phones users. The micro site will make it even easier for clients of Trade Plan Insurance to keep the MID up to date whilst on the move.

Failure to comply with the MID can result in motor traders being subject to significant fines and the cost and aggravation of their vehicles being impounded. To help motor traders avoid these penalties Trade Plan Insurance have created a mobile website to make it even easier for their motor trade clients to update the MID from their smart phones.

We’re just in the final stages of testing the mobile specific MID site. When launched mobile users will find navigation easier, reduced graphics for fast loading and a clear step by step update process.

Why not sign up to our newsletter and as soon as the MID goes mobile launches we’ll drop you an email to let you know?

Landlords Insurance Key Terms

Commercial Plan’s Specialist Landlord Insurance expert, Nick Cole, talks new landlords through some potentially unfamiliar terms

With many new landlords chosing Commercial Plan for their landlords insurance our team has had the privilege of guiding a large number of new customers through the features of a landlords insurance policy.
We thought we’d help some prospective landlords do their homework with a glossary of terms that can be covered on any good Landlords Insurance Policy.

So what exactly will be covered on a landlords insurance policy under landlord’s contents?

“Just like ordinary home insurance, if as a landlord you are planning on furnishing the rental property with furniture, white goods or TV’s, then you’ll need to get ‘Landlords Contents Cover. But you’re not furnishing the property, landlords building insurance will cover the kitchens, flooring and sanitary ware, and so contents isn’t necessary.”

What counts as an Unoccupied Property and why do I need this cover?

An unoccupied property isn’t just when your tenants go on holiday. Its cover for a property whilst it is unlet. Our ‘Unoccupied Property Cover’ is second-to-none. A lot of insurers don’t like to insure unoccupied properties because they are more likely to be burgled, and if a pipe leaks, there’s often nobody there to report it and so the damage can be extensive. But at Commercial Plan, we offer Unoccupied Property Cover that is ‘warranty free’, which means that the cover isn’t subject to the landlord draining the central heating pipes, for example, or visiting the property on a weekly basis.”

Another landlords insurance term which new landlords might not be familiar with is ‘Day One Uplift’?

Nick explains: “We insure properties on the basis of their re-build cost. So if a property costs £200,000 to re-build, a customer will take a landlords insurance policy out to cover that amount. However, should something happen to the property nine months later and it requires rebuilding, the costs of labour and materials might have gone up in that time frame, so it could cost perhaps £250,000 to rebuild. Our cover provides a 50% uplift, which means a £200,000 property would covered up to a re-build value of £300,000.” In fact, most other landlords insurance companies only offer 10-20% uplift, and Commercial Plan’s 50% limit is one of the most competitive on the market.

And what does ‘Trace & Access Cover’ relate to?

“This offers landlords cover should there be a problem with, for example, a water leak underground,” says Nick. “If a pipe is cracked on your property, the waterboard could say it’s not their responsibility, and a landlord could be required to foot the cost of not only tracing the leak, but also repairing it. With Trace & Access Cover, the insurance company would pay the bill, so this is a really important feature for landlords to consider.”

And why would a landlord need ‘Landlords liability insurance’?

‘Landlords liability insurance’ is another important features to consider when taking out landlords insurance. It will cover a landlord should a tenant harm themselves due to something dangerous in the property, like a faulty light switch. The landlord liability insurance will pay for any damages that are awarded to a tenant, as well as any legal costs,” says .

So for people unfamiliar with the various features of landlords insurance, it’s worth speaking to a specialist with expertise like yourself?

“Prospective landlords can give us a call and we’ll recommend the best landlord insurance policies for their needs,” says Nick. “Landlords are an extremely discerning type of customer and demand good landlords insurance cover along with competitive premiums. At Commercial Plan, we can offer just that!”

