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/li> 0 comments   Some five million people in the UK are at risk of flooding and the personal and financial effects of a serious flood can be devastating. Here we provide a comprehensive guide to dealing with the flood water and getting things back to normal. If the worst happens and you are at imminent risk of flooding you should take the following action. •Listen out for warnings on radio and TV and check the Environment Agency flood information. •Move pets, vehicles, valuables and other items to safety. •Alert your neighbours, particularly the elderly. •Put sandbags or flood boards in place - but make sure your property is ventilated. Plug sinks/baths and put a sandbag in the toilet bowl to prevent backflow. •Be ready to turn off gas and electricity (get help if needed). Unplug electrical items and move them upstairs if possible. •Co-operate with emergency services and local authorities - you may be evacuated to a rest centre. •Do as much as you can in da

/li> 0 comments Each year holidays are ruined by illness or robbery or even the sudden need to return home because someone else is ill. There's no legal requirement for you to have insurance when you travel abroad but if you find yourself in a situation like that you'll bless the day you took a policy out. And with competition within the industry growing fiercer, prices have tumbled. Annual policies for Europe start at £12 while worldwide cover begins from as little as £20. Choosing your cover Buying cover from your travel agent is the easiest way to get travel insurance but will probably also be the most expensive. Some travel companies offer 'free' cover but it's unlikely that the insurance really is free, as the cost is generally built into the price of the holiday. Remember that commission on selling insurance is a huge - although declining - earner for travel agents. You can usually get a better deal via an insurance broker or a

/li> 0 comments Private medical insurance is seen as essential by many but it is a luxury? We explore the facts. Private medical policies provide cover for the costs of private medical treatment for curable, short-term medical conditions. Essentially, medical insurance allows you to jump long National Health Service queues for minor, non life-threatening conditions. Poorly informed: Should you get private medical insurance? We explain the facts. It is not an alternative to the NHS; private hospitals do not have casualty departments, for example. Neither do you necessarily get better care, although with the best policies you may get your pick of hospital and doctor - but you do get it more quickly and at a time and place to suit you. Who and what is covered Private medical insurance (PMI) will cover the cost of specialists, surgery, accommodation and nursing bills in a private hospital, or in a private ward in an NHS hospital, drugs and X-rays. You will get

/li> 3 comments Taking out travel insurance isn’t compulsory but it’s wise if you want to protect your holiday, your belongings and yourself. Single person policies start from £14 for a year's cover, but these cheap deals are sometimes to good to be true. Whether the cover is priced high or low there are still catches to avoid. Choosing your cover: Annual vs single Firstly you need to decide what kind of insurance you need. If you're going abroad more than a couple of times then it's probably worth taking out an annual policy. If you book a package holiday then your travel agent may offer you travel insurance - this may be easy but it's also likely to be more expensive. The key is to do your research and shop around. If you have travel insurance as part of your bank account then make sure that you have adequate cover. For example the cancellation cover could be around £1,500 but if the cost of your trip is more than this you’d need to take out a

/li> 7 comments I have buildings insurance with Halifax bank. My property is 14-years-old and I bought it from new. The property was passed by NHBC Building regulations. A vertical crack appeared in my garage wall. My property has been kept in good order without abuse. Halifax says the damage is not covered because it has ‘happened over a period of time or as a result of wear and tear or general maintenance’. M. G., Thaxted, Essex. Beware: Thermal movement damage is not covered by your policy, nor is it usually covered by buildings insurance I asked Halifax to look again at your claim and to give a rather more helpful explanation of what has happened. It seems that when you made the claim Halifax asked loss adjuster Crawfords to inspect the damage. Crawfords said that ‘no insured cause had occurred’ — in other words the damage was not covered under the policy terms and conditions. Your own builder then concluded that the damage was a result of thermal move

