Today’s car of the day is Mr A’s classic Austin Mini GT.
Mr A’s Austin Mini GT has been insured with us here at AIB Insurance on a classic car policy meaning that his car is taken care of always. Agreed value is one of the many benefits that comes with a classic car policy as well as salvage retention.
Mr A also received a discount on this policy because of the length of ownership on this vehicle. If you also have a classic car that you have recently bought or have owned for a long period of time and would like to get a quotation call our specialist quotation team on 02380 268351.
If you also have photos of your classic car and would like to share them, email them to info@aib.co.uk. Thank you Mr A for sharing your photos!
Today’s car of the day is the dazzling Lotus Elise S.
The Lotus Elise was originally set out to be named 111 (pronounced One Eleven) but last minute the Lotus chairman, Romano Artioli, decided to change the name to Elise after his granddaughter.
The Elise S, with its supercharged 1.8 litre engine is certainly quick; 0-60 takes just 4.2 seconds. Mr N’s Lotus Elise S is insured on a high net worth policy and came to us at AIB to ensure he got the best deal.
High net worth policies include agreed value, salvage retention, choice of repairer and legal cover expenses. This means Mr N can relax knowing that he has the choice of any Lotus approved garage that will only use Lotus approved parts for his car.
Do you have a high net worth vehicle that you would like to insure with us and know that you can rest easy knowing that it will be taken care of properly? Then give our specialist team a call for a bespoke quotation on 02380 268351.
If you also have a high net worth car and would like to share your photos with us, send them in an email to info@aib.co.uk.
We interviewed Kirby from AIB Insurance, a motorhome, campervan and RV specialist to talk about the latest happenings in the world of insurance:
Are you seeing anything interesting with Motorhome and Camper claims?
The last 24 months have been challenging times for insurers with motorhome, RV’s and camper thefts on the increase. Take North Wales for example – police recently revealed that 30 vehicles worth over a million pounds had been stolen over the past 16 months. They believe thieves in that area were mainly targeting Fiat Ducato and Peugeot Boxer motorhomes using technology widely available on the Internet to override the manufacturer’s security measures that included the electronic immobiliser.
On a national basis though, Ford continues to be the vehicle of choice for most thieves. Our insurance partner Ageas Insurance tells me Ford manufactured motorhomes make up less than 6% of their motorhome book but the theft rate is ridiculously high. There is no pattern as to where the motorhomes are kept, how long they have been owned or the level of security measures as they’ve seen a variety of scenarios. They have had over £350,000 worth of Fords stolen last year alone which is why they took the decision to work out what model ranges/years of manufacture were affected and decline them.
According to the Association of British Insurers (ABI), motor theft claims have increased by 20% in 2019 and motor theft claims paid by insurers in the first quarter of this year were at their highest for any quarter since 2012 with a payment made relating to vehicle crime every eight minutes. The ABI claims that the increase is in part being driven by keyless car crime whereby hi-tech criminals are able to bypass keyless technology in as little as 20 seconds. This would certainly seem to be the case with a large number of motorhome thefts as an increasing number are being stolen when they are parked on driveways.
Has this seen the cost of insurance increase?
Historically, motorhomes have been rated on three main factors: year, engine size and value (ignoring left hand drives, imports and modified vehicles etc.). Over the last 12 months, three major motorhome insurers, Aviva, Ageas and Markerstudy have taken the unusual steps to load the premium further or even decline specific years of manufacturer, especially Ford.
Generally, motorhome and campervan insurance rates have remained stagnant apart from specific manufacturers. DIY conversions tend to cost more to insure than a coach built one.
So how can owners prevent a vehicle being stolen?
If your motorhome is stolen, having the right insurance policy in place will mean that you can at least have the peace of mind of knowing that you’ll be compensated financially for your loss. However, an insurance payout can never compensate you for the inconvenience and disruption that vehicle theft causes.
The good news is that most theft is opportunistic and thieves generally don’t like to work too hard. So, if they see a motorhome fitted with wheel locks, steering or handbrake locks or wheel clamps, it may be enough to put them off. Of course, you can go further by installing an alarm, immobiliser, a tracking device or even installing PIR lights trained on your parking space that illuminate when they sense movement.
