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George Stobbart

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    Manchester United announced the 3rd of June that it has reached a significant global partnership and principal sponsorship agreement with Aon Corporation, the world’s leading risk advisor and human capital consultant, to take effect from the start of the 2010-/11 season. Terms of the partnership were not announced.

    Few weeks later, we’ve just received the news that Manchester United announced the transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to the Real Madrid for 80 millions of £. That transfer will make Cristiano Ronaldo the most expensive player in history, much more important than Zinedine Zidane in 2001 with 77 millions of €.

    The transfer will be finalised arount 30 of June.

    As part of the sponsorship agreement, the Aon brand will feature on the world famous Manchester United shirt for four years.

    Greg Case, president and chief executive officer of Aon, will host a media conference call today at 10:30am Chicago time/4:30pm Manchester time (BST), to discuss the partnership agreement. Dial-in information to access the call is as follows:

    United States: (800) 288-8975
    International: (612) 332-0636

    Announcing the deal, Manchester United chief executive David Gill said, “We are delighted to be entering such an important relationship with a company of the stature of Aon and to have its logo adorn our shirts from the start of the 2010-11 season. We look forward to being closely aligned with the world leader in risk management, a firm which shares our values and is an exciting partner for Manchester United. Today’s announcement clearly strengthens our position as the world’s leading football club.”

    “It is a unique opportunity when two leaders in their respective fields can come together in a partnership such as the one we are announcing today,” added Greg Case, president and chief executive officer of Aon. “Manchester United has one of the most recognized sports brands in the world. David and his team are all about winning and about excellence; the same holds true for the Aon team. We play to win in our business, and that is why we believe this partnership will create tremendous benefits for both organizations worldwide.

    “While we are delighted that our brand will be showcased to the over 330 million fans of Manchester United as well as the countless followers of football worldwide, we also are extremely excited about the opportunity to maximize the value of this partnership globally.”

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    Architas Multi-Manager Limited (Architas) is a new multi-manager investment company and a member of the AXA Group. They have announced the appointment of Kristof Gleich as investment analyst, and Massimiliano Zorza as product manager.

    As investment analyst, Kristof will play a vital role in developing Architas’ investment related offerings, primarily across Europe. He will have research responsibilities for UK, European and Global equities for both multi manager and guided architecture environments.

    Reporting to Caspar Rock, deputy chief investment officer, Kristof will be contributing to the creation of new investment strategies and vehicles to establish and maintain market leading investment offerings.

    Previously, Kristof spent seven years at Goldman Sachs, joining as a graduate analyst and progressing through various roles to his final position as executive director. In this role he was responsible for research, selection and monitoring of equity managers within the Pan-European region.

    Kristof brings to the role an in-depth knowledge of investment management and extensive experience of investment markets and investment management techniques. He also has a strong background in risk analysis and management.

    Also joining Architas, as product manager, is Massimiliano Zorza. Reporting to Dawn Kendall, head of investment strategy and product development, Massimiliano has gained experience working in financial services in Italy and the UK. Most recently he has worked for Integrated Alternative Investments, where, amongst other roles, he was responsible for product and risk management.

    Caspar Rock, said: “Both Kristof and Massimiliano bring to Architas a wealth of experience and knowledge. Their appointments demonstrate the commitment that Architas has to developing its position in the marketplace and its ability to attract strong talent from across the industry.”

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    flight-cancellation

    The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the US government have both now advised all travellers not to travel to Mexico unless the trip is essential. The UK Department of Health has advised against non-essential travel to Mexico.

    Most insurance polices will not cover trips against FCO advice – on any section of the policy. Even if not a specific policy condition, every traveller has to act as prudently and carefully as they would if uninsured. So if you recklessly ignore advice or put yourself deliberately at risk-then insurers are normally entitled to decline any claim.

