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The Concorde Club Classic Car Show

Last weekend the team headed down to The Concorde Club in Eastleigh, Hampshire. This is the first time that we have sponsored the event and it turned out to be an incredible day! Not only were we very lucky with the hot sun to be out all day but the event raised an astonishing amount of £15,246.56 for the amazing charity Naomi’s house Children’s Hospice. Naomi House first opened in 1997 to offer care and support to children who were not expected to live until adulthood.

 

Since then, they have cared for more than 1,000 children and families from across Hampshire, Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Isle of Wight, West Sussex, Surrey and beyond.

 

Naomi House nursing and medical staff provide individualised nursing care that helps to enhance short lives and allows local families to make the most of their precious time with their children.

 

Whilst wondering around the show you will see a great selection of cars, treasured by their owners all willing to chat about their cars and what they have and do to maintain them, whilst relaxing and enjoying the show themselves. The show has a Ferrari and Super Car section, often sporting the newest Super cars on display for visitors to see. At intervals during the show, you will hear the ‘Sound Off’ competition and this is great to hear the rumble of V8 and V12 engines.

 

It was quite hard to miss us there with the big AIB marquee and colour matched Lotus Evora GT410 brought to the show by one of our clients! The team kept all the family happy with great value insurance for the adults and fun games for the kids with many prizes.

The show always attracts a lot of attention, and the show often gets celebrities attending to help support the show. This year Tiff Needell came to the show! Famous for his racing driving and many years on the hit motoring show ‘Fifth gear’. You will often see ‘The Stig’ at the show, although don’t expect him to talk to you, but he does enjoy sitting in people’s cars.

 

Whilst wondering around the show you will see a great selection of cars, treasured by their owners all willing to chat about their cars and what they have and do to maintain them, whilst relaxing and enjoying the show themselves. The show has a Ferrari and Super Car section, often sporting the newest Super cars on display for visitors to see. At intervals during the show, you will hear the ‘Sound Off’ competition and this is great to hear the rumble of V8 and V12 engines.

 

If you fancied a ride out in a car, then the show had Sporting Bears Charity running ‘dream rides’ for a donation to the show charity. You will be taken on a 10-mile drive to experience an array of different cars and is a must do for any visitor, so make sure you book your slot on the day next year as early as possible as places go quickly.

The Show Winners!

 

 

The ‘Richard Bailey Trophy’ is awarded each year to the car of the show. The trophy is in memory of Richard Bailey who has supported the show for many years!

 

This year’s winner of the trophy was awarded to the 1961 Rolls Royce Silver Cloud Drophead Coupe, the first Rolls Royce to ever get a V8 underneath the spirit of ecstasy!

 

The ‘Best Modern’ Winner went to the stunning Ferrari F12 Berlinetta

 

And the ‘Best Winner’ went to the car we all know and love from the James Bond movies, the 1964 Aston Martin DB5.

 

Enjoy some of our favourite cars of the show!

 

Lamborghini Diablo SV

Only fools and horse’s Reliant Robin

DeLorean DMC-12 from back to the future

Ford Capri 2.8 Injection

1989 BMW 325i

2004 Porsche 911 Carrera 2 Cabriolet

We want to thank all of you who came down and showed support for such a great cause and remember to give us a call on 02380268351 for any of your insurance needs!

 

All photos used belong to Rob Heard

 

 

Continued Growth for AIB Insurance

Despite living in a world of global economic uncertainty, we are excited to announce that due to our continued growth, we have recently taken on three new recruits. This is largely thanks to our excellent business partners, insurers, and amazing clients.

We would like to introduce Ross Hoskins, Adam Thorp and Kimberley Brown. They have each passed their probationary period with flying colours and are already proving to be a great asset to the business.