What should people look out for when insuring a motorhome, RV or campervan?
It is vital, that you take out appropriate motorhome insurance and select a policy that will cover all your needs.
Motorhome insurance is not like car insurance, it requires specialist knowledge and as such, you should speak to a specialist motorhome insurance provider. Most specialists will provide additional European cover, additional contents cover and cover for gas cylinders, generators and awnings.
We would encourage you to purchase legal expenses as, if you find yourself in a dispute, legal fees can be expensive. Likewise, breakdown cover can be challenging as non-specialist providers may place a height, length or weight restriction on the vehicle they cover.
Another thing to mention when buying cover, is the level of windscreen glass cover that the specific policy your purchasing provides. Many insurers restrict the windscreen cover to £500-£1000 but an owner of an A-Class could be left short and should seek insurers that provide unlimited glass cover.
The motorhome market continues to grow especially relating to the sale of higher value models that cost over £100,000 and that represents a different risk for insurers if they go missing.
What is happening in the classic car world – are vehicles still going up in value?
The classic vehicle market is renowned for its stability and consistency and the VW campervan is a prime example of that. Over the past 10 years, classic vehicle values have been consistently going up, outperforming just about everything I can think of apart from vintage wine. I’d argue that classic vehicles are a better investment here too as it’s possible to use them without instantly destroying their value!
That said, at the top end of the market such as Ferrari, Lamborghini and the like, it looks as though we’re finally seeing the pace slowing and interest levels cooling.
One element of this could be uncertainty. When it comes to high value classics, it’s a global market. Investors may simply be less prepared to spend big at a time of trade wars and uncertain future trading arrangements.
The classic vehicle market is forever evolving as new cars become classics as each year passes.
What’s your favourite classic within the motorhome and campervan arena?
I love the 1967 BMC Princess – it looks bonkers. Whilst it looks like a DIY conversion, it was actually coach-built on a Vanden Plas Princess chassis but was unusually modern for it’s time enjoying power steering and an automatic transmission. Another favourite would be the VW T25 hightop campervan. Again, it looks so cool and I can imagine myself sitting in it with a hot cup of tea on a cold day looking out over the ocean.
Those of you who enjoy paragliding will no doubt be interested to read that an estate agent by the name of James Du Pavey from Market Drayton has featured in the Guinness World Records for the “Fastest journey from Land’s End to John-O’- Groats by powered paraglider”. His airborne trip took place from the 8th to the 9th July 2019 and took 1 day 12 hours and 19 minutes.
He actually took off from John O’Groats on the 8th July 2019 at 3.30am completing the trip in just over 36 hours. During the epic journey in the paraglider he reached a height of 10,000 feet. Unfortunately, he had to make three emergency landings but was unharmed. Obviously he needed to stop on a number of occasions to refuel during the 870 mile trip. No doubt somewhat concerningly, his engine ceased to function when he was a mere six miles from Land’s End but he still made it. He was ably supported by a two man ground crew during the lengthy trip.
You will be pleased to read that James Du Pavey has raised more than £12,000 for the Donna Louise Hospice for children and young people that is located in Stoke on Trent as a result of this paragliding world record breaking journey. Those monies will obviously be put to extremely good use by the hospice.
We are sure that our paragliding clients will no doubt like to join the staff here at AIB Insurance in congratulating James Du Pavey for such a wonderful achievement. He must have been absolutely exhausted by the time he eventually came down to land for the final occasion at the end of the journey.
If you are looking to get into paragliding for the first time or are a veteran, why not get in touch with us here at AIB Insurance on 02380 268 351 and one of our experienced team will be pleased to discuss your insurance needs in relation to this airborne activity and obtain a competitive quotation for your perusal without any obligation.
Those of you who enjoy the thrill of parachuting will be aware of the dangers and that on rare occasions things can go wrong. Well, that would appear what happened to an Army Parachute Display team member recently here in the UK.
The parachutist, who has not been named, was parachuting over Eastbourne in East Sussex and it was intended that those taking part would land in the sea. Unfortunately, this particular parachutist seemed to get into difficulty whilst participating in a 5,000 foot jump and ended up descending to dry land. Miraculously, the person involved is said to have only suffered a few minor grazes. Apparently, the St Johns Ambulance Service and the police provided assistance.