    The World Health Organisation has considered available data on confirmed outbreaks of A/H1N1 swine influenza in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada. The WHO has raised the level of influenza pandemic alert from phase 3 to phase 4. The change to a higher phase of pandemic alert indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased, but not that a pandemic is inevitable. Given the widespread presence of the virus, the WHO considers that containment of the outbreak is not feasible. The WHO has not yet recommended countries to close borders or to restrict international travel.

    Although concentrated in Mexico City, the number of cases in other parts of the country is growing and 149 deaths have been confirmed. The Mexican government has extended the existing order closing nurseries, schools and universities in the metropolitan area to the whole country.

    If you must travel to Mexico, check with your insurer first. Do not rely on the telephone- there will be no record of your conversation and the company can deny any conversation. Get any advice in writing signed by a named person at management level.

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    mask-bacteria

    Travel Summary

    • The World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised its Pandemic Threat Alert Phase to Level 4 (evidence of increased human to human transmission).  See the WHO website at http://www.who.int… for further details.
    • We are now advising against all but essential travel to Mexico.
    • Routine Consular and all Visa Services at the Embassy in Mexico City have been suspended until further notice.  British Nationals in Mexico, who have an urgent consular issue should call the Embassy on (01 55) 5242 8500 for assistance.

    • British nationals resident in or visiting Mexico may wish to consider whether they should remain in Mexico at this time.
    • British Nationals should continue to follow local advice on precautions to take to avoid exposure to the influenza.
    • Cases of swine influenza have been reported in Mexico City and a number of other locations across the country.  Travellers should consult a doctor immediately if they show signs of flu-like symptoms.
    • The Mexican Secretariat of Health has advised people to avoid large crowds, shaking hands and kissing people as a greeting.  Maintaining a distance of at least six feet from other persons and frequent hand washing may decrease the risk of exposure.  The Mexicans have closed educational establishments across the country.  Museums and other public venues and events have been closed or postponed.

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    interogationShould I cancel my trip to Mexico?
    The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) maintains that so long as the Foreign Office is not advising against travel to Mexico and airlines continue to fly there, there is no reason for travellers to cancel their travel plans.

    If I do cancel, would my travel insurance cover me?
    So long as the Foreign Office does not advise against travel to Mexico, and airlines continue to fly there, travellers will not be able to claim any cancelations against their insurance policy.

    Will I still be covered if I get ill in Mexico?
    Again, until FCO travel advice changes, any trip to Mexico is still treated as a normal booking. So long as you have the right travel insurance policy, you will be covered for medical expenses in Mexico.

    What if the Foreign Office advice changes?
    Should the Foreign Office decide to advise against travel to Mexico, travellers would be entitled to cancel the trip and claim against their travel insurance. However, should they continue with their trip, they will not be covered for any medical expenses in Mexico.

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    Employers should ensure they have contingency plans in place in case the risk of a swine flu epidemic in the UK increases, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

    Senior Public Policy Advisor, Ben Willmott, advises that while it is important not to overstate the potential risk of a flu pandemic it makes sense for organisations to have plans in place if needed:

    “Many employers will already have a policy on how to respond to a potential flu pandemic outbreak as a result of the heightened risk of bird flu over the last few years. Employers should have in place strategies to allow them to run on skeleton staff levels. Service/customer facing organisations should consider the possibilities for increasing the amount of online transactions, as well as self-service options for customers.

    “All employers should think about maximising home working and investigate the potential for increasing the use of video-links and teleconferencing to help limit the amount of face-to-face contact. Organisations should also identify key roles that must be carried out and those individuals who have a wide range of skills who can fulfil more than one function.

    “In case of a pandemic, employers should also formulate clear advice for staff on the symptoms of the virus and the importance of staying at home and seeking medical advice at the soonest opportunity.”

    The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)is the United Kingdom’s leading professional body for those involved in the management and development. They have 130,000 individual members and their objectives are to lead in the development and promotion of good practice in the field of the management and development of people, for application both by professional members and by their organisational colleagues

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    In response to the outbreak of swine flu, affecting people in a number of countries, Nick Starling, the ABI’s Director of General Insurance and Health, said: “People who are concerned about travelling overseas should talk to their tour operator or air carrier about whether it is safe to travel, and listen for any Government advice.

