News - Help for homebuyers

Posted on December 31, 2007
Filed Under Property insurance | Leave a Comment

Ricky Okey of mortgage advisers Charcol answers questions about buying a property.



Peter Gent from Essex is retired and wants to buy a property in one of the Greek islands.

Should he get take out a British based mortgage or a euro mortgage on either his own house (which he owns and is worth 120,000) or the one he will buy.

Also, are there any serious pitfalls in buying a house in Greece?

If you need a mortgage on a property you are buying abroad, both the mortgage and property ideally need to be in the same currency.

Therefore if you are buying a property in Greece, the mortgage needs to be in euros.

This is to minimise currency risks, because the value of your property and your mortgage will both increase or decrease together.

Having said that, there are very few UK lenders who offer mortgages on foreign properties (quite a few English lenders don’t even lend in Northern Ireland or Scotland).

In addition to this you need a minimum deposit of typically 25-30% and the purchase expenses are significantly higher than in the UK.

Then there are the legal implications of buying abroad, which can be vastly different to buying a UK property.

Ensuring you have an English-speaking lawyer is of paramount importance.

It is for these reasons that many people buying abroad prefer to release equity on a UK property if they can and purchase the foreign property in cash.

If you are unable to finance the purchase from funds raised on your UK property, you may wish to speak to a specialist on overseas mortgages.

One such specialist is Conti Financial Service, who should also be able to advise of the pitfalls, if any, on buying a property in Greece.

You can get further details by calling 01273 772 811 or at

www.mortgagesoverseas.com.

Helen Tait wants some assistance on a fixed rate mortgage she has taken out with the Halifax.

It’s fixed over two years but two months into the mortgage they have increased the amount without any prior notice.

She has complained and they said it was for some outstanding capital, but she thinks they are incorrect.

There is not enough information here to ascertain exactly why Halifax may have done this.

If Helen hasn’t already done so, she should ask Halifax to clearly explain in writing why there was “outstanding capital” in the first place, why she was she not advised before it was added to her mortgage and why was she not given the choice of repaying this amount now rather than having it added.

She should also ask for details of their complaints procedure.

Once she has followed their complaint procedures, and if she is still not happy with their response, she is entitled to require Halifax to refer her complaint to an ombudsman or Mortgage Code Arbitration Scheme.

For further details, you can call 01785 218 200 or visit the

Mortgage Code Compliance Board website.

Louise Marshall from Devon wants to move her mortgage to a fixed rate one. Should she opt for a really long-term fixed rate? Are there any pitfalls?

My first question to Louise would be to ask if she is looking for a fixed rate because she is concerned about the expected increase in the Bank of England base rate over the next year.

If she is, she might want to bear in mind that current fixed rates, especially those fixed for three to five years or more, have already factored in a potential future base rate increase to at least 5% by the end of next year.

Louise is talking about long-term fixes, but unless the base rate rises to well over 5%, which seems unlikely at this point, buying a longer term fixed rate means that you run a serious risk of taking a deal that may never become “good value”.

However, I do appreciate that for some borrowers, the stability of knowing exactly what their monthly payments will be over a certain period is very important.

One compromise could be a capped rate mortgage, which also offers an initial discount.

Although the initial discounted rate on these would be slightly higher than those offered on stand-alone discounts, borrowers would have the added security of knowing their rate (and therefore monthly payments) will never go above the level of the cap during the capped rate period.

One example is a deal we have with Bristol & West, which offers an initial discount in the first three years of 1.55% (giving a current rate of 4.24%), but is capped at 5.99% for the same period.

So as long as borrowers who take this deal have worked out that they can still afford their mortgage payments at 5.99%, they can rest assured that they take this deal knowing it will remain affordable even if rates increase in the future.

However borrowers should not disregard variable rate deals just because the monthly payment can fluctuate.

Even after taking into account the recent increase in the base rate, there are still many discount or tracker deals on offer with rates that are below 4%, or in some cases below 3.5%.

That compares with fixed rate mortgages currently on offer at rates between 5% and 5.5% for long term fixes from five to 25 years.

By working out how much your monthly payment would be should rates increase by, say, 2%, you would know if your payments were still affordable.

That way you would at least know if it is worth locking into a fix at today’s high prices, or taking a punt on a discount or tracker that currently offers a much lower rate of interest.

You can work out what your payments might be by using the

BBC’s mortgage calculator.

Matt Thomas wants to buy a second home as an investment. Should he buy abroad or is it safer to invest in the UK?

Would the chance of a second home being let out to holidaymakers make it more profitable?

Matt should remember that although buying abroad is becoming more and more popular these days, in addition to the usual risks involved in buying an investment property, it has the added of risk of currency fluctuations.

When the time comes to sell the property, he could lose some of the value when it is converted into to sterling.

Whether it is likely to be more profitable than a buy-to-let in this country depends on the potential property appreciation value and how easy it will be to rent out.

With any buy-to-let, there can be void periods and prospective landlords are always advised to factor in at least two rental void periods out of any 12 months when their property could be vacant.

When buying a property as a holiday let, landlords run the risk of rental void periods over longer periods, depending on where the property is situated.

Is it in a location that is popular with tourists all year round? Or in a location that is only really popular during the key holiday season?

There are other factors to take into account such as legal and insurance implications, especially if the property is constantly let out to holidaymakers.

Also think about the management of the property. Who is going to prepare it for new guests before their arrival and deal with any problems or grumbles the holidaymakers may have?

You may need to think about hiring a manager and this will also add to your costs and potential profit.