Top 5 Benefits of a Landlords Insurance policy

As Commercial Plan Insurance sees an increase in customers from the buy-to-let market, landlords insurance specialist Nick Cole has some wise advise for those who are about to become landlords.
For these first-time landlords, getting adequate landlords insurance is an essential step to ensure they are covered against any number of pitfalls from unauthorised tenants refusing to leave, to loss of income should there be a fire at the property.

1) Many first time landlords think that they are covered by ordinary buildings and contents insurance, but any claim made on a normal household policy would usually be rejected. Therefore, specialist landlords insurance is vital to ensure that landlords are adequately protected. In fact, most buy-to-let mortgage companies insist that landlords have adequate landlords insurance as part of their contractual agreement.

2) Experienced landlords will know that landlords insurance gives them protection against a number of factors not included on a normal household policy. A good landlords insurance policy, like the ones we provide at Commercial Plan Insurance, can cover a landlord in the event of the loss of income. For example if a tenant vacates a property unexpectedly due to flooding or a fire.

3) In that situation should there be sufficient damage to the property the cost of re-housing a tenant whilst it is repaired, and should the property be furnished the cost of replacing the landlord’s contents will also be covered on a Landlords policy.

4) Many of our landlords insurance policies also offer protection against the cost of evicting unauthorised tenants and legal defence costs.

5) Landlords liability insurance is another important features of a landlords insurance. It will cover you should a tenant harm themselves due to something dangerous in the property, like a faulty light switch. The landlord liability insurance will pay for any damages that are awarded to a tenant, as well as any legal costs,” says .

So there you have it. A good quality landlords insurance policy which has been tailored to the customer will not only give landlords protection, but also peace of mind.

If handled correctly, being a landlord can be a lucrative and extremely satisfying career, or simply a great way to invest in property. And speaking to landlords insurance experts like those at Commercial Plan will enable you to get high-quality landlords insurance at the best possible rates.

New Laws Targeting Uninsured Drivers

Early in 2011 a new scheme is being introduced to help tackle uninsured drivers in the UK. It is hoped the scheme will help reduce the £380 million each year that the DVLA estimate uninsured drivers cost other motorists.

The scheme will aim to ensure that all uninsured vehicles are issued with a Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) or their vehicles insurance is renewed. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) work together to reduce the number of uninsured drivers.

The most recent figures estimate that around 1.5 million of all UK motorists drive uninsured. These drivers cost insured UK motorists on average around £30 on their motor insurance policy. When the new law comes into force in the new year, records held by DVLA will be compared with those on the Motor Insurance Database (MID).

If it appears from the database comparison that a vehicle has no insurance or no SORN, a letter will be sent to the registered keeper. If the keeper takes no action, the keeper faces; a fixed penalty fine of £100, potential court prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000 or having their vehicle clamped, seized and destroyed. The police already seize about 500 uninsured vehicles every day.

The damage caused in road traffic accidents by uninsured drivers results in large numbers of claims for settlement by the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). Research and surveys also show that uninsured drivers are more likely to be involved in road traffic accidents, fail to follow road traffic signs and signals and potentially be involved in other criminal activity.

The legislation may be aimed at tackling uninsured drivers but it could have serious implications for motor traders during the course of running their business. Motor Traders with a high turn-over of vehicles are always hit hardest by any legislation tightening the requirements of the MIB and DVLA. If a motor trader is driving a vehicle that they very recently purchased they should have their motor trade insurance certificate close to hand. If a motor trader has a vehicle that is untaxed and not on the road they may now be chased to declare the vehicle SORN.

To help their motor trade insurance clients tackle the requirements of the MID Trade Plan Insurance have introduced two important new measures. Firstly, they have created an online MID submission form for motor trade insurance clients to submit MID updates via their website at any time. There is an online demonstration video to aid any motor trade clients that may struggle with the form. They will also imminently be launching their Micro Site to enable motor traders with smart phones to update their MID records whilst on the move.

