Monster Fun In Caerphilly

Image: Courtesy of  The Caerphilly Observer

Monsters have been added to the ongoing list of things Motaquote is willing to insure, thanks to Caerphilly's castle moat acquiring it's own version of the Loch Ness Monster. But this one is no mere myth... it's proudly on show, alongside perplexed swans, ducks and geese. 

The moat of Caerphilly castle is a home to a wide variety of wildlife - including swans, geese, ducks and fish... as you would expect. However, what you might not expect is the addition of a monster who appears to have taken up residence... possibly to the bemusement of the ducks and their aquatic friends. 

The monster is an escapee from Y Galeri - a new art gallery in the town and is part of an exhibition entitled "Barry's Zoo". Barry Lewis is a highly talented Tonypandy, Rhondda based sculptor. Barry has had his work exhibited all over the World - including the UK, Europe and Australia. 

Motaquote insure a wide number of things - whether it's cars, homes, travel, pets, businesses... and now monsters it would appear! It's true... Motaquote are the proud insurers of Barry's latest sculpture. 

Motaquote’s own Richard Bosley worked closely with Y Galeri to obtain an insurance policy that would best suit the situation. 

Commenting on behalf of Y Galeri, Gareth Pennell said: “I was extremely pleased with the service I received from Richard Bosley - he persevered in order to get a satisfactory solution to our request.”

Commenting on behalf of Motaquote, MD Nigel Lombard said:

"It's important for any company to remember its roots - which is why we are proud to support and work with local Welsh businesses and people. Our ability to insure sculptures as exciting as this goes to show how flexible we are and highlights the fact that we are willing to go the extra mile to find the right policy for our customers, no matter how unusual the request.”

Motaquote Supports Aberdare Park Road Races

Here at Motaquote we are extremely proud of our motoring heritage... hence the name! 

From time-to-time we like to take a little jolly out of the office to support local events - in this case the Aberdare Park Road Races, which is a motorbike racing event that's due to take place on 28th - 29th July this year... that's right - this weekend in fact!

Motorbike racing enthusiasts from all over the UK are set to descend on Aberdare to witness what we hope will be a spectacular day out.

Aberdare Park has a proud racing history and has been going since 1950 and was the very first venue to have live televised motorbike racing coverage in 1955.

Motaquote are proud to be attending this event to flog our wears - whether you're looking for car, home, travel, pet of even motorbike insurance. If you happen to see us then I urge you to drop by for a friendly chat and perhaps see if we can help you with your insurance needs.

To find out more about Aberdare Park's road race event please visit www.aberdarepark.co.uk.

Motaquote Proud Finalists - Insurance Times Awards

Motaquote are proud to announce that they have reached the finals for the Insurance Times Technology in Insurance Awards 2012.

Motaquote have beaten off stiff competition to be named as a finalist in the Insurance Times ‘Technology in Insurance Awards’. They have been shortlisted with two other companies in the ‘Best use of Analytics’ category. The finals are due to be held on 20 September 2012 at Altitude 360 in London.

This is largely thanks to the firm's excellent use of telematics to analyse driving behaviour via its black box insurance brands - Fair Pay Insurance and iKube Insurance.

Both iKube and Fair Pay Insurance utilise black box technology to help reduce car insurance premiums for policyholders.

iKube is a young driver "pay when you drive" scheme that rewards young drivers for not driving late at night (between 11pm - 5am). At renewal the young driver can also enjoy additional discounts by displaying good driving behaviour.

Fair Pay Insurance is a "pay how you drive" scheme that rewards policyholders for good driving behaviour. The better they drive - the further the "mileage" points will go. In addition to this black box car insurance policyholders are granted further discounts when it comes around to reviewing the policy.

To find out more about how Fair Pay Insurance and iKube Insurance works please visit:

www.ikubeinsurance.com 

www.fairpayinsurance.co.uk 

Nissan and IAM issue towing advice to Caravan Enthusiasts

A new study suggests that increasing numbers of drivers are towing caravans without proper training.

The study undertaken by Nissan suggests that thousands of motorists in the UK could be posing a safety risk by towing caravans with no training.

It is believed that caravanning is growing in popularity once again, with a fifth of the 3,000 respondents surveyed planning on a caravan or camping trip this year. 

Unfortunately the research also revealed that 40% of those planning on towing caravans, trailers or boats have had no training.

As a result Nissan have teamed up with the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) to give guidance to help novice towers.