Welcome Ross Hoskins – Insurance Consultant

Ross joined our team in January 2022 having spent 4 years on the road within the construction industry installing VNA guidance systems (Yep, we didn’t know either – it’s the wire that stops trucks driving into large racking!). Prior to this he was a concrete floor finisher. With his diverse set of skills, Ross now plans to immerse himself in the world of insurance and will be taking his insurance exams as part of his professional development. Best of luck Ross!

 

“What prompted you to get into insurance?”

“I love talking and interacting with people, so this was the perfect job for me.”

 

“What one item would you one day love to insure?”

“My dream dog, a Rhodesian Ridgeback.”

 

“What did you want to be when you were younger?”

“Can I say taller? Probably a footballer.”

 

Fun Facts: 

  • Ross was born and bred in Lyndhurst, Southampton
  • He lives with his girlfriend Ashleigh and dog Bandit (Great name!)
  • He is a huge Southampton FC fan and loves Formula One
  • His favourite Saints player is James Ward-Prowse
  • George Russell is his favourite Formula One driver
  • His favourite music is pop-punk
  • He decided once on a drunken holiday to get a Blink 182 tattoo!

Welcome Adam Thorp – Insurance Consultant

Adam joined AIB Insurance in March 2022 having decided upon a complete career change due to the huge impact that Covid had on his life and career in retail and as a Doorman. With his background in security, Adam has a passion for customer service which is a great motivator for him in his new role.

Director, Kirby De-Gray Birch commented: “Adam has a natural enthusiasm which is infectious and has settled brilliantly into our team.  He is fast learning all aspects of our business including motor, fleet, and home.  His strong communication skills have stood in excellent stead and I’m excited to watch his career develop”.

 

“What prompted you to get into insurance?”

“Good balance to work and home life with the added job security of a brilliant industry.”

 

“What one item would you one day love to insure?”

“An aeroplane or jet would be cool!”

 

“What did you want to be when you were younger?”

“An archaeologist.”

 

Fun Facts:

  • Adam was born and bred in Poole and attended Ferndown Upper School in Dorset
  • He has a passion for Dungeon and Dragons and calls himself a lover of all things nerdy
  • He loves listening to J-pop (Japanese music)
  • He is currently doing everything he can to pass his driving test

 

Welcome Kimberley Brown – Insurance Consultant

Kim joined the business in April 2022 and has already hit the ground running. She joined AIB having worked for almost 5 years in the healthcare industry.

Kim has a passion for Japanese imported cars so insuring grey imports is something that really interests her. She is looking forward to developing her career within the insurance industry.

 

“What prompted you to get into insurance?”

“The hours and a new challenge were really exciting to me.”

 

“What one item would you one day love to insure?”

“I’d love to insure a 4×4 Hummer. My colleagues around me have, and I’m always green with envy!”

 

“What did you want to be when you were younger?”

“A musician – singer song writer.”

Fun Facts:

  • Kim was born in Newcastle
  • She lives with her boyfriend, James in Southampton
  • Kim once met Taylor Swift whilst attending her Fearless concert. She snuck around the back to sneak a glimpse as she got out of her tour bus. Not only did she see her, but she also got a hug, high five and a signed arm!
  • She has been told she is a lookalike for American actress, Dakota Fanning

National Best Friend Day!

It’s National Best friend day today and we’ve got lots of love in the office!

George & Jordan both love home and property insurance and can cover holiday homes and rentals!

Jenna & Kirby love modified and kit cars, classics and motorhomes.

Kim, Megan and Josie love customer service and giving our clients the best possible advice.

Ben and Jordan love learning together and are both studying the for the insurance recognised Cii level 3 certificate in insurance!

Call our team now on 02380268351 for an instant quotation!

But more importantly, have the very best National Best Friend Day!

The Car of The Day….. The Lotus Evora 410 GT

Our wonderful client Mr B has offered to share photographs showing his pristine Lotus Evora 410 GT.

 

This vehicle is one-of-a-kind built during the short of production of the Lotus Evora, Lotus made just 20 of these Evora GT 410 as a special set of Cars!