Let’s hope that the person involved makes a full recovery and is soon taking to the skies again.
Coincidentally, it has also been reported that a female skydiver near Quebec, Canada who is 30 years of age has been involved in a skydiving accident that also involved a jump from a similar height. Apparently, not only the main parachute but also the reserve one failed to open and she plunged to the ground landing in trees. Fortunately, she has survived but has a number of broken bones that will probably not come as a surprise to our readers. We wish her a speedy recovery.
Here at AIB Insurance, we have many years experience in arranging specialist cover for a number of airborne sports including the likes of skydiving and parachuting. If you are looking to take up the sport or your existing cover is shortly due to be renewed then why not get in touch with us on 02380 268 351. One of our experienced members of staff will be pleased to discuss your insurance requirements in detail and provide a bespoke competitive quotation for your consideration without any obligation. We look forward to hearing from you.
We have previously made reference to the airborne pursuit involving flying through the air in a wingsuit but we wonder how many of you have heard of Extreme Relevant Work that is also known as XRW? This is a skydiving discipline.
This involves someone wearing a wingsuit jumping out of a plane from several thousand feet to be closely followed by another individual who skydives from the door of the plane who is wearing a small parachute. The skydiver manoeuvres into a position mid-air so that he or she is able to surfboard on the person in the wingsuit who is facing upwards.
This feat was recently completed by four people over the Zephyr Hills in Florida from a height of 13,500 feet. Those taking part were Iain Jensen 31, Lane Paquin 28, Avalon Wolf 25 and Brayden Jones 29. As can be seen from the images, this appears to be a very difficult set of manoeuvres and those taking part are to be commended for their ability to complete such a pursuit without any harm coming to anyone. It will be interesting to see if this extreme sport takes off here in the UK. It certainly does not appear to be for the faint hearted and there is no doubt that anyone attempting such a thing must be highly experienced in either skydiving or flying through the air in a wingsuit.
Here at AIB Insurance, we have many years experience in arranging cover for a variety of extreme airborne sports. So, if you would like to receive a competitive quotation, why not get in touch with one of our knowledgeable team members who will discuss your requirements in detail and arrange a bespoke, no obligation competitive quote for your consideration to provide you with complete peace of mind in the event that something untoward should happen to you.
Anyone who has broken a world record is to be admired as it often involves a great deal of determination, courage and self-sacrifice. Well in February of next year, if everything goes according to plan a mother and her daughter are going to attempt to set a world record as they take off in a fixed wing microlight aircraft and try to fly around the world in a period of 80 days covering in the region of 50,000 kilometers with such a fete never having been achieved by two Indian women together.
The ladies in question are Audrey Deepika Meben who is 42 years of age and a flying instructor and her 19 year old daughter by the name of Amy Mehta who is a student photographer. Both ladies come from Karnataka that is situated in the south west area of India. It is hoped that the flight will increase awareness for Women Empowerment.
The pair will take off from Jakkur airport in the south of the country and pass through the likes of Japan, Iceland, USA, Afghanistan, Russia and Pakistan before returning to Jakkur. In total it is expected that the plane will land in at least 21 countries. The plane in question will have two fuel tanks capable of carrying around 60 liters of fuel meaning that the aircraft is capable of staying in the air for at least 4.5 hours. It is expected that the microlight aircraft will be required to make a minimum of 54 landings.
Amy Mehta will no doubt be using her photographic skills to take some wonderful, breathtaking photos of their epic global journey in the skies. The plane is capable of traveling at a height of around 7,500 feet and the flights will be made during daylight.
It is to be hoped that the weather is kind to them and that both women complete the journey in safety with nothing untoward happening on the way. We are sure that you will agree that they are to be admired. Here at AIB Insurance we wish them both all the best for their record-breaking attempt early next year.
If you are in need of airsports insurance why not give us a call at AIB Insurance on 02380 268 351 and speak with a member of our friendly staff who will happily arrange a quotation.
Those of you who participate in airborne sports will be interested and no doubt pleased to read that a world record has been broken by a gentleman here in the UK for travelling the fastest in a jet engine powered suit that is controlled by a person’s body. The record was set on the 9th November as part of Guinness World Records Day 2017.
