If you see a Fire Door propped open at home at work or anywhere else. Remove the obstruction and close the door. It’s a matter of life or death. It’s scary to hear, however that’s why there are such things as Fire Doors. They are there to protect us in an emergency and they can give you that vital few minutes to get somewhere safe.

No one likes to think the worst will happen but Imagine if it did?

A fire has started in your home/work/business and you have propped open a Fire Door. Thousands of pounds worth of damage has occurred, you’ve lost all your stock! You have nowhere to go. And now your insurer is rejecting your claim as the fire door was wedged open? Keep it Shut, Keep it Clear, Keep it Insured.

What Types of Insurance should I take out for my Business?

Not all Insurance covers for Fire Damage, however, here are some types of Insurance that could cover the cost in the event of a fire.

If you own the building your business is in adding buildings insurance can protect you against fire damage. You may also want to consider adding fixtures and fittings cover (I.E Display Cabinets, Counter tops, shelving Units).

As an independent business owner consider business interruption insurance. Trying to keep your business afloat during a claim can be a nightmare however Business Interruption Insurance can help! It may help with staff wages; loss of profits and it could even provide you with an Interim payment.

Fire prevention safety tips for your business

1. Do you rent the building you run your business from?

Inspect the Fire Door if you believe it is faulty contact your landlord or the buildings management company immediately. Don’t ignore it!

2. Prepare an emergency plan

Do you and your employees know what to do and where to go if a fire breaks out?

3. Designate a fire warden

Ideally you should have more than one fire warden so if one person is on annual leave or out for a meeting the other person would be there in case of an emergency.

4. Know your fire extinguishers

Make sure everyone who oversees Fire safety within your business is aware of the different types of fire extinguishers. A Carbon Dioxide Extinguisher would be no use in a Fish & Chip Shop where the range has set on fire they’re for liquid and electrical fires e.g an office.

5. Keep it clear

Keep all fire doors clear and keep them shut. Dispose of any flammable materials such as wastepaper or cardboard boxes. Never block a fire exit for any reason remember it can take less than five minutes for a fire to engulf a property from the moment it begins.

6. Stay Safe

Leave your belongings, you can replace them. Don’t panic and don’t run it could save your life. Get to a safe place away from the fire and dial 999. Never go back into a burning building for any reason.

At Adultsure we offer full Business Package quotes tailored to you. If Fire is one of your main concerns, then please contact us we are here to help you in any way we can. Call one of our friendly team today on 01924 499182

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For those who don’t take global warming seriously by now, you might be surprised at the predictions that have been made by the Environment Agency (EA) regarding UK flood defence.

Reaching unprecedented levels

Climate change has already had a major impact on British coastlines, moorlands, farms, towns and cities, not to mention the effect it’s had on vast numbers of seabirds in the North Sea and North Atlantic who are struggling to find food due to dwindling prey. While flooding has always been an issue for certain areas in the UK, recent years have seen waters rise to unprecedented levels. This has left many businesses and homeowners stranded in the meantime.Following major flooding in areas including York and Greater Manchester in 2015, councils have started to invest more in flood defence to reduce the devastation and downtime the floods caused. Yet despite an increase of flood defences in place, EA chairwoman, Emma Howard Boyd, believes that this will not be enough, warning that “we cannot win a war against water”.

Improved defences

While we cannot prevent flooding, we can implement improved measures to better manage flooding and protect both residents and businesses. In a bid to combat climate change, the EA believes that the UK will need to invest at least £1 billion per year into traditional flood and coastal defences to make communities more resilient against flooding.The type of defence required goes beyond building bigger barriers, which has been realised in the York Flood Alleviation Scheme. Instead of focusing on constructing higher walls to keep the waters out, this scheme is focused on slowing the flow of the water, reduce its volume during peak flow and building flood storage areas. The EA believes that the answer also lies in constructing stronger properties and infrastructure in the future along with natural prevention through planting trees to slow the flow of waters and creating more areas where the water can soak into the ground.

Needing to up sticks?

Unfortunately, the EA anticipates that the threat of flooding simply cannot be prevented or mitigated for some properties, in which the best course of action would be to move to a safer area. While this may seem sensical for some, it’s not that simple for families and businesses are tied to a property in a high-flood-risk area.

If you’ve had problems with flooding in the past and are now struggling to find affordable insurance—or a willing insurer—the team at Adultsure can help. We can help to find you cover designed specifically for high-flood-risk areas, which doesn’t cost the earth. Call us on 01924 499182 to find out more.

The post Is the threat of flooding in the UK on the rise? appeared first on Adultsure.

Whether it be a summer holiday or winter weekend break a high percentage of brits book their single-trip travel insurance at the last minute, often choosing the cheapest option that appears! While this seems like a cost-effective option the day before you’re due to travel, that  strategy will not only leave you at risk of not having the correct cover for the trip you’re taking but it might actually be costing you more money if its not the only trip you plan to take this year.

The Risk with price comparison Travel Insurance

It’s so simple to buy your travel insurance online in today’s world, a few taps on your phone and you could have your insurance sorted for your holiday… or so you think! The trouble with purchasing your travel insurance online whilst you’re packing your case for the aeroplane last minute is that it’s not often clear what is included and what you’re covered for. If you’re into taking risks and enjoy those high-risk activities whilst you’re abroad it’s likely you’re not covered. If you’ve had or still have a medical condition you’re probably not covered correctly.