As with any property investment, the area and potential to future tenants of the property need to be thoroughly researched before deciding on a location.

Dave from Devon has a 200,000 house to sell and wants to take out a mortgage of 100,000 in order to buy a 300,000 house. He expects to work for another 16 years so would want a 15-year mortgage.

There’s a possibility that he would have an inheritance anytime within the next 15 years which would pay off the mortgage. Which types of mortgage would you suggest?

I notice that Dave said there is the “possibility” of an inheritance. If this is the case then I would suggest Dave looks at shorter term deals, even if they lock him in during the initial discounted or fixed rate period.

If the inheritance does come along in the future he can take a view at the time as to whether it’s worth paying the penalty to repay the mortgage there and then, or wait the short period before the penalty expires and repay the mortgage at that time.

If there comes a point when he knows for sure that he will receive an inheritance in the future, then Dave may want to look at deals that have no early redemption charges, leaving him free to repay the mortgage in full any time he likes.

In addition to this, and again if he knows for sure he is due an inheritance that will repay the mortgage in the future, he might want to convert the mortgage to an interest-only basis if he hasn’t already done so he can keep the cost of the monthly payments to a minimum.

This means his monthly payments will only cover the monthly interest charged on the mortgage, but will not repay any of the capital.

This would mean that the full 100,000 would become payable once the mortgage has come to an end.

Sue Jones has a 10-year-old Standard Life endowment policy that she wants to sell (Standard Life has valued it at less than half the amount she has paid into it if she were to cash it in).

Can you suggest a company that might be interested in buying it and who will give her at least what she’s put into it?

There is not enough information given here to say whether Sue should sell her policy on the secondhand endowment market so my suggestion to her is to discuss her options with an IFA, ensuring she takes all her with regards to her policy with her.

Anybody in Sue’s position should look at all of their options with regards to their endowment shortfall before deciding on any one solution.

Selling the policy is not the only solution - for example, she could “pay up” the policy, if it is attached to a mortgage, maybe changing the type of mortgage so half is interest-only and half is repayment.

This ensures some of the capital is repaid to cover any shortfall etc.

Although in the past it was possible to get up to 30% more by selling your endowment policy, due to increasing popularity of this market and differing views of investors themselves, these returns are in no way guaranteed anymore.

There are about 20 companies on the secondhand endowment market and the IFA should provide information on some or all of them.

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) have published a factsheet to help people in Sue’s position.

This can be obtained free on 0845 606 1234 or by visiting

www.fsa.gov.uk.

Margaret Waters is a postgraduate student who has 8,000 of student loans - on which she can defer payments.

She has just started a job and her income is 29,000. She wants to buy her own place. Should she start saving for a deposit or start paying off her loans first?

Usually we would advise that it is preferable to pay off outstanding debt as soon as possible because the interest rates payable on loans and credit cards are typically higher than that received in savings accounts.

Margaret’s situation is slightly different because student loans are typically charged at nominal rates of interest.

Margaret will not be able to defer payments indefinitely and certainly not for as long as it will take to save enough money to put down a sizeable deposit on a property and cover purchase costs, especially if she is starting from scratch with no other savings.

This is not to say that it is not worth starting to save as long as Margaret manages her expectations.

She also has to realise that any outstanding debt such as student loans, personal loans and credit cards will affect the amount she can borrow, because lenders will take outstanding balances into account before deciding how much they will lend her.

If Margaret is desperate to get on the property ladder sooner rather than later, she has other options that she can consider.

She could apply for a 100% mortgage that negates the need for a deposit, ask her parents to act as guarantors or take advantage of the number of specially designed mortgage schemes (Step Ladder, Rent a Room, Newcastle Family Offset).

These are the points that Margaret should bear in mind, and it is worth talking them through with a financial adviser.

Daniel Evans is looking to buy a property in Reading. He earns 32,000 a year but even with a 13,000 deposit he says he just can’t afford to buy a decent home.

Will he ever get on the property ladder or will he be renting forever?

Although Daniel thinks that he will never get on the property ladder, there is still hope!

We can see where his predicament lies as Reading is currently an expensive area to buy property.

In fact the average flat in Reading during the third quarter of the year was 135,930, which is a little out of Daniel’s range.

But there are other things that Daniel should consider when continuing the search for a property.

Most lenders are willing to lend based on 3.25 or 3.5 times salary. This would bring Daniel’s maximum borrowing up to about 112,000.

There are some other lenders, such as Woolwich and Nationwide, who will consider borrowers for up to four times their sole income, and others who will even consider lending more.

Borrowing four times may bring him to the level that he requires based on the average price for a flat in Reading.

Of course, the higher the income multiple offered, the more stringent the criteria the borrower needs to meet in terms of their credit record, employment and address history, minimum salary and how they run their bank account.

Contrary to popular belief, lenders are not just giving money away willy nilly and they will not knowingly lend to a borrower at a higher income multiple if they do not think the borrower can afford the mortgage.

The onus is also on Daniel to be completely honest with himself as to whether he can comfortably afford the mortgage payments.

He should not let his desire to get on the property ladder cloud his judgement in any way.

It is also worth remembering that a lot of lenders are only Mortgage Indemnity Guarantee (MIG) free up to 90% and so Daniel would be liable for the rest.

Among lenders that do offer good MIG-free deals are Nationwide and Mortgage Express.

MIG is a one-off charge made on mortgages that are high in proportion to the value of the property.