Trade Plan Insurance is a trading name of The Plan Group Ltd and specialises in Motor Trade Insurance. The Plan Group Ltd has been in operation since 2001 and offers an extensive range of insurance products via specialist divisions Plan Insurance, Commercial Plan Insurance, Chauffeur Plan Insurance and Trade Plan Insurance.

As the cost of Diesel continues to rise

Hauliers can at least save on their Haulage Insurance.

Those involved in the haulage industry have been hit by the escalating cost of diesel harder than any. Coupled with the reduced demand for their haulage services following the economic down turn it’s been a tough time for the haulage industry. Sophie Reeve, Haulage Insurance expert at Commercial Plan Insurance explains how she may be able to ease some of the pressure on Haulage Fleet managers by reducing the cost of their Haulage Insurance.

Diesel prices dipped just after Christmas to 109.3p but prices have been on the rise ever since. With the return to 17.5% VAT on January 1st diesel prices again hit £5.10 a gallon and have continued to increase. It’s not good news for the haulage industry but at least they may be able to cut costs on one of their other main overheads, their haulage insurance.

Sophie explains that, ‘At Commercial Plan Insurance we have an extensive panel of haulage insurers with keen rates for haulage insurance as they have a large amount of spare capacity to take on new haulage business following the down turn in demand. There is currently increased competition among haulage insurance underwriters as there are fewer managers of haulage fleets looking for haulage insurance. As always occurs as a result of increased competition the haulage insurance premiums that we are able to offer our customers have reduced.’

See how much you could save with Commercial Plan Insurance’s expert advice and quality low cost Haulage Insurance rates. Call Commercial Plan Insurance now on 0800 276 1106 or click Call Me Now for an quotation.

Commercial Plan Insurance has been in operation since 2001 and specialises in Haulage Insurance, Truck Insurance and Landlords Insurance. Commercial Plan Insurance is a trading name of The Plan Group Ltd. The Plan Group Limited offers an extensive range of insurance products via specialist departments Plan Insurance, Commercial Plan Insurance, Chauffeur Plan Insurance and Trade Plan Insurance.

Great Value for Money on Chauffeur Insurance

The Chauffeur industry has been as hard hit as any by the recent economic melt down.

However Chauffeur Insurance expert Tony Gutteridge explains the necessity of looking for greater value in your Chauffeur insurance rather than simply plumping for a cheaper option.

By earning their living offering a premium, high end and often luxury service to high rollers a Chauffeur driver’s book of clientele and in turn their earning potential is as vulnerable in a time of recession as the jobs of those city boys that many hold responsible for the situation in the first place. Thus it is out of necessity in the current economic climate that many Chauffeur drivers are seeking to cut costs, and one of their major over heads is their Chauffeur Insurance.

Tony Gutteridge explains, ‘At Chauffeur Plan Insurance we offer incredibly competitive Chauffeur Insurance policies but what we don’t do is cut back on the cover that we offer you to provide savings that in the long term are going to cost you a lot more. We offer low cost Chauffeur Insurance rates for example by allowing 50% second vehicle discounts and free spouse cover. In addition to our competitive rates we’re able to be very flexible with our payment options for example by lowering your direct debit deposit amount. We also offer an interest free payment plan and unlike some of our competitors we do not apply charges to credit card payments.

Tony continues, ‘The benefits of our Chauffeur Insurance policies are often extensive. They can include; protected no claims bonus from 1 year, a replacement vehicle in the event of both fault & non fault accidents, free nationwide breakdown cover incl. home-start, free legal expenses, complete accident management cover and unlimited vehicle glass cover. The majority of these benefits come as standard and could prove invaluable assistance should the unexpected occur. For Chauffeur to be without their vehicle either due to a breakdown or an accident even just for a day could cause serious problems in terms of our client’s book of business or their cash flow. So ensuring these features are in place at the inception should be a priority for any Chauffeur driver. It’s the difference between getting excellent value for your Chauffeur Insurance premium or getting a piece of paper which in essence just makes you road legal and not much else.’

