Archive: January 2018

Fog lights – switch on or switch off?

There’s on-going confusion around when you should use fog lights, especially as they’re not limited to foggy conditions. Many new models have replaced fog lights with LED daytime running lights, while some lower cost cars have no additional lights full stop. According to UK law, all vehicles must be fitted...

How to work productively while travelling

Travelling for work can be a costly inconvenience, eating into employee time which could be spent working. But with a little preparation, time spent travelling between meetings can be just as productive as office hours….   Plan your Wi-Fi access Accessing the internet is key to being travel productive, so...

Cottage industry: could you make money from self-sufficiency?

It’s over 40 years since TV icons Tom and Barbara renounced capitalism to become self-sufficient Surbitonites in The Good Life. But as employment squeezes and economic worries leave more of us feeling the financial pinch than ever, the idea of bringing back wholesome, traditional industries to supplement – or even...

Own up…Who still keeps their keys under the flowerpot?

In an attempt to keep our homes safe we fit security lights and close blinds before going out – so why do we still undo all that hard work by leaving a set of spare keys outside? Whether it’s for their dogwalker, cleaner or mum, nearly 30% of Brits still...

The feature that means dashcams are always on watch

Having a dashcam recording the manoeuvres and mishaps of you and other drivers is all very well when you’re in motion, but what about when you’re parked? Collisions with parked cars are all too common – accounting for 40% of all accidents according to research by Allianz. What’s more of...

How to make your small business seem bigger

Whether you’re trying to convince an investor to back your business or want to win over clients from a larger competitor, SMEs can sometimes suffer from appearing like small fish in a big pond. So how do you boost confidence in your service and avoid the hesitation some might feel...

Virgin Holidays pitches new campaign against “Blue Monday”

13 years ago, Dr Cliff Arnall earmarked the third Monday of January as the most depressing day of the year. He based his theory on a combination of factors that, when combined together, had the power to make us utterly miserable. What was intended to be a “light-hearted”, formulaic approach...

2017 a record year in insurance

Insurance losses hit new record 2017 saw Cyclone Debbie devastate Australia and New Zealand, Mexico was hit by back to back earthquakes, Hurricanes Harvey, Maria and Irma all caused chaos and wildfires ripped through California. It would be fair to say that as far as years go it was a...

Would you buy insurance from Amazon?

After posting a job advert for insurance professionals in London, rumours are flying that online retail giant Amazon is opening a European insurance division. But what will it look like? Will they set up an MGA to provide their own underwriting services, or sell other insurers’ products in an online...