It is to protect the lender should the borrower default on the mortgage in the future, it is of no benefit to the borrower whatsoever.

However, on a 95% mortgage a MIG premium can be equivalent to adding an extra 1.6% to the cost of the loan.

Daniel could also consider buying with friends or he could try and seek help from his family if they are willing. They could either act as a guarantor on a mortgage or contribute to the deposit.

Irene McLoughlin from Hampshire is a single parent with only 28,500 left on her repayment mortgage with Alliance & Leicester who are charging 5.54%.

She wants to know where she can get a get a better deal especially since she wants to repay in the next seven years?

The first thing that Irene should be aware of is that Alliance & Leicester increased their rates recently and so her payrate now would be 5.79%, which is rather high considering how long she has left to pay.

On most of their deals they also calculate interest annually and on a mortgage with such little left to pay, this will waste money.

Although Alliance & Leicester would offer her new business rates on a new mortgage, they would also charge you extra fees including an arrangement fee. This may make a new deal with them a little .

Therefore although she will have to pay a small exit fee (about 85) it is worth redeeming this mortgage.

The best new deal to look for would be one with no fees. With such a small mortgage amount and short length of time to pay it back, any small fee could add up to 1% of your remortgage costs - not great value.

The main thing you should consider is to pick a mortgage that calculates interest daily. Don’t just look for the cheapest headline rate; make sure you look at the other parts of the deal as well.

Ben Clarke from Kent is a first-time buyer. He wants 120,000 for a flat and needs a 95% mortgage but his credit rating isn’t very good.

The best rate he has been offered is 7.1% with a two-year lock-in. Should he take it?

A bad credit rating does not necessarily mean that borrowers are doomed to sub-prime mortgages charged at extortionate rates of interest with hefty lock-ins.

More and more High Street lenders have become sympathetic to borrowers with a less than perfect credit record.

My first tip to Ben is that he should not automatically seek advice from specialist lenders and brokers in the sub-prime market, but speak to an independent mortgage broker or financial adviser who has access to the entire mortgage market.

Lenders such as Chelsea Building Society and Bristol & West may both consider lending to Ben, as would Birmingham Midshires, who also offer sub-prime lending at reasonable rates of interest.

Although Ben states that he has a bad credit rating, the fact that he has been offered a 95% mortgage suggests that his rating may not be as dreadful as he thinks.

Many sub-prime lenders would not even consider lending this amount and so his finances cannot be as bad as first thought.

From what Ben says he has been offered a one-year discounted mortgage with a two-year lock-in. This means that although he would have an initial payrate of 7.1%, this could rise to as much as 10%.

Ben needs to consider whether he could afford a rate as high as this.

In effect, Ben is paying double the rate that he would pay if he had the pick of the ordinary mortgage market. Is it really worth taking this rate?

If Ben gave himself six months to improve and stabilise his credit score, then it is likely that he could have a better choice of lenders and deals.

He should aim to pay off any county court judgements or other debts and look to increase his deposit. Within a year, he should have enough to get a much better deal then he is currently offered.

Mrs Reid is interested in equity release schemes but is confused at the different information that is given out. Where can she go to get independent advice about it?

I can appreciate Mrs Reid’s predicament. Equity release mortgages (or lifetime mortgages as they will be known once mortgage regulation comes into force next year) can seem confusing and daunting.

The Council of Mortgage Lenders have produced a guide on equity release for consumers. You can order a copy by calling 0207 440 2255 or get one by clicking on publications and information and then consumer information at their website,

www.cml.org.uk.

It is strongly recommended that you speak to a reputable, fully independent, financial adviser before making any decisions.

To find one local to your area, contact IFAP (IFA promotions) either by calling them on 0800 085 3250 or logging on to

www.ifap.org.uk.

One final thought; anybody considering equity release mortgages should also seek legal advice, as their ultimate decision not only affects them but their whole family, too.

Tony Richmond has a capped mortgage on his property which he currently rents out. He would like to get another cheap mortgage when it comes to the end of the fixed rate. Does he have to go for a buy-to-let mortgage?

If Tony originally took out his mortgage while he was still living in the property he should have got his lender’s permission before he let it out.

Lenders will have differing views on this; all that may happen is a slight increase in his interest rate, or an extra admin charge to change the type of mortgage.

But ultimately, if he has not advised his lender he should do so immediately.

There are also insurance implications now that he rents out his property so he should also advise his buildings and contents insurer of his property’s change of status. Honesty is always the best policy.

When the time comes to remortgage, he will certainly have to apply for a buy-to-let mortgage.


The opinions expressed are Ricky’s, not the programme’s. The answers are not intended to be definitive and should be used for guidance only. Always seek professional advice for your own particular situation.


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News - World Trade Center claims settled

Posted on December 30, 2007
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A lengthy legal dispute over insurance claims for the old World Trade Center has been settled, clearing the way for the site to be rebuilt.


Seven insurers have agreed to pay an extra $2bn (1bn) to the group seeking to redevelop the site, destroyed by the 11 September terrorist attacks.


The deal was brokered by New York state officials and Larry , who held the lease to the Twin Towers.


Mr Silverstein has now secured more than $4.5bn in insurance payouts.


Five-year battle


This is less than the property developer, who held a $3.5bn insurance policy on the World Trade Center at the time of its collapse, was awarded following a 2004 trial.


The rebuilding would not be possible without the insurers
Eric Dinallo, New York insurance superintendent


The settlement ends once and for all a legal battle between Mr Silverstein and insurance over claims for replacing the Twin Towers.