Not only is this vehicle 1 of only 20 built but Mr Bs has a Certificate of Vehicle Provenance showing this is the only one in the world built to the high-end specification noted in his policy.

 

Mr B bought the car new in May 2021 and it has only covered 3200 miles!

We have this one-of-a-kind Lotus insured under a very special policy which offers; agreed value, choice of repairer, legal expenses cover up to £100,000, salvage retention and many more benefits which we offer here at AIB Insurance.

 

We value every classic car understanding the needs of each client and offer bespoke policies which cater to cover our classic car clients needs! If you have a Lotus or a classic car of your own call one of our specialist consultants on 02380 268351 for your bespoke quotation.

Thank you, Mr B, for sharing your wonderful example of the Lotus Evora 410 GT.

Motorhomer sets up YouTube Studio from his camper!

Philip Tomlinson, a long standing AIB client, has started to use his motorhome as a studio to record YouTube videos!

Philip, owner of popular www.Motorhomer.com arranges rallies for his members across the UK. Spending many weekends away, he soon realised that a mobile studio would be absolutely necessary to record content for his new Youtube channel ‘Those Two Wits’.

Philip has teamed up with his good friend Bruce Lauderdale to create witty videos that leave their subscribers with a smile. Their funny reactions to other videos and the hilarious games they play with other YouTubers, make up the core of their content. Bruce, originally from South Africa, lives full-time in his self converted campervan. He is a professional videographer and he brings his expertise in this field combined with his talent for comedy, to the mix.

Philip’s eldest daughter recently got married to an American, in the USA. To better understand American culture and history, Philip and Bruce started to watch YouTube videos about the USA. They recorded their reactions to these videos and asked American citizens to leave comments on what to watch next, with hilarious results!

Their escape room style ‘Beat The Bomb’ game is a great success. The players objective is to defuse a pretend bomb by solving a series of puzzles. Each puzzle tests different skills, including hand to eye coordination and memory. At the end of the game, the player receives a score that is recorded on a leader board, with the highest-ranked being awarded a trophy at the end of the year.

Partner vs Partner is another one of their creations where couples compete against each other in challenges. These include games like ‘Raw Egg Roulette’ and ‘Undress Your Partner Blindfolded’. Seeing really is believing with these random, weird and downright hilarious games!

Their TikTok account boasts over 219,000 followers and 3.7 million likes, and they are gaining ground on other social media. In addition, they will soon be releasing longer-form podcasts that last around an hour, where they debate a range of exciting and compelling subjects.

If you are interested in watching any of their content, search for ‘Those Two Wits’ on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok or use the link below:

Those Two Wits

The Car of the Day is the Luxury Ford Zephyr Zodiac 1962!

 

The Ford Zephyr is an executive car that was manufactured by Ford of Britain. The Zephyr and its luxury variants, the Ford Zodiac and Ford Executive, were the largest passenger cars in the British Ford range from 1950 to 1972.

 

The Zephyr Zodiac or Zodiac Mark I was an upmarket version of the Zephyr launched at the London Motor Show in autumn 1953. It had two-tone paintwork, leather trim, a heater, windscreen washers, whitewall tyres, and spotlights. The engine had a higher compression ratio increasing the maximum power to 71 bhp.

 

 

In 1956, the Consul, Zephyr, and Zodiac were all restyled. The six-cylinder cars’ engines were enlarged to 2,553 cc with power output correspondingly raised to 86 bhp. The wheelbase was increased by 3 inches to 107 inches and the width increased to 69 inches. Top speed increased to 88 mph and the fuel consumption was also improved at 28 mpg‑imp.

 

 

Mr P has snapped some fantastic photographs of his 1962 Ford Zephyr Zodiac, the height of luxury. Mr P has insured his pride and joy through ourselves here at AIB with a bespoke classic car policy. The policy includes optional extras such as UK and EU breakdown cover, Motor Legal Expenses Cover up to £100,000, Courtesy Vehicles for the duration of repairs and Agreed Value.