/li> 0 comments Could you save money on your home insurance? The answer is, almost definitely. Follow our simple guide. The basics The first thing you need to know about home insurance is that there are two types: buildings and contents. They are separate entities and you can either search for two individual deals, or buy them as a joint policy from one source. The latter can be a good idea because there are some great deals around. And if you end up in a situation where one incident affects both the building and its contents, such as a fire, there will be no issues as to who is paying for what. So, what's the difference and how do you get the best deals?   More... QUOTE FINDER: Cheapest home insurance deal Buildings insurance This covers the actual structure of your home. It will always include the main building and can be extended to cover sheds, the garage, fences, a swimming pool and so on. Buildings insurance is your problem only if you own the

/li> 4 comments Unhealthy Britons could save hundreds of pounds each year on their life insurance policies if they give up their bad habits, experts have claimed. Quitting smoking, losing weight and cutting down on the booze could help slash your premiums in half. Insurer Beagle Street says that a 46-year-old male smoker would pay around £38.53 a month for a level-term life insurance policy providing £150,000 of cover over 15 years, but if they stopped smoking the premium would reduce to just £16.75 a year after they gave up. Stub it out: Quitting smoking can cut your life insurance premiums. Matthew Gledhill, managing director, said: 'Everyone knows the health benefits that quitting smoking can bring, but an added bonus is the ability to potentially save over 50 per cent on your monthly life insurance premiums after just one year of being a non-smoker. 'If you have stopped smoking, lost weight and reduced your BMI, or reduced your alcohol intake, this could

/li> 5 shares 0 comments Boxing clever: Laura Keely's premium has been slashed thanks to opting for an insurer's blackbox policy One in three consumers pays over the odds for car insurance, according to the RAC, and new EU rules are likely to make that worse as they are set to send young women's premiums soaring having banned insurers from pricing on gender. The major crime most drivers commit against their personal finances is failing to shop around for the best premium and simply accepting your insurer's renewal quote, which is likely to be much higher. Younger drivers can also grab themselves potentially much cheaper car insurance by opting for one of the new blackbox policies, these put a spy in your car to monitor your driving and reward those who are careful and don't drive at dangerous times. Laura Keely, right, opted to have a little black box put in under the dashboard of her Vauxhall Corsa by Insurethebox. In 2011,she paid £1,800

/li> 10 shares 13 comments As many as 200,000 homeowners who risk seeing their property rendered worthless because they can't get insurance against flooding have been given a month-long reprieve after insurers extended an agreement to provide cover. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said that its members would continue to cover household insurance to existing properties at high risk of flooding for a month beyond the end of an agreement that obliges them to give the cover. The current 'Statement of Principles' expires on 30 June. The agreement is between insurers, via the ABI, and the Government and states that insurance companies will continue to offer cover to homes and businesses at significant risk of flooding on the condition that the Government, via the Environment Agency, invests in flood protection measures that reduce the risk to those homes. Damp squib: The deal to guarantee flood insurance for all homes has been pushed back. The

/li> 0 comments Hundreds of thousands of British shoppers are pressured every year into paying over the odds to extend the manufacturer's warranty on home appliances and cars. If you want peace of mind, go to a specialist instead who can offer cheaper cover. We've teamed up with Warranty Direct to offer you this service. Extended warranty: Motorbike, car and household appliance repairs usually cost more after three years Warranty Direct is the industry's leading provider of direct personal warranties. It offers complete protection, a simple claims procedure and flexible payment plans. Need help or advice? Call Warranty Direct on 0800 097 8839. Or check out the best deals here: Car warrantiesHousehold appliance warrantiesMotorbike warrantiesWhy should you pay for an extended warranty?  If you've got a vehicle at, or approaching the end, of it's manufacturer's warranty, or perhaps an even older one, an extended vehicle warranty is