    If people need to make alternative travel arrangements, travel insurance policies will usually cover the new destination. “Travel insurance will normally cover the cost of cancelling a trip for a number of specified reasons, including illness, and redundancy. If the Government advises against travelling to a particular country or region, check your travel policy, as some may cover cancellation costs in these circumstances, although policies vary.”

    The ABI is the voice of the insurance and investment industry. Its members constitute over 90 per cent of the insurance market in the UK and 20 per cent across the EU. They control assets equivalent to a quarter of the UK’s capital. They are the risk managers of the UK’s economy and society. Through the ABI their voice is heard in Government and in public debate on insurance, savings and investment matters.

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    catBe aware of the danger of medical conditions becoming ” pre-existing”

    Cat and dog owners are putting their finances at risk by not insuring their pets as soon as they acquire them, according to Sainsbury’s Finance. Every year, one in eight (12%) cats and dogs under the age of three suffers from some form of medical condition(1) which may recur later in life, or be linked to other conditions. The bank is warning that if pet owners don’t take out a pet insurance policy as soon as they buy a pet, any illnesses occurring during this time could be regarded as pre-existing medical conditions when they do come to take out insurance. These conditions and sometimes those that are linked in some way, can therefore be excluded from the cover.

    If a pet insurance claim is discovered to be for a pre-existing condition and thus excluded from the cover, the insurer will refuse the claim, and with 38% of all refused claims occurring because of pet owners’ failure to declare illnesses prior to taking out cover, this is the most common reason for claims having to be turned down(1).

    Medical conditions in the first three years are more common amongst dogs, an estimated 22% of which suffer from a condition in their first three years. Sainsbury’s Finance estimates that more than 140,000 dogs under the age of three suffer from dermatitis every year for example, and over 170,000 suffer from lameness, 73,000 of which are under the age of one. The average medical cost for treating lameness in a dog during the first three years of its life is more than £322(1).

    A smaller percentage (4%) of cats suffer from such conditions in their first three years, but there are still estimated to be more than 28,000 cats under the age of three who suffer from cystitis every year, and nearly 18,000 who suffer from lameness(1).

    Joanne Mallon, Sainsbury’s Pet Insurance Manager, explains: “Pet owners often buy a puppy or a kitten and assume they will be healthy while they are young, so they don’t bother to take out pet insurance immediately. However our figures show that many cats and dogs develop conditions early on in life, conditions that will often persist. Unfortunately, like with private medical care in humans, owners will struggle to get cover for an existing, condition which may mean paying for veterinary treatment and medication for this condition for the rest of the pet’s life.

    “Pet owners should make sure that they take out good quality pet insurance as soon as they buy a pet, to save them from potentially ongoing and costly veterinary expenditure.”

    Good quality pet insurance does not need to be expensive, good cover at a competitive price can be found by shopping around.

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    The holiday season’s fast approaching and with one in four of us saying that we’re planning to go away with friends.  Beware before booking, as 10% of friendships end after a joint holiday.

    A survey of 1,000 EssentialTravel.co.uk customers found that although holidaying with friends is extremely popular with 97% having gone on a joint holiday before, a third of these said they would not holiday with the same friend(s) again.

    “Even the strongest friendships can be put to the test during a holiday”, says Philip Jordan, Marketing Director at EssentialTravel.co.uk. “Just because you enjoy the same bars, fashion and music, doesn’t mean you’ll have the same attitudes towards holiday activities, spending and chores. In fact, 25% of people said they felt differently about a friend(s) after holidaying with them, and not always in a good way.

    Some of the most popular reasons for holiday bust-ups included:

    * A friend spending too much time with a holiday romance (28%)
    * Disagreements over money – specifically how to split bills (24%)
    * Wanting to do different things, i.e. sunbathing as opposed to looking around museums (19%)
    * A friend acting ‘differently’ on holiday to how they do at home – most common personality changes include behaving outrageously, recklessly and selfishly (16%)
    * A friend moping over their partner back at home (13%)

    However, there is help at hand for all ‘travel-with-frienders’ – Check the 8 top tips on how to holiday with friends and not fall out:

    1. Share the planning. While it’s true that some people are better at finding that perfect little hotel than others, resentment will build if one person feels they are stuck doing all the work – and that’s before you’ve even gone away.

