Cheap insurance is an oxymoron – if it’s cheap then something has had to go. And not insuring some risks is a gamble by definition.

And there’s another thing, if a claim occurred then there is a strong probability that more than one insurer will be involved – a fire will involve business interruption, engineering/plant insurance, possibly employer’s liability if a member of staff were injured or public liability if a member of the public were injured, motor insurance if a vehicle was damaged, and so on.

So, just for a moment think the unthinkable: The fire alarm goes off and it isn’t a drill. Fire engines – bells blazing. Staff milling around outside at a safe distance – is everyone there? Worries about vital papers. And then who do you call first? Us hopefully and we’ll start the ball rolling with your insurers. But if only you hadn’t gone to that web-site for cheap truck insurance – now you’ve got to ring them too. Then there’s the insurance broker down the road who has cut costs to the bone and took over your liability insurance – you’ve got to phone them as well but no-one’s available. And then you wait. Half a dozen loss adjusters are due – but when?

We’re not pretending that any claim is easy or stress free, but we do contact all the insurers that we have placed your business with and we orchestrate the attendance of the all-important loss adjusters and keep a watchful and urgent eye on the process from start to finish. And all of this applies equally to personal insurances. To have them all under one roof is a good thing. Our staff have been briefed to talk to our clients about NPA embracing all your insurance needs – we call it cross-selling.

We want you to trust us with all your insurance business knowing we will do the best deal commensurate with the best cover for your needs. That’s what we do.

We hope our clients recommend us to friends and acquaintances when the subject of insurance (almost inevitable these days) comes up as people who care not only at the point of sale but right the way through and especially if the misfortune of a claim occurs. If you think we’ve done a good job please tell us and your friends: if there are things we could improve please tell us first but not your friends! So, whether it’s commercial, personal or healthcare insurance or even financial advice, call us on 01462 440088

A little refelction on what’s happened over 2011 and then a move towards a strategy with goals and objectives together with targets for implementation.

NPA have, for the last few days, been working on that focus so clients will be hearing more from us about the products we deal in, about whether the service is good and we’ll be asking for your recommendation to others.

We’re already a top 50 UK independent broker, we look after the insurance for clients ranging from SME to blue chip organisations. Local, regional, global!

If you need insurance you need an expert to give you professional advice, that’s what we do and we’re proud of it!

2012 is going for Growth!

Figures from the Association of British Insurers show that during last December alone, there were 103,000 claims for damage caused by burst pipes, generating a total bill of £680 million for the insurance industry.

Over and above the cost, there was then the stress and disruption borne by customers at a time when many were on holiday or trying to play host to family and friends.
If we can eliminate just 10 per cent of these claims by encouraging customers to make some basic checks and take some preventive measures then everybody will be well served by their actions.

Should the UK get hit by the same barrage of ice and snow as it did last year, then burst pipes and escape of water will again be the main problem to look out for.

Here are some simple things that can make a big difference:

• If away from home leave the heating on a low setting to prevent water from freezing in the pipes
• Check that lagging is in place for exposed pipes and put in place where possible
• Put insulating jackets around water tanks and cisterns
• Open the hatch to the loft to allow warm air to circulate
• Repair leaking taps
• Insulate outside taps or turn off their water supply and drain them

If you find a burst pipe that is still frozen opening up other taps will help the water drain away into sinks and drains when it does thaw.
It is also worth making sure you know where the stopcock is to turn off the water to your property and that if you find a burst pipe do this immediately – even if it is still frozen. In many properties there is one underneath the kitchen sink while there will also be one outside the property.

You should inform neighbours if you’re are going away and provide them with emergency contact details, so that in the event of a problem arising, neighbours know what to do and who to contact.

However if you are going to be away for any period of time you should ask people to actively check in on your property periodically. If you are going to be away for more than 60 days, let us know or you could end up invalidating your cover.

At NPA Insurance Broking Group we pride ourselves in recommending insurers we know will give you a good service, not just if you have a claim, but for anything related to your insurances.

That is one of the reasons why we have joined an insurance broking alliance – UNITAS.
What does this mean? As part of an Alliance of 13 major independent insurance brokers we gain the benefits of a larger organisation by sharing information and working together and, importantly, we have more influence with insurers – all whilst retaining our full independence. It means we now have access to a wider range of insurance and specialist products, giving us that extra edge in finding the right market and insurance cover for you – we deliver local service but with ‘global’ products and services.

And, talking of claims, it would be difficult to miss the huge number of TV adverts for the no win/no fee scenario. Like it or not, this is a by-product of our litigious society. There is a growing trend for both the public and employees to latch onto the smallest incident or accident to make a claim. For example, a member of staff slipping on your floor can ultimately affect your Employers’ Liability insurance or, if it’s a member of the public, then it could affect your Public Liability insurance.

If something like this happens in your business, it is vital you call us straight away if you feel there’s even a remote likelihood of an issue that could result in a claim. We can make sure you get the right advice before things get complicated and possibly go sour – all to save you a lot of potential hassle in the long run. The sooner something like this is addressed, the better.

And, on a personal note, it’s that time of year when we’re all busy preparing for Christmas. But it’s not just us. Thieves are going Christmas shopping too – taking advantage of the knowledge that 30% or more of us do go away for the festive season to family, friends or perhaps on holiday. So, don’t leave attractively wrapped presents on view in your car: Don’t leave doors or windows unlocked if you’re away from home and don’t advertise on any Social networking site that you are going to be away for a jolly time. Social networking sites are the best advertisement to a thief – better nowadays than the old fashioned clue- the milk bottle left on the doorstep. Theft is on the increase –it always is in a recession – and that applies to homes, cars and business premises.