/li> 2 comments Detailed exchange: RSA Insurance has been accused of falsely inflating costs to repairs vehicles. Major motor insurer RSA Insurance has been accused for falsely inflating the cost of repairing vehicles from motor insurance claims in an attempt to boost profits. In a recent court case senior Judge John Platt found that a subsidiary company - which RSA owned and used to carry out repairs following claims - had increased labour costs without carrying out any of the work itself, according to BBC Radio 4’s Money Box. RSA Insurance used a subsidiary firm, RSA Accident Repairs Limited, to carry out repairs on vehicles. Judge Platt found that the subsidiary company made charges it was unable to account for before passing the cost on to the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident. RSA Insurance, which insures more than 2 million vehicles, said it strongly denies any suggestion of inappropriate actions. Insurers are not supposed to make a profi

/li> 2 comments Increasing numbers of 'whole-of-life' insurance policyholders are complaining of sudden increases in premiums that leave them with  little choice but to abandon polices at a loss, the financial ombudsman has warned. Last year the Financial Ombudsman Service received over 1,400 complaints about whole-of-life policies. Whole-of-life insurance guarantees a lump sum pay-out when the policy holder dies with monthly premiums invested into a fund. Problems? The Financial Ombudsman Service has received over 1,400 complaints about 'whole of life' policies in the last year. Whole-of-life insurance is typically more expensive than term life assurance because it guarantees to pay out the sum assured when the policy holder dies, at whatever time, as long as the payment have been maintained, whereas term assurance runs for a specified period. LIFE INSURANCE WHOLE-OF-LIFE COVER: Life cover and investment rolled into one. Monthly premiums invested

/li> 0 comments   You've probably always suspected that your neighours are paying less than you for their home insurance. And now you can see the figures for yourself. The Postcode Breaker below will show you a typical annual premium for a house in your area, as well as where it ranks in the country. Updated: July 2009 pkg_fe_dm_standardmodules.f_home_insurance_average( in_article_id=>in_article_id,in_page_id=>in_page_id,in_pc_area=>in_pc_area) --> How the results are calculated: Results based on 2,760 postcode areas in the UK Only areas that returned five or more quotes included (so a handful of postcodes are missing)--> Quotes provided by This is Money's home insurance partner, moneysupermarket.com Premiums valid from 12 March to 19 May 2009 UK's most expensive area: SW1W, London (Victoria) £561.93 UK's cheapest area: IV46, Skye, £49 Keys to a better deal Get an accurate home insurance quote Still confused? Read our g

/li> 0 comments The first step with life insurance is to work out how much cover you need. >> Try our life insurance cover calculator

/li> 2 comments Is your weight a problem? This calculator works out your body mass index, which life insurance companies use to assess your eligibility and premiums. Get a quote...Cheaper insurance from car, home and health to cats and dogs function calculate_bmi() { /* for calculating a person's BMI for insurance calculator */ var stones = document.getElementById('in_weight_stones').value; var pounds = document.getElementById('in_weight_pounds').value; var height = document.getElementById('in_height').value; var result = document.getElementById('bmi_value'); var bmi = 0 ; var weight = 0 ; if (stones == null || stones == '') { result.value = "Please enter your weight correctly" ; return true ; } else if (pounds == null || pounds == '') { result.value = "Please enter your weight correctly" ; return true ; } weight = ((stones*14)+parseInt(pounds))*.45359237; height = (height*2.54)/100 ; bmi = wei

/li> 6 comments Supermarket shoppers who buy frozen food rather than fresh could save £7.80 on their weekly grocery bill, according to new research. According to the report, items such as salmon, broccoli and sausages were all cheaper to buy frozen rather than fresh – so, if households were to switch to frozen produce entirely they could save an estimated £405.60 a year. A basket of frozen family groceries costs just £15.45 compared to the same items bought fresh at £23.25, according to the research compiled by Sheffield Hallam University on behalf of frozen food website TheNewIceAge.com.  Deep freeze: If money is tight then families could buy cheaper frozen produce rather than fresh - saving over £400 a year. The cost of food rose 1.4 per cent between November and December, according to the Consumer Price Index, following a supermarket price war in early October. The results from Asda's regular 'income tracker' last week showed wages had grown just