    2. Don’t assume that you have the same attitude towards money as your friends. And work out what you’re going to do about money before you get there, i.e. split everything or pay for yourselves.

    3. Keep it small. The idea of a big group of you might sound really, really good fun when you’re all planning it in the pub, but less so when you spend the entire holiday trying to keep everyone together and more importantly – happy.

    4. Share the heavy lifting. Sure, some people are happier cooking, and others would rather do the washing up, but try and make sure the chores (because there are always some) are spread out as evenly as possible.

    5. Spend some time alone. That way you get a break from those little things which are starting to really… niggle … and chances are you’ll even be pleased to see each other again afterwards.

    6. Going away with another family? Set rules for the kids – and adults. You may not mind if your children are up all night and drinking coke for breakfast, but if your friends take a stricter approach, you’ve got a battle on your hands – on all fronts.

    7. Don’t compromise too much. This is your holiday too. If you really want to go on a day trip, or eat at a particular restaurant – do it, even if it means doing it alone. Don’t and you’ll only end up resenting your friends for it afterwards.

    8. Chill out. Everyone has their faults – we all snore, slam doors, leave our rubbish around and get overly uptight sometimes. Remember it’s not forever, so let it go – after all, you’re on holiday.

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    Hundreds of thousands of pounds of consumers’ money is lost each year to unprotected, unprofessional and unethical letting agents.

    In a survey by the Association of Residential Lettings Agents (ARLA), 95% of consumers revealed that they believe letting agents should be licensed and it is a shock for many to learn that there is currently no scheme in place at all.

    A growing number of tenants and landlords are losing out to cowboy agents in the following ways:

    * Loss of funds through a lack of client money protection
    * No professional indemnity insurance in place to protect a consumer from a serious error;
    * Loss of monies due to the unlicensed agency holding the funds going into administration;
    * Poor advice to landlords, for example about their legally-required deposit protection responsibilities, which can result in loss of the deposit for tenants and/or a fine for landlords;
    * No commitment to best practice or any form of independent redress scheme for when things go wrong.

    To prevent the practices listed above, and offer assurance to consumers, ARLA is today launching a Licensing Scheme for its members, thereby establishing the highest standards for letting agents in the UK.

    Housing Minister Iain Wright will be speaking at the launch of the scheme in the House of Commons, saying that the establishment of competency and qualification standards will have wide-ranging benefits for consumers

    Ruth Lilley, Head of Membership and Professional Development of ARLA, said: “ARLA has lobbied the Government for 10 years to assist us in establishing higher industry standards. For too long the rental sector has been seen as the black sheep of the property market with a lack of regulation of and a requirement for redress to protect the consumer when the agent’s failings are to the financial detriment of that consumer.

    “The ARLA Licensing Scheme will create the gold standard for letting agents in the UK, offering consumers best practice service and advice – as well as a commitment to the protection of their money.”

    As of today, all ARLA members will need to be licensed as part of their membership, which includes the following implications:

    * Each individual member will hold a gold standard professional qualification relating to lettings;
    * All members must undertake Continuing Professional Development
    * Agents must ensure they have client money protection schemes in place to protect all tenant and landlord funds held by their office;
    * All clients funds require to have an annual independent audit
    * Agents must have professional indemnity insurance in place;
    * Agents must sign up to an independent redress scheme;
    * Agents must abide by a strict code of practice.

    None of the above is compulsory for letting agents as standard at the moment.

    ARLA’s sister organisation, the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) will follow suit with the launch of its own licensing scheme later this year.