According to a statement from New York state Governor Eliot Spitzer and state insurance superintendent Eric Dinallo, the companies involved in the settlement included Allianz, Swiss Re, Travelers and Zurich Financial Services.


“I do not think anyone thought it would ever end,” Mr Dinallo said of the settlement.


“I am most proud of an industry that stepped up. The rebuilding would not be possible without the insurers.”


Mr Spitzer said the agreement removed the “last major barrier to rebuilding” while New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg it as “a major step” in the area’s regeneration.


The proceeds of the settlement will be split between the Port Authority of New York, which owns the site and Silverstein Properties, which is spearheading its rebuilding.


The end of legal will make it easier for the group to raise finance for the massive project.


Work on the new flagship World Trade Center Freedom Tower began last year.

News - Insurer AIG in $1.6bn settlement

Posted on December 29, 2007
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Insurance giant American Group has agreed to pay more than $1.6bn (920m) to settle state and federal charges of abuses.


Under the settlement, AIG also agreed to change the way it carries out its business to ensure proper accounting practices in the future.


The deal settles a civil suit brought against AIG last May by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.


Investigators claimed AIG had attempted to deceive regulators and investors.


‘Financial gamesmanship’


AIG finds itself in this position solely because some senior managers thought it was acceptable to deceive the investing public and regulators
New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer


The settlement, announced on Thursday, does not resolve current lawsuits against former AIG chief executive Maurice Greenberg and former chief financial officer Howard Smith.


A criminal case against Mr Greenberg, accusing him of manipulating the firm’s finances to boost its share price, was dropped by New York authorities in November last year.


Both men have denied any .


“AIG finds itself in this position solely because some senior managers thought it was acceptable to deceive the investing public and regulators,” Mr Spitzer said.


“This is a company that didn’t have to cheat. But once they began, they found it hard to stop. And like an addict, they grew dependent on financial gamesmanship that could ultimately destroy the company,” he told the Associated Press news agency.


Mr Spitzer said AIG’s promise to adopt new practices would improve the US market for property and casualty insurance.


The company is currently the world’s largest insurer by market value.

News - Insurance: Your questions

Posted on December 28, 2007
Filed Under Property insurance | Leave a Comment

All your insurance queries, answered by broker Terry Reed.

Bill Waterworth has been looking at life insurance for the over 50’s. He notices that they discriminate in their pay-outs between males and females, even though the payments are the same.

Doesn’t the sex discrimination act count?

Where an insurer can provide information to justify discrimination and the information is from a reliable source then this is allowed. For example the different life expectancy between male and female.

Tony Ursell and his wife have taken out funeral plans with Age Concern. How can they check they are contributing to a good insurance plan?

My investigations show it is very difficult to compare costs and the different benefits offered by these funeral plans.

Money paid for these plans must either be invested under a special trust or provided by a whole life insurance. The OFT gives some guidance what to consider before taking them out. It can also be difficult to compare the actual costs of a funeral if you arrange everything yourself.

There was a survey of funeral costs by the Society of Odd Fellows in 2000 that showed funeral costs had increased by 25% in two years. You will find details of the Code of Practice for members who belong to the Funeral Planning Authority. Website www.funeralplanningauthority.com

Joe asks what are the main things to consider when taking out pet insurance?

1. To what age can you join and up to what age will they continue to insure the pet? Could be difficult to change insurers later especially if you’ve had claims
2. What is the fees cover? Is it each claim or each year?
3. What happens at renewal for conditions now existing for which claims have been paid especially if any policy limit has been reached?
4. For how long will they continue to pay for a claim?

In November Maurice from Shetland is off for a fly-drive to South Africa with his wife for three weeks holiday. Maurice has always been wary of car hire companies, especially their extra insurance, and passing on credit card details. He’s found a car hire excess insurance policy with insurance4carhire.com. They have a Europe policy for 59 - is it a good idea?

Using these schemes does not mean the car hire company will not want credit card details. When claiming you need to follow carefully what is needed to validate the claim. This provider’s website gives guidance. Dealing with hire company queries once you are back home can be a problem. One element of self insurance could be to use a global brand name and take photos of the returned car.

Marion from Gwynedd says she and her husband took out an annual travel insurance policy with Insureandgo in March 2006.

They frequently go to France as they have a second home there. In September, while there, Marion fell and broke her wrist, and had to have an operation putting a pin into her arm. 70% of her bill was covered by her European Health Insurance Card and Insureandgo have said they will pay the 30% top-up. Marion would prefer to have the pins taken out by the same surgeon on a returning trip to France and as she has a 90 day insurance policy she assumed it would be covered. But insureandgo have refused and insist she returns to the UK to have them taken out on the National Health Service. Can they do that?

The travel policy is intended to provide immediate assistance for such emergencies whilst on holiday but the travel insurers would not expect to pay any further costs once the traveller has returned to the UK.


Graham from Bagillt in North Wales asks what the insurance are of having a domestic wind turbine?

I would expect insurers to look at each one individually to see how and what cover can be provided.

This is the view of Norwich Union and they would look to consider it within the buildings cover.

William Borthwick says his wife has a with profits bond with Standard Life and when the stock market plunged the company applied a Unit Price Adjustment in line with most insurance companies. Standard Life do not offer any UPA free period but do say that this is under constant review. Is the UPA ever going to be lifted? Have any other insurance companies ceased to apply such adjustments?

These issues arise when an insurer considers the value of the assets behind the with profits bond are lower than shown on the policy and any bonuses that may have be added to them.