/li> 22 shares 15 comments Greedy energy firms have been accused of manipulating new daily charges to entice customers on to expensive deals. This year, Britain’s energy giants must simplify their tariffs. Instead of offering confusing tiers of different rates, they must bring in a standard daily fee to cover their costs for supplying gas and electricity. Enlarge   Customers will then pay a single flat rate for every unit of energy they actually use. The idea is intended to make it easier for customers to find the cheapest deals. In theory, the standing single charge offered by different firms should be almost the same as it is supposed to cover fixed costs such as billing, distribution, metering and environmental taxes. But research has revealed it will vary from nothing to 51p a day, adding hundreds of pounds a year to bills. Households will also have to pay a separate standing charge for gas and for electricity. Some firms are even levying higher standin

/li> 10 comments Ofgem is to investigate six energy companies for failing to meet government targets on installing loft and cavity wall insulation, as well as other energy efficiency measures. The energy regulator said that despite firms meeting 99 per cent of energy efficiency goals by the 2012 deadline, it would be investigating the missed 1 per cent. Suppliers British Gas, Scottish and Southern Energy and Scottish Power, as well as smaller suppliers Draz, GDF Suez/IPM and Intergen are now facing investigations by the regulator. Own goal: Ofgem is now investigating six suppliers after they failed to meet energy efficiency targets. The targets were set under two schemes launched by the Department of Energy and Climate Change in 2008 to get energy firms to reduce emissions and also to help the most vulnerable customers by insulating homes and replacing boilers to improve efficiency and save money on their bills.   More... Greedy energy firms accused of manipulati

/li> 6 comments Children buying apps without permission or making accidental purchases on mum or dad's smartphone are costing parents £30million nationally, according to new data.   On average parents have spent an extra £34 on their mobile phone and tablets bills because of accidental app and in-app purchases made by their kids, research by Windows Phone has claimed. Over a quarter of parents with smartphones have fallen foul of the trap and eight out of ten of these have seen a bigger bill as a result. Expensive mistake: Parents are footing a bill of £30million nationally as children accidentally buy apps on smartphones and tablets. It has resulted in a third of parents resorting to hiding their smartphone and tablet for their kids.  It found eight-year-olds tended to run up the highest bills, adding an average £59.59, while more than a third (36 per cent) of children aged four and under have made purchases without permission.   More... Orange sold me a fa

/li> 26 shares 16 comments If you've decided to tackle the long-overdue job of overhauling your bills, you can look forward  potential savings of thousands of pounds. Although you will need to set aside a bit of time to check out the best options for you, This Is Money's guide to fixing your bills can help you get on track. We have lumped all the tools and top tips you need in one place to make it easier to save money - and keep on saving it all year long. Fix your finances: From your energy bills, to your mortgage and your car, how to get your bills sorted Firstly, why do this? Needlessly overpaying for gas and electricity, mortgage payments, home phone, broadband and car and home insurance costs can take its toll - adding up to tens, if not hundreds, of pounds every month. Put a little work in though and you can keep that money. Here's how: CAR INSURANCE Why now? A landmark rule change last year meant insurance firms are banned from taking gen

/li> 7 shares 15 comments Tesco has relaunched its scheme allowing Clubcard holders to double their points but customers have just two months to exchange and redeem vouchers. The promotion allows customers to change £5 of Clubcard vouchers into a £10 exchange voucher, that can be spent on a range of non-grocery products including clothes, furniture and toys. Customers will only be able to double their vouchers between 13 May and 2 July, but there is no limit to how many Clubcard vouchers can be exchanged. Double up: Tesco is relaunching its double Clubcard rewards scheme for one month only Tesco said its Clubcard statements that tell members how many points they have built up will be sent out in the next few days. These can be exchanged in stores or online. WHERE CAN I DOUBLE UP? The departments in which customers can exchange their vouchers for double the value tokens are: Garden, Garden Furniture & BBQsBikes, Camping and Outdoor SportsToysClothingCamera