Please contact us if you have any queries about your insurances. Just ring 01462 440088
All of us at NPA wish you a safe, secure and happy Christmas and New Year.

This Act raises the maximum fine which may be imposed in the lower Courts, to £20,000 for most Health & Safety offences.

It makes imprisoment an option for more offences in all Courts.

It alos makes certain offences triable in all Courts.

The idea of the Act is to ensure that all companies take Health & Safety seriously so be aware! Get help when it comes to risk management, talk to your insurer, your insurance broker or ask a consultant to look at the risks your business faces.

Call us on 01462 440088

Commercial Account Executive:
Working as part of a sales team, Account Executives are expected to build and manage their own portfolio of commercial clients. A key part of the role will be to undertake client generation, with some help from Group marketing and telesales, supported by an Account Management team. Relationships with clients, insurers and colleagues are the key to success in this role.

Reporting into our Hitchin or Aylesbury offices the successful candidate will have:

• Strong communication and organisational skills
• At least 5 years commercial insurance experience with a broker or insurer
• Good business planning and business income forecasting
• Strong time management skills
• The ability to build strong relationships with both clients and colleagues to use skills to the best advantage
• A proven sales track record in the provision of insurance solutions to both SME and Corporate clients
• Progression towards A.C.I.I

NPA Insurance Broking Group is an equal opportunities employer

Riotous assembly!

A month ago you probably would have thought this was an invitation to a humdinger of a party. Sadly, no. This is a message about reality, no matter how unsavoury, and even if no trouble was seen in your neck of the woods, it could happen.

Riots are unusual, demonstrated by the legislation dating back to 1886 with the Riot Damages Act, amended only 100 or so years later by the Public Order Act. The legal jargon defining a riot and who pays for the damages is remarkably similar to my untrained eye, despite the time lag.

Interestingly, consequential loss (or business interruption as it is nowadays called) is not covered by the Act and you would have to rely on insurance. Equally, denial of access to your premises and ‘loss of attraction’ of your premises is left to the range of insurance provided. But, take care, it is a moot point with some insurers and may be particularly relevant if you need foot-fall traffic for your business or, perhaps, as a restaurateur your customers require a pleasant outlook and the right atmosphere!

The purpose behind writing this is to draw your attention to the need for competent advice before it becomes essential. Riots were unheard of, but so was the seemingly rampant flooding (possibly the result of climate change); the increasing cold snaps to hit this country in recent years; and the increase in theft – maybe a direct result of the financial crisis.

All of these have a serious insurance application and are resolvable in most instances, but each risk is different to an insurance company.

Maybe a degree of what we call risk management is needed to reduce the impact of an external circumstance such as riot, water ingress or burglary. Most risk management improvements give you more peace of mind and often are reflected in insurance premiums too. All these decisions and discussions are our field of expertise and we can help you.

So, don’t spend your precious time wading through the Internet or your existing policy if you have any doubts about your insurance cover.

Call us and we’ll lend our experience. And, if we don’t know the answers we’ll certainly know a man who does (as the expression goes). Just ring on 01462 440088

Oh, and you can’t refer to parties as riots anymore. Have to think of a new word!

Some nome news links which might also be of interest

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14436499

uk.reuters.com/article/2011/08/09/uk-britain-riots-insurance-idUKTRE77819420110809

www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14458505

www.insurancetimes.co.uk/story.asp?storycode=392238

Andrew Todd, based in Uxbridge

Adrian Percival, based in Hitchin

Bob Pybus, based in Hitchin

Cliff Nott, based in Hitchin

Dan Hillier, based in Hitchin

David Smith, based in Aylesbury

Graham Poulton, based in Aylesbury

James Stewart based in Hitchin

Laurence Tamplin, based in Aylesbury

Mark Cheater, based in Hitchin

Mark Francis, based in Hitchin

Mark Weedon, based in Hitchin

Marilyn Roads, based in Hitchin

Richard Bigden, based in Hitchin

Roy Haines, based in Aylesbury

Sandra White, based in Aylesbury

Stewart Drysdale, based in Aylesbury

Any one of our team will be happy to call on you to discuss your insurance requirements and find a competitive solution for you.

With Alan Porter is Ange Holder and Kate Gibson, both very experienced in the industry and looking forward to getting to know new clients over the coming months.

Jodie Isaacs has Clare Johnson and Katie Crosby in her team looking after clients in the retail, office and SME business market. Happy to help with any queries you may have.

Karen Davidson is joined by Christine Crosby and Sanjeeta Dudakia, give them a call, they’ll be pleased to hear from you.

Paula McMaster has Liz Higbey and Paul Cotterell with her ensuring clients get a pro-active response to their enquiries.

Our teams in Aylesbury & Uxbridge:

Graeme Graves is supported by Nick Young, Gemma York and Becca Thornton who will be looking after your insurance needs, call to discuss anything you might need

Amanda, Caroline, Jane, Peter and Sylvia are on hand to provide support and admin services to our broking and sales teams

Andrew Todd and Carol Hall are doing a sterling job in supporting business in and around Uxbridge offering help and advice on all your insurance related issues

Call us we’re here to help….

01462 440088 or email info@npainsurancebroking.com

Protecting you and your business!

Far too often we see clients with warranties attached to a policy, exclusions in policy cover or even risk requirements which aren’t yet completed affect the way a claim is dealt with.

It’s an easy task to go through the wording of the contract and one that we’re very familiar with. It’s also a very important part of ensuring that your insurer will actually pay if and when a catastrophe occurs.

Tell us about your concerns, we’re here to help

Call 01462 440088, 01727 850707, 01895 812666, 01296 489768 or email info@npainsurancebroking.com and one of our brokers will organise to come and talk to you