Insurance World

Term insurance is one of several types of insurance. In its most basic form, this type of insurance covers only a specific time frame. The term of the insurance coverage is the only time in which the insurer will have to pay out, should the insurance be needed. It is most commonly used in life insurance. And, it is one of the most inexpensive ways to insure. But, what makes this the right choice?

Term insurance is used by many. It is one of the least expensive ways to stay insured. The way it works is simple. You pay for the insurance as you would any other insurance. In this case, we will talk about life insurance that is term. During the time period that you are covered, if you should die, the insurance company will pay out as described in the policy. But, if the term of the insurance expires and then you die, there is no pay out by the insurance company. It only covers death that occurs during a specific time period.

Why would anyone want to take out this type of policy? And, isn’t it costly to pay for insurance that would one day just be gone? The fact is that this type of insurance is very important. Consider why you need insurance in the first place. Should you die, you’ll want to make sure your family has an income to rely on. You’ll want to make sure that your home is paid for and your bills are met. But, more than likely, the time period that you are concerned with is that of the years that you are working. Because this is usually the time period when you need the most coverage, this is the time period that most term insurance is taken out for.

Deciding whether this is the right type of insurance for your needs is necessary. It takes quite a bit of understanding, but understanding the difference between each type of insurance will help you to make the right choice. Possibly, term insurance is the right choice for you.

Pay as you drive car insurance from Norwich Union
05 October 2006

Norwich Union Direct the UK’s largest motor insurance provider as announced it’s new innovative “Pay As You Drive” cover, offering motorists the ability to reduce their insurance premiums.

Offering two new policies , the basis of which are usage-based insurance premiums, Norwich Union is finally offering cover after its initial pilot scheme, involving 5,000 motorists, was launched in 2004.

Norwich Union’s researched showed that over two thirds of the UK motorists are likely to welcome the initiative by which average savings are expected to be around 33%.

With the use of in-car GPS monitoring devices the UK’s largest car insurance provider is able to tailor make unique car insurance policies specific to the policy holder - premiums being based on usage.A completely transparent itemised billing system should allow drivers to finely tune there policies, yet remaining flexible.

Premiums will be based not merely on mileage but also on other factors such as when,where and how often the policy holder drives. Premiums can even be identified to each journey.

Offering two distinct policies: 18-23 and 24-65 year old drivers Norwich Union is efficiently using its huge databank of claims histories to pass on potential savings to the more discerned driver.

Using a combination of Norwich Unions own data together with statistics supplied by ABI and the department of Transport the pilot scheme revealed :-

18-24 year old drivers are at great risk during the early hours with this group accounting for 46% of fatalities on the road between 11pm and 6am, and are 56% more likely to suffer injury between 1am and 5am.
This group is 10 times more likely to have an accident at night and this rises to 14 times more likely on weekend nights.
Premiums will reflect these high risk periods and it is hoped will encourage young drivers to refrain from driving during these periods.The pilot scheme revealed a 20% drop in accidents involving young drivers and strenghtens the belief this type of policy will save lives. Norwich Union is hoping the introduction of this scheme will dramatically reduce the number of accidents involving young drivers.

In the other group - the 24-65 year old drivers, the pilot revealed that this group was 50% more likely to suffer an accident during the morning weekday rush hour than driving at weekends or in the evenings. Serious accidents are most likely to happen at night and that motorway driving was up to 10 times safer than low speed urban roads.
These statistics are encouraging to the 48% of Norwich Union customers who dont use their vehicle to drive to work during the weekeday peak periods.

Iain Napier, director of “Pay As You Drive”™ insurance, said: “The launch of “Pay As You Drive”™ insurance will give motorists access to insurance that’s specifically tailored to them and their driving habits, potentially rewarding them with cheaper premiums.

“We’re confident that “Pay As You Drive”™ insurance is simply a fairer way of calculating premiums and gives customers greater control, flexibility and choice. That’s why we expect the first ever “Pay As You Drive”™ insurance proposition in the UK to be a huge success with motorists.”

Kay Martin, head of “Pay As You Drive”™ insurance, added: ““Pay As You Drive”™ insurance provides an innovative solution for young drivers while also appealing to a broad range of motorists who see the benefits of paying for insurance based on actual vehicle usage. The future of insurance is tailored products to suit people’s lifestyle and the launch of “Pay As You Drive”™ insurance is the first step in this direction.”

Overall it is likely this type of policy will be well received by UK motorists, especially in view of the transparent billing system, enabling policy holders to make informed decisions as to how and when to use their vehicles.