If you would like to see how much you could save with Chauffeur Plan Insurance’s expert advice and excellent low cost Chauffeur Insurance policies call Chauffeur Plan Insurance now on 0800 542 2723 or click Call Me Now for an instant quotation.

Plan Insurance has been in operation since 2001 and specialises in Haulage Insurance, Truck Insurance, Chauffeur Insurance, Motor trade Insurance and Landlords Insurance. Chauffeur Plan Insurance is a trading name of The Plan Group Ltd. The Plan Group Limited offers an extensive range of insurance products via specialist departments Plan Insurance, Commercial Plan Insurance, Chauffeur Plan Insurance and Trade Plan Insurance.

Cutting Costs without Cutting Corners

The Perils of Buying Commercial Vehicle Insurance online

Commercial Vehicle Insurance expert Sophie Reeve highlights the pitfalls of buying budget Commercial Vehicle Insurance polices online and the potential savings that may actually cost much more in the long run.

As a big fan of online retail herself Sophie thinks there’s a good analogy to be made between buying clothes online and purchasing Commercial Vehicle Insurance online via an aggregator without speaking to an advisor. She says, ‘Often the picture may look nice but when the clothes arrive the fit isn’t quite right or the material it’s made from is cheaper than you imagined. However with Commercial Vehicle Insurance policies the cost of the product’s short comings are often much more expensive in the long run and by the time you realise the policy isn’t up to scratch it’s too late.’ Speaking to an expert Commercial Vehicle Insurance account handler at Plan Insurance and receiving a Commercial Vehicle Insurance quote over the phone will ensure that you avoid many of the potential pitfalls that could await you.

As team leader of Plan Insurance’s specialist Commercial Vehicle Insurance department Sophie Reeve speaks to numerous customers who are looking to arrange Commercial Vehicle Insurance and are looking into the details far more thoroughly this time round having recently experienced dissatisfaction when attempting to process a claim on a policy that they purchased online. Sophie explains, ‘The savings of buying a budget policy online maybe negated in the long term by the costs of the short comings of the policy. For example there may well be a much higher excess for both accidental damage and windscreen claims, windscreen cover may be excluded entirely, the policy may omit courtesy car cover for both non-fault and fault claims, exclude Legal Protection cover and apply charges for exceeding mileage limitations when a discount for this has been applied etc.’

Sophie states that, ‘Details of these exclusions or add on’s will of course be available somewhere on the website but she realises that, ‘If policy holders are pushed for time or comparing two policies its easy to overlook or confuse features of what are essentially very similar products.’ Sophie continues, ‘The beauty of speaking to a Commercial Vehicle Insurance account handler on the phone is that they deal with Commercial Vehicle Insurance policies all day long and know the product features of each insurance company inside out. They will be able to recommend the exact policy that suits your requirements from over 40 insurers and will explain the key features to you without you having to hunt around in the small print. If do want to opt for a cheaper policy they will make you aware of exactly where the savings are being made, so at least you’re making an informed decision. We speak to clients everyday who have experienced issues with the difference between their expectations of the Commercial Vehicle Insurance they purchased online and the cover it actually offers. The vast majority of problems have occurred because they have bought online without receiving good sound independent advice.’ So it appears speaking to a Plan Insurance Commercial Vehicle Insurance account handler could save you both time and money.

See how much you could save with Plan Insurance’s expert advice and quality low cost Commercial Vehicle Insurance rates. Call Plan Insurance now on 0800 8046 138 or click Call Me Now for an quotation.

Commercial Plan Insurance has been in operation since 2001 and specialises in Haulage Insurance, Truck Insurance and Landlords Insurance. Commercial Plan Insurance is a trading name of The Plan Group Ltd. The Plan Group Limited offers an extensive range of insurance products via specialist departments Plan Insurance, Commercial Plan Insurance, and Trade Plan Insurance.