    Adam Sampson, Chief Executive of Shelter, said: “It is high time the government acted to introduce statutory licensing for all letting agents, something that Shelter has been campaigning about for some time. However, industry led best practice is a positive step in the right direction. We welcome ARLA’s new licensing scheme and it’s commitment to raising standards in the sector. “All consumers should have the right to expect a professional letting service, and have access to redress when problems arise”

    Simon Gordon, Head of Communications, National Landlords Association said: We very much welcome this latest development as another push to raise standards within the private-rented sector. Letting agents are in a particular position of trust between landlords and tenants and their practices must be above reproach. The ARLA Licensing Scheme should go a long way to ensuring consumers are protected from poor letting agents and improve the image of the sector as a whole.”

    Letting agent and ARLA President David McMaster commented: “As an agent, this is something I have been campaigning for for years. Having a license helps me to set my business apart from all the unscrupulous, untrained and unethical agents who I hope will one day be ousted from the market because of this scheme.”

    Paul Ramsden, Deputy Chief Executive, Trading Standards Institute, commented: “The absence of Government regulation of letting agents has long been a concern for TSI. We have in the past, and continue to, call for tighter controls of this sector. In general, but even more so during these difficult times, people will leave themselves vulnerable to letting agents intent on reaping the benefits of the regulatory gap in which they operate.

    “Though sometimes difficult, consumers, be they tenants or landlords, should seek out letting agents backed by bodies operating OFT-approved codes of conduct to give themselves some level of protection. Whilst it is gratifying to see this increase of self-regulation amongst some sector operators, persons will continue to fall prey to unscrupulous letting agents until such time that a compulsory and robust system of regulations is introduced.”

    Richard Beamish, Chief executive of Asset Skills, the Sector Skills Council for the property industry, said: “Letting agents often suffer unfairly with their public image despite most being honest, well run businesses. We have long pushed for minimum standards in estate agency and fully support ARLA’s licensing scheme for letting agents. We believe it will go far in improving public perception of the profession.”

    Richard Capie, Director of Policy and Practice, the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: “The UK housing market needs far-reaching wide-scale, holistic reform to deliver fair, affordable and flexible housing in the future. The Chartered Institute of Housing believes the Private Rented Sector is an essential part of the mix with huge potential to meet the aspirations of many people currently unable to access suitable housing. The licensing scheme represents a major step forward and will give greater confidence to tenants and housing professionals alike.”

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    Animal Friends Insurance will launch a new range of pet insurance policies on 6th May 2009. Starting at just £3.27 per month for a dog the policies will give Affiliates much greater chances of conversion and therefore income generation. Cheaper premiums right across the board will now also be available for customers choosing a higher excess option.

    Animal Friends, the UK pet insurer that donates its net profits to support animal charities worldwide, will now offer perhaps the widest range of pet insurance options currently available in the UK – and the most comprehensive.

    The policies on offer will include full lifetime cover – giving up to a staggering £40,000 per condition for life – to a unique entry level product, an Accident Only Policy, which starts at just £3.27 per month for dogs.

    All new polices – save for Accident Only – will also now include Free Overseas Travel Cover as standard, allowing up to £2000 emergency vets fees cover in EU countries for those who take their pets with them on holiday.

    Animal Friends will offer 7 different policy options ensuring there is a product for every pocket and need. To further help pet owners in difficult financial times Animal Friends will offer two choices of vet fee Excess – £49 or £99 – giving customers a further chance of reducing premiums by selecting the higher Excess.

    As before, Animal Friends will continue to insure pets at any age, so even older pets can be insured for the first time with premiums being kept low by a method of co-insurance which makes things fair for those who find they don’t have to claim.

    More information about Animal Friends Insurance

    Animal Friends is an ethical insurance business that has dedicated its net profits to the care of animals and their environment. Our aim is that:- By working with good charities and supporting worthy animal welfare projects worldwide Animal Friends will help improve the lives of animals; combat animal abuse and cruelty; assist in the protection of rare and endangered species; help conserve unique and vital habitats for the benefit of animals and humans alike and assist local communities to protect and value their heritage;
    By leading the way with a new business ethic we shall persuade others within the commercial sector to do more to help their communities and/or other causes deserving of care.