Most major insurers have removed them but that does not mean they will not be reimposed in the future. However an adjustment can vary depending upon when the money was invested, Standard Life have stated.

The instances in which a UPA apply have become fewer. In general, UPAs do not apply in any of the following :

Regular payment pension policies started before November 1991 and after November 2001, any Homeplan endowment policies, with profits bonds taken out since June 2002.
Where they do apply, the range of potential UPAs has decreased since the previous bonus declaration.



Tom Bisgrove is looking for car insurance. He’s been to three companies to compare quotes against his current insurer. Of the three, two will not insure anyone aged over 80. They are Direct Line and Admiral. Is this a trend that will spread to other companies and force over 80 drivers of the road?

As Tom has found this is a problem for him and also others aged 80 plus. If he has had a good driving record and been with the same insurer for several years he should consider remaining with them. If he did change insurer and had a claim shortly after then his new insurers may not look at future insurance so kindly as his present ones.

Tony Carnes asks if you can explain why two insurance brokers are needed to obtain cover for property owners’ insurance and why the insurance company providing the cover refuses to deal directly with him?

This may be a special scheme where one broker operates and runs it for other brokers to use. The insurer who is backing these arrangements will have no facility to deal direct. Schemes that are run correctly offer excellent value for both clients and insurers.

Eric Kay is 55 and has an Advantage Gold account with NatWest which costs him 12 per month. The only reason he keeps this account is because it gives him free travel insurance. As he has existing medical conditions he wants to know if he can get annual travel insurance for himself and his partner, who has no medical problems, for less than the 144 he is paying for the account.

The account from Nat West provides more than travel insurance but it does promote this as one of the benefits. The NatWest policy has a very fair definition of pre-existing conditions. If Eric comes within this definition then future travel would not cover him for this. Without more detailed information a precise cost comparison cannot be made. The extent of cover is the first priority. For example I have asked Nat West if they intend to review their exclusion relating to terrorism. Nat West are not the only ones excluding terrorism.

Roy Lawrence has a question about financial advisers. They’re normally insured in case their advice proves to be bad - he’s thinking of endowment assurance. But what happens, he asks, when the financial adviser stops trading and his insurance runs out? It seems that 20 years down the line, the insurance company will not compensate the customer, even though it was insuring the adviser at the time of the poor advice. Shouldn’t the insurance company honour its insurance for the time the poor advice was given?

Since 28th August 1988 and after a firm has become authorised there has been the Financial Services Compensation Scheme which is the UK’s statutory fund of last resort to customers of a financial services firm unable to pay claims against it. Mortgage advice applies from 31st Oct 2004 and general insurance intermediaries from 14th Jan 2005. Website www.fscs.org.uk

Ron Duckett falls into the over 75s age bracket. Where can he get the best travel insurance?

There are a number of travel insurers offering cover for over 75s if it is for single trips. It becomes a bigger problem over age 80. What is a reasonable price will depend upon what is actually provided. A travel policy twice the price of a competitor could be excellent value if for example it includes terrorism and the traveller is caught up in such an attack.


Ian Thompson needs to renew his buildings insurance and went onto confused.com to get some quotes. He found one 25% cheaper than his renewal value so accepted this quote. He rang his existing insurance company to cancel the policy and told them he had found one 25% lower than their renewal value. They accepted this but warned him to check whether the new company’s policy was . When he received the details for the new quote it seems that the new policy was indeed NOT underwritten. What are the drawbacks for insuring with a company that does not underwrite the policies? And is this common?


Websites that try to capture various insurers quotations are usually providing a guidance to costs and you need to confirm any quote direct to the particular insurer.

The opinions expressed are Terry’s not the programme’s. The answers are not intended to be definitive and should be used for guidance only. Always seek professional advice for your own particular situation.


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News - Climate change insurance warning

Posted on December 27, 2007
Filed Under Property insurance | Leave a Comment

Climate change will lead to heftier insurance claims in the long term, insurer Swiss Re has warned.


It said there had been a low number of natural disasters in 2006, causing a total of $48bn (24.8bn) worth of damage.


This was far below the $230bn in 2005 - largely due to Rita, Wilma and Katrina.


But extreme weather conditions caused by global warming were “likely to aggravate the loss “.


“Over the past decades, insured losses have shown a rising trend, due mainly to catastrophes,” Swiss Re said.


Insurance firms paid out $15.9bn in catastrophe-related claims in 2006, with natural disasters making up $11.8bn of these, Swiss Re said.




Many of the natural disasters occurred in the developing world, where there is less insurance cover and property is cheaper.


About 31,000 people died in catastrophes during 2006, including the earthquake in Bantul, Indonesia.


Disasters in 2005 claimed some 97,000 lives


Last month, two large insurers, Axa and Allianz, said the relative lack of major catastrophes last year had been good for their profits, which came in at 5.1bn euros and 7bn euros respectively.


Source article

News - Insurers being sued over Katrina

Posted on December 25, 2007
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Five US insurance companies are being accused of trying to trick Hurricane Katrina survivors out of millions of dollars in damage payouts.


The claim has been made by Attorney General Jim Hood who has launched legal .


He said representatives for the firms had been asking people to sign forms saying they sustained flood damage, which is not covered by their policies.


All five companies have strongly denied the accusations.


“I want the insurance companies to pay what they actually owe the people of Mississippi,” he said, adding that he thought their representatives were “unconscionable”.