It was as recently as March 2017 that Richard Browning set up a technology company by the name of Gravity Industries Limited with the intention of coming up with innovative ways for humans to fly through the air with this suit no doubt being one of them Guinness World Records.
It was Richard Browning himself who donned the suit and set a new Guinness World Record of 32.02 mph flying vertically a few feet above the surface of the water at Lagoona Park, Reading, Berkshire that only opened to the public this year. He has been nicknamed the “Iron Man” no doubt in view of the look of the suit he was wearing. It took him three attempts to achieve the record but Mr Browning is confident that he can travel faster than the above speed and break the record again on another occasion. Apparently, it was an exhilarating flight.
The suit has six gas turbines attached to it and weighs in the region of 45 kg so it is quite a weight. Mr Browning uses his body to control his flight so there is no doubt that he must have to be very fit.
We are sure that our clients would wish to share with us here at AIB Insurance in congratulating Richard Browning on his wonderful achievement. We look forward to updating you on any other projects he becomes involved in that we feel may be of interest to you.
Here at AIB Insurance we have many years experience in arranging quality and bespoke, cover for many airborne sports. So, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak with one of the team to discuss your requirements and obtain a free, no-obligation quotation.
There has always been something rather special about Chelsea Pensioners who are frequently seen in their red coats proudly displaying their medals attending numerous ceremonies and events around the UK. As you will probably be aware, they are war veterans from the British army so are not unaccustomed to danger.
Well, recently a Chelsea Pensioner took to the skies to skydive. Mike Smith who is 68 years of age actually completed his 100th skydive. However, there had been quite a period of time since he last skydived as it was some 23 years ago since he last did such a thing.
As if that was not interesting enough, also taking part in the same skydiving event were two world war veterans who are both 91 years of age. They were actually fortunate to complete their jump at the Red Devils Parachute Team’s base that is at Old Sarum Airfield near Salisbury in Wiltshire. The jump was made for the benefit of the Taxi Charity for Military Veterans that was no doubt pleased to receive financial support.
We are pleased to hear that all three landed safely on the day and no doubt enjoyed a thrilling experience that they will no doubt never forget. Well done to the three gentlemen.
Here at AIB Insurance, we are able to arrange cover for a wide range of airborne sports including skydiving. With an extensive panel of insurers at our disposal we are often in the position of arranging quality insurance at very competitive premiums. So, if you are looking to arrange suitable insurance to cover you whilst skydiving, why not give us a call on 02380 268 351 and speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable members of staff who will be happy to discuss your individual requirements and arrange a quotation without any obligation on your part. We look forward to hearing from you.
Taking to the air in a hot air balloon is a wonderful adventure enjoyed by many enthusiasts around the world. Once airborne and the desired height has been reached a peaceful flight is normally had by all who cannot fail but to enjoy the spectacular scenery.
Of course, finding a suitable landing spot does not always go according to plan especially if the weather changes whilst airborne. However, even if the scheduled landing spot is missed it is usually possible to find somewhere else that is equally as safe to land. For instance, there is normally a farmer’s field to land your hot air balloon in perhaps with the offer of a bottle of whisky or wine as a thank you to the landowner.
Well, you may be interested to read that the landing of a hot air balloon in Florida, USA did not quite go according to plan. Unfortunately, the wind meant that the pilot was unable to land exactly where he had hoped to. Instead, to avoid, power lines, the pilot landed the hot air balloon in a pond resulting in the 16 passengers and the pilot getting rather wet.
Fortunately, the basket landed the right way up in the water but as it drifted towards the bankside the basket turned over. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured which is perhaps rather lucky as in the pond were a number of alligators but they paid no attention to the hot air balloon or the passengers.
The pilot received a lot of praise for his skill at avoiding the power lines. Apparently, he is an experienced hot air balloon pilot with in excess of 2,000 hours in the sky. Let us hope that his next trip is less traumatic.
If you are in need of airsports insurance why not give us a call at AIB Insurance on 02380 268 351 and speak with a member of our friendly staff who will happily arrange a quotation.
AIB Launch Classic Car Offering
AIB is proud to announce the launch of our non-standard per...
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