    Animal Friends was the idea of businesswoman and long term animal lover Elaine Fairfax. Elaine had been brought up in an animal loving family and her grandfather had even received a medal from the RSPCA at the turn of the 20th century for stopping someone beating a horse. Elaine had worked closely with many animal charities in her business life but she wanted to do more to help animals so she decided to use her business skills to raise substantial funds for animal charities through something people need anyway – pet insurance – rather than competing with others for charitable donations. Thus the unique concept of Animal Friends Insurance was born…

    For her foresight and dedication Elaine was named the 2005 NatWest everywoman Businesswoman of the Year, a prestigious and highly competitive Award given also to acknowledge the fast growth of Animal Friends Insurance which, in a few short years, has become the largest independent pet insurance provider in the UK.

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    Hundreds of holiday home owners across the South West could be unwittingly flouting the law by not taking compulsory insurance cover on their properties this summer.

    Many people may be unaware employers’ liability insurance is a legal requirement and holiday homeowners could face a costly claim or even a prison sentence if a member of staff is injured whilst working on or in their let property.

    Latest figures* from the Health & Safety Executive show there were 28 fatal injuries to workers in the South West in 2007/08 and 2,337 reported major injuries in the region – Over two thirds (66%) were amongst workers in service industries.

    “Your employees may be injured at work and they might try to claim compensation from you if they believe you are responsible. It could be a cleaner who goes into the property on changeover day or a gardener you employ to maintain the property – anyone who’s working under your guidance and using your tools and equipment.”

    Whilst public liability insurance is not a legal requirement, the cost of not having cover could amount to hefty claims from guests injured whilst staying in the property. With 20 per cent of all visitors to the South West choosing to stay in Self Catering accommodation**, it is important for property owners to make sure they have sufficient cover to guard against these risks.

    Recent examples of claims experienced by Cornish Mutual include a guest who tripped over a step and fell onto a wood burner sustaining nasty burns and another guest who broke a number of bones after falling over a concrete mushroom in the garden. Other liability claims include damage to a property or its contents.

    “We want all visitors to the South West to come to the region and have a safe and enjoyable time when they are here. There is so much to see and do in the South West and we are lucky to have some of the best self catering properties in the UK. Property owners need to make sure they do all they can to ensure their visitors enjoy their stay and this includes having adequate cover for their business.

    “We would encourage property owners to take out public liability insurance to ensure they are covered should an accident happen.”

    Iain and Gill Butterworth run specialist holiday homes letting agency ‘Holiday Homes & Cottages South West’, based in Torquay, Devon. Their Agency Agreement (legal contract between owner and the company) incorporates a declaration that the owner confirms that they have ‘adequate commercial public liability insurance’.

    Gill added: “We recognise the importance of having insurance that is appropriate and offers the right level of cover. We, therefore, do not take on a new property before ensuring the owner has the right cover in place.”

    *HSE, South West government office region (GOR), Statistics of occupational ill health, safety and enforcement 2007/08
    **South West Tourism, South West Visitor Survey 2007

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    New research from Sainsbury’s Finance indicates that 12% of people who own or have owned a cat during the past five years have suffered from them going missing, and the corresponding figure for dog owners is 4%.  In total, this means 3.8 million GB residents have had to suffer this anguish. Alarmingly, 6% of these people were adamant that their animals were stolen and a further 14% said that it was quite likely that their animal had been a victim of theft.

    • One in five owners whose dog or cat has gone missing believes it was stolen
    • Sainsbury’s Pet Insurance provides up to £1,000 towards the advertising costs for a lost dog or cat and up to £750 compensation if the pet is lost or stolen and not returned.

    Sainsbury’s Pet Insurance provides up to £1,000 towards the advertising costs for a lost dog or cat and up to £750 compensation if the pet is lost or stolen and not returned.