Strong denials


The five companies being sued by Mr Hood are Nationwide Mutual Insurance, Mississippi Farm Bureau Insurance, State Farm Fire and Casualty, Allstate Property and Casualty, and United Services Automobile Association.

Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood

Jim Hood has called the insurance firms


Mr Hood said that the firms are demanding policyholders sign the forms in order to gain an immediate cheque to cover living expenses.


“The allegations made by the Mississippi Attorney General are unfounded,” said Nationwide Mutual Insurance.


“Our company is not asking policyholders to acknowledge damage is flood related in order to receive a cheque for living expenses.”



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News - Insurers escape Hurricane Charley

Posted on December 24, 2007
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For one group, though, it’s not as bad as it might have been: insurance companies learnt a lesson from Hurricane Andrew in 1992 and changed their practices to soften the financial damage.

Some of the companies left after that disaster twelve years ago, deciding that hurricanes plus Florida were too a combination.

But the bigger ones stayed - and changed the way they insured people and property.

Spreading the risk

Firstly, Hurricane Andrew persuaded them to steer clear of some of the higher risks on the coast.

Secondly, they have off-loaded much more of the remaining risk to re-insurers: that is, the insurance companies who insure insurance companies.

In other words, the industry as a whole spread the risk far more widely.

A pilot walks away after salvaging items from the twisted wreckage of several airplanes at the Port Charlotte Airport.

The impact on large insurers is manageable

On top of that, the state of Florida set up the Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.

The combination means that one of the big American insurance companies, State Farm, reckons its losses will be limited to $200m (109m) - even though it insures about one in four Florida homes in the affected areas.

The other lesson the insurance companies learnt after Hurricane Andrew was to change their policies on offer to cover a smaller proportion of the total value of a destroyed home or its contents.

Better than feared

Finally, the hurricane, though bad, was not as bad as expected, and certainly not as damaging as Hurricane Andrew.

The initial weather forecast had it cutting through the Tampa-St Petersburg area, but it swerved at the last moment and caused less damage.

It also weakened sooner than expected, and was smaller in size than first feared.

Radar and infrared imagery also showed the radius of the high winds to be less than six miles, far narrower than expected from a Category Four hurricane.

Impact absorbed

The financial data echoed a sigh of relief that Charley didn’t do its worst: the price of stock of insurance companies fell by about 3% before the impact and rose by 6% after it.

Mobile home, ripped apart by Hurricane Charley.

Insurance premiums are unlikely to jump

The best estimate is that the insured losses from Hurricane Charley will add up to no more than $10bn, a sizable sum, but far short of the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew and not enough to break the insurance companies.

On top of that comes uninsured losses which are likely to double that figure as a total cost to the economy.

The impact on large insurers is thus manageable, according to Catherine Seibert, analyst with the credit ratings agency Standard and Poor’s.

She pointed out that costs in the range of $5bn to $10bn are well below Andrew’s bill of $20bn to $25bn.

“Since Andrew, US insurers have tightened policies,” she said.

“Also, a lot of the losses will be paid by the Florida Catastrophe Fund, which was set up exactly for things like Charley.”

The result is that some insurance companies might show losses, but that the impact could be absorbed.

The good news for the residents of Florida is that insurance premiums are unlikely to jump - which is no consolation to those flocking to supermarkets and schools and all the other centres being used by insurance companies to assess their claims for ruined property.

The old English proverb may say that “it’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good”, but this ill wind blew no good at all to many thousands of people.

News - How to ensure you’re insured

Posted on December 23, 2007
Filed Under Property insurance | Leave a Comment

Read more on site
Reports that Cilla Black’s insurers won’t pay out for stolen jewellery might get many homeowners worrying.

The TV star had items worth 1m stolen but it’s said there’ll be no payout because she didn’t have window locks fitted downstairs.

So while we all cough up large sums each year to insure our property and , exactly what are we covered for?

There might be specific conditions attached to your insurance and you could breach one or more of them.

“Some insurers will require you to have minimum security precautions fitted,” says Malcolm Tarling of the of British Insurers.

Malcolm Tarling

Malcolm: Minimum security could be required

“For example, they may require certain locks fitted to doors and windows.

“In some cases, they may require a burglar alarm if you live in an area with a high crime rate or you have a particularly high sum insured.

“Failure to comply could mean your insurance claim is null and void if you suffer a burglary.”

As in so many other instances, it’s a case of reading the small print of your policy.

What sort of things might render your policy invalid?

  • Windows left open - Common in hot weather. If someone can get into your house without breaking in, you won’t get a penny.

  • Inadequate cover
    - Do you regularly update the amount you have insured? Go through room by room and work out how much it might all cost to replace.

  • Single item limit - This might be just 10% of your total insured sum. So if you have cover for 30,000, your most valuable items will be insured only up to 3,000.


  • Garden cover
    - Don’t forget things that are not inside the house. Bikes or garden furniture could be worth a fair bit of money.

  • Accidental damage - Unless you have this specified on your policy, you won’t be insured if the kids put jam in your video recorder.

    But there are active steps you could take which might result in discounts on your premium of up to 30%.

  • Have an alarm fitted.
  • Put in window locks.

  • Join an approved Watch scheme.

  • Ask for police advice on how to improve security.

  • News - Ask the expert: Letting property

    Posted on December 22, 2007
    Filed Under Property insurance | Leave a Comment


    BBC News Online’s Ask the Expert column gives readers a chance to have their financial questions answered.

    This week, Mat Hobbs, a lettings expert at FPD Savills, helps Your Money reader Nick Hlinski.