Tim Shallcross, Head of Technical Policy for IAM commented:

"The results of the Nissan research highlight a key knowledge gap in towing legislation and safety guidelines. We encourage new and experienced 'towers' to ensure they are correctly informed as to their vehicle's towing capabilities and to follow essential safety guidelines."

IAM and Nissan have made the following recommendations:

1. Check that you are legally allowed to tow. Requirements may differ according to when the driving licence was issued and it may be dependent on your car insurance policy.


2. Check your vehicle's towing limit. It's equally important to check the maximum braked and unbraked towing weights - as outlined in the vehicle handbook.


3. Know towing speed limits. For motorway and dual-carriageway driving the speed limit is set at 60mph. For single carriageways the speed should not exceed 50mph (unless stated otherwise).


4. Give yourself more time and space for accelerating and braking. This will help you to avoid accidents whilst on the road and potential car or caravan insurance claims.


5. When approaching a hill it's important to select a lower gear in plenty of time. When going uphill this gives you more power. Going down reduces the strain on your vehicle's brakes.

Source: http://cdn.practicalcaravan.com/blog/nissan-urges-new-caravanners-stay-safe

Static Caravans - The Benefits To Holidaymakers

Do you have a static caravan? Maybe you're considering buying one for your annual holidays? If this is the case then you will no doubt want a little more information about static caravans and the benefits they offer.

The main benefit of a static caravan is that they offer a home, away from home at a portion of the price of a full sized holiday home.

However, they offer many of the same features of a full sized house – including: 

• Separate living and sleeping quarters,

• Double glazing on the windows 

• Quality fittings

The only real problem arises when you go to look for a caravan residential park to install your static caravan. However, there are so many of these around the UK you shouldn't have too much trouble finding one to suit your needs.

It's important to relax when you're on holiday and the vast majority of residential parks understand that. This is why they're setup with CCTV and community watch programs - giving you peace of mind that your holiday home is being well looked after whether you're there or not.

Buying a static caravan could mean that you don't need to blow the family budget on an expensive holiday abroad - saving you a substantial amount in the long-run.

The other thing to consider - if no one is staying in it the caravan can even be let out to provide you with an additional income. However, you may need to check with the residential park owners before sub-letting to ensure this is allowed.

If you already own a caravan check out Motaquote’s competitive motorhome and caravan insurance - quality cover at a reasonable price.

Motaquote Staff Wear Hats In Support Of Brain Tumour Research

Motaquote staff wore a variety of interesting hats on "wear a hat day" and raised a whopping £532 for Brain Tumour Research back in March.

Commenting on the event, Motaquote employee Robert Mumford said:

"I decided to support this charity as a result of being personally affected by a brain tumour. I have had numerous operations to try to remove a long-standing left-sided temporal cyst which became apparent back in 1991. Over the years I have received various treatments to combat this and have ultimately needed operations to try to remove the cyst, which would enable me to lead a normal life."

Robert added that three other members of his family had also been treated for brain tumour related complications.

A brain tumour reportedly affects and kills more children and adults under 40 than any other form of cancer. Around 16,000 people a year are diagnosed with this condition, with only 14% surviving beyond five years - 50% less than any other form of cancer.

Motaquote supports a number of charities – including Brain Tumour Research, Help The Heroes and the Jackson Llewllyn Tribute Fund. To find out more about the charities we support please visit the Motaquote Charities page.

Source: http://www.braintumourresearch.org/motaquote

How To Deal With Flooding

With the recent flooding alerts released by the Environment Agency, Motaquote have put together a short guide on how to deal with flooding.

Here are a few quick tips 

If your home floods the primary thing to concern yourself with is your own safety and that of your family.

If you are concerned that the house is about to flood you should:

• Switch off all electricity and gas supplies.

• Put plugs in sinks and baths and weigh them down with heavy objects to help prevent water rising up.

• Move important items to an area of safety.

• Tune into a local radio station on a battery or wind-up radio as local radio can give you updates on evacuation procedures.

• The Environment Agency also recommends that you are prepared to move quickly to get yourself and your family to safety. You should put safety first and listen to any advice issued by the Police and other emergency services.

Other things to be aware of if it floods:

Flooding is extremely dangerous as it can expose other dangers such as fallen power lines, trees, burst manhole covers and water contamination. 

In addition to this, according to the Environment Agency, 6 inches of fast flowing flood water can knock you over.

The Environment Agency recommend against driving or walking through floods as this could prove extremely hazardous – instead be aware of any safety advice or procedures issued by local emergency services.

As a homeowner you are also strongly recommended to review your home insurance policy to make sure you are covered in the event of a flood.