 

 

If you have Ford Zephyr or another classic car would like covered under a specialist classic car policy, call our friendly motor team on 02380 268351 for a bespoke quotation.

The Car of The Day is…. The legendary Skyline R32 GT-R!

The only Japanese supercar of its generation. One of the best cars Jeremy Clarkson says he ever drove.

 

 

The Skyline R32 GT-R (Grand Tourismo Racer) — nicknamed “Godzilla” for effortlessly crushing all competitors in Group A Series racing — winning 29 consecutive races in the Japanese Touring Car Championship and three consecutive championships in the Australian Touring Car Championship after being reintroduced by Nissan in 1989.

 

 

This remarkable track record is part of the reason the Skyline R32 GT-R has such a strong following among serious car enthusiasts around the world. Other reasons include impressive appearances in games and popular street racing movies like The Fast and Furious series, a reputation for having launched the JDM car scene, a leading role in serious street and drag racing, the exclusivity wrought by a 25-year import restriction in the United States — which finally ended in 2014 — and performance that is nothing short of incredible. If you want maximum bang for the buck, it’s hard to beat a well-tuned Skyline R32 GT-R imported directly from Japan.

 

 

Mr D has shared some pictures of his fantastic Skyline R32 GT-R! Mr D has insured his pristine example through ourselves with all of the amazing benefits we can offer.

 

 

Here at AIB Insurance we offer specialist classic car polices which can also include optional extras such as UK and EU breakdown cover, Motor Legal Expenses Cover up to £100,000, Courtesy Vehicles for the duration of repairs and Agreed Value.

 

 

If you have a Skyline GTR R32 or another classic car would like covered under a specialist classic car policy, call our friendly motor team on 02380 268351.

 

Exam Success for Jordan!

Congratulations are in order at AIB as December spells personal achievement for our dedicated team member, Jordan Thomas.

 

 

Jordan passed his IF1 – Insurance, Legal and Regulatory exam meaning he’s now one step closer towards achieving a professional qualification.

 

These achievements not only celebrate personal growth, but also endorse AIB’s commitment to continuing professional development. AIB remain committed to encouraging all staff to progress with examinations to enable us to offer the highest level of customer service to our clients and insurer partners alike.

 

More details of the Insurance professional qualification and can be found here: https://www.cii.co.uk/learning/qualifications/

 

Car of the day… Mantula Coupe!

The Mantula Coupe was launched at the Motor Show in 1984 beginning a long relationship between Marcos and the Rover V8 engine.

 

 

The Mantula Coupe evolved from the 3 Litre form with the addition of a front-end spoiler,- giving the car a lower approach angle, extended wheel arches, a wider back end, and a bonded windscreen. The interior was also altered with the addition of a gearlever console, incorporating storage trays. The suspension was unaltered from the 3 Litre.

 

 

In July 1985 Marcos ventured for the second time into a soft top car with the Mantula Spyder. The original car was fitted with a detachable T-top which was dropped on subsequent production models due to being too expensive to produce and not entirely practical.

 

 

In 1986 with Ford live axles becoming difficult to source, the fully independent rear suspension was introduced. Utilizing differential and hubs from the Ford Sierra range and wishbones, uprights and A-frame developed by Marcos, transforming the ride quality of the range, the live axle was phased out on factory-built cars at this stage.

 

 

Mr O has a lovely 1992 Marcos Mantula currently insured with us under a bespoke classic car policy. The policy has many benefits including agreed value, choice of repairer, salvage retention and 30 days fully comprehensive EU cover! Thank you, Mr O allowing us to share your pristine example.

 

 

Here at AIB Insurance we offer specialist classic car polices which can also include optional extras such as UK and EU breakdown cover, Motor Legal Expenses Cover up to £100,000, Courtesy Vehicles for the duration of repairs.

If you have a Marcos Mantula or another classic car would like covered under a specialist classic car policy call our friendly team on 02380 268351.