Now do not get me wrong, Amy Whinehouse passing away is tragic – although extremely self inflicted – that may sound harsh but it is the truth in my mind.

But how doe sour wonderful media spend more time on this subject than it does on the tragic events that have unfolded in Norway? It sometimes seems very obscure to me but maybe it’s just me.

This week see’s the development of another busy week  and tomorrow see’s a review meeting with Marsh in the City followed by a gathering of our London based Brokers and an afternoon of pool and onto a curry – it will be good to catch up with our friends but it takes the whole day out of the office and you never really end up catching up.

It is hard to believe that August is nearly here already and for Cover4Caravans August has always been a poor month – the last 3 years certainly show that August is not good for new sales. We know this is down to the majorityn of our caravanners either going away on their breaks or styaing put while the schools are out and going away shortly afterwards!

The team remain motivated and read to help. As always.

Have a great day.

Richard

Good morning All

Well the weekend came and went, an early start on Saturday as my son is teething and was terribly upset. We only have a few to go now and it’s all over.

We visited one of our Insurers on Thursday for our usual review meeting and catch up, an enjoyable time was had by all. I asked for them to pass on my thanks to their very helpful claims team, as they have given some excellent assistance of late and to be honest claims staff rarely get praised!

On my return from Nottingham my other half demanded a takeaway for the curry house – I was powerless to stop her!!

Have a great day

Mike

If you’re considering taking your caravan up into the highlands of Scotland this holiday season, then you’ve probably got a pre-departure checklist that includes things such as a maintenance check, caravan insurance check and a review of your supplies etc.

Yet one thing you may wish to consider is whether or not you’re geared up to dealing with that scourge of visitors – the highland midge. One thing that may help you is the recently announced* newly revamped website of the UK midge forecast organisation.

This service provides daily forecasts on where midges are likely to be anything ranging from virtually non-existent right up to a major nuisance – you can now even get the updates on your smart phone etc.

If you are now starting to snigger, it probably just confirms that you’ve never previously visited highland Scotland in the summer months. Midges are nasty little biting creatures that can fly around in vast numbers and they’re quite capable of making some people’s lives a misery.

They are rarely a problem in Scotland’s central belt (the area and countryside running from Glasgow on the West Coast through to Edinburgh) but they can be something of a nightmare in open rural areas of the highlands, the northern West Coast and less commonly, the borders areas.

They do seem to be more attracted to some people than others and they also can appear in vast numbers suddenly and then equally mysteriously and just as suddenly, ‘disappear’.

The conditions for these little pests are sometimes ideal in the Highlands but the good news is that science is finally getting to grips with the issue.

There are now a range of barrier creams and repellents that are claimed to be very effective in deterring bites. There are also various electric traps that attract the midges from the local vicinity of your caravan and trap them, rather than letting them hover around you.

If you’re still thinking this is all something of nothing, one such trap recently captured and killed over 800,000 midges in a week’s use*. Whatever else midges are, they’re not a joke!

It might also be a sensible idea to think seriously about some forms of netting protection for your external living areas if you’re the sort that really enjoys the open Highland air on a late summer’s evening.

When you are walking around, apart from repellents, it’s also a good idea to avoid sort-sleeve shirts and shorts.

Having said all this, don’t let these things put you off. These parts of Scotland are stunningly beautiful and you can sometimes be up there are not see a single midge – even at the height of the season.

The moral may just be – “be prepared”!

*Source:

http://blog.midgeforecast.co.uk/index.php/category/scotland/

Performing a caravan insurance comparison isn’t difficult – and it may result in you ending up with more suitable cover and at a cost-effective price than with your existing policy

Some of the things you may wish to be looking at:

• some caravan insurance providers, including ourselves, will offer you a new-for-old replacement of your caravan if it’s up to three years old and has had previous owners – though other insurance providers may not do so;
• we will also offer a new-for-old replacement if your caravan is up to five years old providing you have been the sole owner since new – you may wish to check whether other policies will also do so;
• if you have a Hobby caravan, we will also offer cover – something that may not be common with other insurers;
• when making a caravan insurance comparison, it may also be worth looking closely at the caravan contents cover provided, as you may find that some policies are more restrictive than others;
• not all policies may offer scope for discounts by (e.g.) becoming a member of a caravanning club – that is one reason why it might pay to avoid spending too much time looking at the initial advertised price (you may find that in your circumstances, the advertised price is inapplicable);
• some caravan cover providers may not offer cover if you have previously had a caravan insurance claim (by contrast, we will);
• it may be worth looking at the policy’s requirements for towing drivers – they may or may not fit in with your family’s driving profile;
• some policies may also be very proscriptive in terms of where they will permit you to park your caravan, detach it and so on – checking to see whether that would suit your actual usage needs would be something better done before you purchase rather than afterwards;
• when making a caravan insurance comparison, it may be particularly important to think about your requirements not only of today – but how they may evolve in future, as it may be more cost-effective to secure a policy that provides such cover ‘as standard’ now, rather than paying for additional insurance extensions in future.

If you have questions on comparing or choosing caravan insurance, then please do get in touch – we are always happy to help you find the most suitable cover.

Today has seen a jam packed day of bakc to back meetings – accountants, brokers, IT teams and finally I have returned to my desk. Tomorrow see’s a trip into School and then back to the office to prepare for a trip away to Nottingham to see our friends at Amtrust and what promises to be a good night out in the city of Nottingham.

Avril Lavigne is in concert at the Hammersmith Apollo in September and we managed to get some good seats. I am never embarrased by my musical taste so I can happily say that I am very much looking forward to this event. I think her new album is good and certainly there are some really well written songs.

The RS went at the weekend and it was a little sad to say goodbye to her but the new car is really cool and not in anyway comparable but is simply the right choice for work, family, dogs and this time I really do intend to keep it for some years not just a few months!

For a change the sun is shining here in Southend. Have a good afternoon.

Rich