    Mr Hlinski has owned and lived in his flat for five years and is now looking to let it fully furnished.

    He is planning on using a management company to oversee the letting, as he will not be living nearby.

    What key things, such as tax, management costs, should Mr Hlinski consider?

    Mat Hobbs writes:

    Assuming that you wish to use a letting agent who will manage the property as well, it is important to make sure that the agent chosen is a reputable company.

    The Association of Residential Letting Agents (Arla) will provide a list of bonded members that cover your area.

    DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION?
    Send your questions to our experts

    Agents who are members abide by a code of conduct, and bonding means that there can be financial redress in the event of any loss for which the agent is responsible.

    Apart from finding a tenant, they will be able to advise on the pro’s and con’s of letting in your area, the types of tenant and tenancy that you might expect, advise on any work that may help to let the property promptly and perhaps improve the rent achieved, as well as help organise safety certificates and so on, in advance of a tenancy.

    Agents will typically charge 10 or 11% (plus VAT) of the rent achieved for letting a property, and 5 or 6% (plus VAT) for managing a let property.

    It makes sense to invite two or three agents to appraise the property so that there is a consensus on pricing, and to compare agents’ ranges of services and charges.

    Taxing issues

    It is important to know whether you will be UK resident or non-resident for tax purposes.

    If non-resident you will need to register with the Inland Revenue under the Non Resident Landlords Tax Scheme.

    MAT’S TIPS: IN SUMMARY
    Sign up to an agent who is a member of Arla

    If you are not a UK resident, you must register with the Inland Revenue

    Various expenses can reduce the amount of tax you pay

    Check tenants’ and landlords’ responsibilities

    Check with your insurance company - and increase cover if necessary

    Inform your mortgage company - it is usually a condition of the loan

    Ensure the property and furnishings comply with safety standards

    If you don’t, the agent will be obliged to deduct 22% basic rate tax from the net profits of the letting (assuming that the net rent exceeds 4,250 per annum).

    If you are a UK resident then the income will need to be declared on your self-assessment tax return. The Inland Revenue produces a booklet (IR87) which is pretty helpful (www..gov.uk - go to “individuals” then “letting my home”).

    Various expenses can be held against any tax liability, including: agent’s fees, ground rent, insurance and maintenance and repair costs (but not ).

    You should also bear in mind that capital gains tax will be due upon the sale of a property that is no longer your prime residence (there is a sliding scale depending on how long it is since you moved out).

    Home truths

    It is usually the case (if letting a self contained property) that the tenant is responsible for utilities - i.e. council tax, water, gas, electricity, phone, television licence, and insuring their own possessions.

    Landlords are usually responsible for service charges, ground rents, buildings insurance and insuring their own contents (you will need to inform your insurers that the property is let).

    There are specialist insurers who deal with let property.

    You should also inform your mortgage company (it is usually a condition of the mortgage that you do so).

    Some lenders will take it as chance to review the rate that you pay (depending on whether you plan to let the property for the foreseeable future or if the let is only for a limited period).



    Some landlords wish to be very hands on, and some want everything to be at arms length


    Some may charge an administration fee for checking the tenancy agreement (they will want to check that their rights of possession in the event of a default on the mortgage remain unaffected). It is as well to check the conditions of your mortgage before letting the property.

    If your property is leasehold, you should also check whether or not you have a responsibility to inform your freeholder or need freeholders consent to let.

    You will have to ensure that any furnishings you leave meet the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 amended 1993, that all gas appliances meet the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and that you have a valid safety certificate (supplied by a CORGI registered engineer) at all times during the tenancy.

    You will also need to check that electrical appliances meet the prevailing electrical safety legislation.

    Your agent will probably be able to help with the relevant safety certificates, and checking the furnishings is a case of looking for the relevant labels and tags.

    It is up to you how involved you are with any of the above. Some landlords wish to be very hands on, and some want everything to be at arms length. We even let and manage flats for landlords who live in the same building.

    The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by the BBC unless specifically stated. The material is for general only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.


    Original article ‘’

    News - SIPPs made simple

    Posted on December 21, 2007
    Filed Under Property insurance | Leave a Comment

    Read source on
    The government is planning to help you buy a second home for the benefit of your personal pension scheme.


    It is all part of controversial legislation that comes into effect on 6 April 2006.


    This affects personal pension plans, known as SIPPs.


    Introduced in 1991, SIPPs give you more control over a personal pension than if you invest solely via a pension company.

    From next year, even people in occupational pension schemes will be able to start one.


    What is a SIPP?


    A SIPP is a pension contract in your own name. You can decide where the SIPP is invested, subject to certain HM Revenue & Customs restrictions.


    It can be set up with funds from existing pension arrangements, by making contributions, or from a combination of both. It is also possible for your employer to make contributions to your SIPP.


    The new rules increase how much you can pay into your SIPP, with more freedom over where it can be invested and how benefits are paid on retirement and death.


    Contributions & Tax Relief


    Contributions to a SIPP are currently linked to your age and earnings. From next year, you can contribute up to 100% of earnings regardless of your age.


    For the first time you can invest in residential property, antiques, fine wine and other chattels


    The maximum contribution each year from both you and your employer is capped at 215,000. And you can claim tax relief on contributions you make.


    It is worth noting that people without earnings e.g a housewife or househusband, or even a child, will be able to benefit from a SIPP taken out on their behalf (by anyone) who can then contribute up to 3,600 a year.