    “It’s a huge worry that so many cats and dogs are going missing, and very alarming that such a large number of pet owners believe their pet was stolen. Given our findings and the fact that the Pets Bureau says that a third of dogs reported as missing are recorded as stolen, pet-knapping is a very real crime that should be taken seriously.

    “Just last year more than 50 cats went missing in Stourbridge, West Midlands, with many owners fearing that they had been stolen.  The area became known as a feline Bermuda Triangle.

    “It’s worth noting that not all pet insurance polices recognise the importance of providing support in the form of advertising or reward benefits to owners who have lost their pet.”

    Tragically, Sainsbury’s Finance’s research suggests that only 55% of people whose pet cat or dog went missing in the past five years ever saw their animal alive again. 32% said their pet never returned, and 14% said they were found dead. One in five (19%) claim that their pet returned of its own accord, 17% found their animals themselves and 19% said that they were returned to them by a third party.

    There are a number of reasons why pets are being stolen. These range from the re-sale value of the animal, Bengal cats for example can sell for thousands of pounds, to the potential earnings made from breeding. Some pets are even stolen and then ransomed back to their owners.  The breeds of dogs which are most likely to be stolen includes Staffordshire Bull Terriers, Jack Russells, German Shepherd Dogs, Labradors, Rottweilers and Border Collies.

    Here are some tips on how to reduce the chances of your pet going missing or worse, being stolen:
    · Ensure that your pet wears a collar and pet identification tag
    · Have your pet micro-chipped.  This takes seconds and is virtually painless.  Consult your local vet for details
    · Keep garden boundaries as secure as possible to prevent your dog from escaping and also to deter thieves from entering
    · Always supervise your dog, whether it is in your own garden or in a public area
    · Try to avoid tying your dog up outside a shop or leaving it unattended
    · If you use a dog walker, make sure that they are reputable
    · Vary your routes when walking your dog

    Sainsbury’s Finance research reveals that the measures owners go to in order to find their missing pets includes putting up posters in their neighbourhood to placing adverts in their local papers.  However, only 15% informed the police about their dogs or cats being missing.

    Table indicating methods by which people seek the return of missing cats and dogs

    statistics-means-of-attempting-to-find-a-missing-cat-or-dog1

    Good quality pet insurance does not need to be expensive, good cover at a competitive price can be found by shopping around.

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    british-insurance-brokers-association

    Reports from the British Insurance Brokers Association that an increasing number of people are opting to raise their insurance excesses in a bid to reduce premiums is a prudent measure, providing they can recoup the extra excess costs when they make a claim, says Simon Vella from insure4excess.com

    At its recent conference, BIBA unveiled research showing that 16% of brokers’ clients have increased their motor and home excesses, saving hundreds of pounds in insurance premiums. However, BIBA is concerned those looking to save money could face a hefty bill in the future.

    “Not if they have excess protection”, says Vella. “Our low-cost Excess Protection policy reimburses claimants’ payouts to insurers across a wide range of policies, so they no longer have to ‘write off’ substantial amounts in excess payments.”

    Insure4excess.com launched its policy, Excess Protection, earlier this year – it reimburses excess costs incurred on motor, home, travel, pet and private medical insurance (PMI). Policy underwriters estimate claimants liabilities are around £100 for home, travel and PMI, £180 for motor and £60 for pet, equating to around £540 per household.

    Although not every household has these five policies, the odds on having to shell out on motor and home insurance excesses alone are compelling. According to the Association of British Insurers some 2.3million motor and 1.1million household claims were made in 2007. This equates to one in 10 motor policyholders and one in 16 households with contents cover.

    Vella continues: “The policy gives peace of mind to a growing number of consumers who are opting to increase their excesses to pay lower premiums. Our policy costs a fraction of the premium savings that can be made in a year and is far lower than one excess payment – making it a winner for those who don’t have to claim and providing a much-needed financial boost for those who do.”

    An Excess Protection bronze policy is £45 and covers up to £250 worth of excesses, silver is £69 and reimburses up to £500 and gold is £89 and pays up to £750. An unlimited number of claims can be made on these policies, providing they do not exceed the excess limit.

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