    Investment Choice


    From April 2006, you can invest your SIPP in a much wider range of assets. For the first time you can invest in residential property, antiques, fine wine and other chattels.


    This will be in addition to the traditional asset classes such as cash deposits, quoted equities, collective investments and commercial property.


    Investment growth is free of UK tax on non-dividend investment income. Rent is received tax-free and bank account interest is paid gross. There is also no capital gains tax to pay when an investment is sold by the SIPP.


    Not irreversible


    By taking out a SIPP you are not making a once and for all decision.

    SIPPS RULES EXPLAINED
    Pension under your personal control
    Investment decisions are yours
    You take all the risk
    Tax relief on contributions
    April 2006-wider range of possible investments


    If at some point you decide that a SIPP is no longer appropriate you can instruct the provider to sell the assets and transfer your fund as cash to another pension scheme.


    This could be a new employer’s scheme or a personal pension run by an insurance company.


    Residential Property


    You will be able to invest in residential property to either lease to a third party or for your own use. This could include buy-to-let properties, holiday homes and even your own home.


    Your SIPP would even be able to purchase a residential property from you. The purchase price paid must be on open market terms.


    The SIPP would be able to borrow to assist with the property purchase. The maximum borrowing from April 2006 will be 50% of our existing SIPP fund value.


    You must remember that the property becomes an asset of the pension fund and hence the value of it will be used to provide retirement benefits for you.


    If you or any member of your family wish to use the property you must pay the open market rent to your SIPP


    You will normally be one of the trustees of your SIPP. The trustees have the to meet the health and safety regulations and the other obligations that fall upon the landlord.


    These mean that the property must be properly managed otherwise your SIPP could be at risk.


    If you or any member of your family wish to use the property you must pay the open market rent to your SIPP. Otherwise you would be subject to a tax charge based on the open market rent and value of the property.


    You should be aware that the sale of any personal asset by yourself to your SIPP might mean that you have to pay capital gains tax on the proceeds.


    As well as purchasing assets you are also allowed to sell them within the SIPP. If for example you buy a house and then at some point believe that you could sell it for a good price you are able to do so.


    The sale proceeds would then be held in your SIPP ready for you to make another investment.


    Avoid trading


    You should, however, make sure that you are not deemed to be “trading”.


    Otherwise, the Inland Revenue would tax the profit made by the SIPP and could ultimately take away the SIPP’s tax privileged status.


    Overseas Property


    It will be possible for your SIPP to purchase residential property overseas.

    Monte Carlo

    A suitable target for investment?


    This means that you could purchase a holiday home abroad, although the same rules concerning paying market rent apply if you or your family use it.


    There may be difficult issues regarding the overseas treatment of the property.


    For instance, many countries do not recognise trusts and countries such as Spain and Portugal have developed anti-avoidance rules that make it inadvisable to hold property through offshore companies.


    Buying overseas property will usually involve higher costs than dealing with UK property given the expertise that will be required.


    Whilst your SIPP will be exempt from UK tax on the investment it may still have to pay tax locally. You could also possibly find yourself liable to foreign wealth tax.


    Therefore, in some cases an overseas residential property may not be a suitable pension fund investment, particularly if it represents a large (or the entire) proportion of your pension fund. It will be illiquid and there is also a currency risk.


    Retirement & Death Benefits


    The new rules will give you more flexibility over how and when you draw your retirement benefits.


    The earliest age you can draw benefits will increase to 55 from 2010, although it will remain at 50 until then.


    Notably, you will no longer be required to purchase an annuity at 75.


    Instead, you can continue to draw your income directly from the fund using Alternatively Secured Income (ASP).


    Under ASP, the maximum income after 75 will broadly be 70% of annuity rates. The annuity rate used is always for a 75 year old regardless of your age, which means that over time your income is likely to reduce.


    As a result, ASP is only suitable for those who can afford to live on a reduced income.


    The upside of ASP is that on your death your spouse will receive a pension. On their death, the remaining fund can be reallocated to your children or pension funds.


    For example the father could have a SIPP and elect to use ASP. On his death his widow would receive a spouse’s pension. On her death the remaining fund in the SIPP would be calculated and reallocated to their three sons’ pension funds as long as they are members of the same SIPP.


    This would then form their own pension funds, from which they could draw a pension from 55 onwards.


    This concept is known as the “family pension” and in years to come we will see pension funds cascading down generations of families.


    One point to note though is that there will be an inheritance tax charge on the reallocation of funds. It is not yet known how much or how it will be applied.


    Who might SIPPs be suitable for?


    SIPPs may be suitable for a wider range of people than at present.


    This includes , self-employed professionals, senior business executives or just those who would like more involvement in the day-to-day running of their pension fund.


    SIPPs can also join together to purchase assets, particularly property.


    SIPPs are provided by a range of providers, including IFAs, stockbrokers, banks and insurance companies.


    The charges, typically, are 300 to start one up and then 500 a year to manage it.


    However there is an obvious danger with a SIPP.


    There will be no one else to rely on if you make the wrong investment decisions. If your property falls in value or if your shares crash there will be no government nor employer to bail you out - the responsibility will have been yours and no one else’s.


    BBC News 24 are running a forum on Sipps at 15:30 on Thursday. Do you have any questions you would like answering on Sipps or other pension changes coming into force next April. Please use the form below to send us your questions.

    Terms & Conditions



    The opinions expressed are those of the author and are not held by the BBC unless specifically stated. The material is for general information only and does not constitute investment, tax, legal or other form of advice. You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from making) any decisions. Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular situation.

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