Nobody likes to think of the possibilities of what could go wrong whilst you’re away but it’s necessary in order to get the proper insurance cover. The costs incurred through an uninsured event, especially abroad can be astronomical! Medical expenses alone could rack up thousands and if you don’t have a clear idea of the exclusions and terms within your policy you could be left unexpectedly out of pocket and run into debt.

The Benefits of insuring beforehand

Although many travellers insure their trip shortly before they take off, you could reap the benefits by organising your insurance when you book your holiday, which can protect you against the risk of delays, cancellations and much more.

Arranging your travel insurance beforehand also enables you to open your cover to include various other upcoming trips, this way you won’t be paying a larger one-off sum for every trip you book.

Multi-trip Travel Insurance

A recent survey by a leading travel insurer found that the average Holidaymaker takes three holidays a year, yet they are still overspending millions on single-trip insurance! Even if you haven’t started planning your next vacay yet, your multi-trip cover will cover you for the trips you take throughout the year regardless! With this cover in place you can sit back, relax with a cocktail if you like and not worry about arranging last minute travel cover, which might not be covering you at all!

To find out more about Multi-trip travel cover and if you could be saving money and minutes! Get in touch with Lucie or Ewan at Adultsure on 01924 499182 who will be more than happy to help you with anything you need to know, then you can have a year’s peace knowing you’re covered for all your fabulous trips!

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From simple vigilance when locking your doors and windows, to more advanced solutions such as motion-sensitive lighting and burglar alarms; when it comes to securing your home day or night, there are plenty of options available. Unfortunately, regardless of how security-sharp you are, criminals have discovered ways around these security measures again and again!

We look at some ways you can go above and beyond to protect your family, your home and your assets! Here at Adultsure, we’ll work closely with you to make sure your Home Insurance steps up to the mark. Get in touch with Lucie or Ewan on 01924 499182

The post Five home security tips you may not have considered appeared first on Adultsure.

Thinking of letting out your property? Here’s what you should consider before you do. 

Be prepared to work all hours
Being a landlord is not a 9-5 job and while there will be plenty of days where you can dictate your own schedule, there will be many others during which you will be pushed and pulled in all directions during unsociable hours. In an emergency, you could even get calls from tenants in the middle of the night. To make sure you’re prepared for anything, you’re going to need a strong network of contacts in the area!

Know the right people
As a landlord, unless you live close to your let property, you will need to know some reliable handymen and trade workers, including those who can complete plumbing and professional electrical work, especially ones who offer emergency call outs. Even if you’re a bit handy in the home, no-one is skilled in all areas so there will always be a time you need to call upon an expert to help. Make sure you have the correct contacts before an emergency occurs it will save you a lot of time, stress and money.

There are a lot of rules to follow
Landlords are plagued by rules and regulations, from how to correctly handle the tenant’s deposit through to ensuring safety standards are adhered to in the home and how to correctly evict tenants. Make sure you keep up to date with your legal requirements to ensure that everything is done by the book. That way, you can maintain a great reputation and ensure the safety of your tenants and yourself.

Find the right tenant
Firstly, you need to decide who you want to rent your property to. Think about what you would and wouldn’t accept in your buy-to-let property. Do you want to rent to a group of students or are you targeting professionals? Are you looking to draw in families or is your focus on single tenants? Think about whether you will accept any pets or smokers and DSS applicants. You have every right to decide who you wish to let your property to, but it doesn’t hurt to be slightly flexible to draw in the correct tenant.

Get specialist insurance
Standard home insurance just won’t suffice if you are a landlord as you need specialised cover which will protect yourself, your business, your tenants and of course your property. With Property Owners Insurance, your property will be protected against the standard risks such as fire, flood and storm damage, as well as your personal contents if you choose. Additionally, it will cover your business against liability claims, loss of rent, alternative accommodation for your tenants and much more. To find out more about Property Owners Insurance, get in touch with the team on 01924 499182.

The post What you need to know about becoming a landlord appeared first on Adultsure.

Despite government initiatives and the UK’s 2050 target to reduce emissions by at least 100% from levels captured in 1990, worldwide attempts to reduce climate changes have not yet hit the mark.

The rise of severe weather 

As severe weather is becoming increasingly recurrent and even more extreme, individuals and businesses are seeing a rise in weather-related incidents such as flooding, not only can this affect their property and contents, but may also mean having to seek alternative accommodation or temporarily ceasing trading. This is then having a knock-on effect to insurance brokers, who are having to increasingly pay out higher sums at a more frequent rate.

Short-term changes, long-term damage 

The extreme freeze in early 2018 cost UK insurers £194m over three months for burst pipe claims, while the following extreme heatwave caused over £64 million of subsidence damage.

Ernst Rauch, Munich Re’s chief climatologist said: “If the risk from wildfires, flooding, storms or hail is increasing then the only sustainable option we have is to adjust our risk prices accordingly. In the long run it might become a social issue…”

Find the right balance  

With the current economic climate remaining modest, with plenty of uncertainty in the air, it’s essential that insurance remains affordable to those who need it. Yet, getting the balance right to offset the increased risk, and determining what to attribute one-off incidents to is not an easy task.

Nicolas Jeanmart, head of personal & general insurance and macroeconomics at Insurance Europe said:

“The sector is concerned that continuing global increases in temperature could make it increasingly difficult to offer the affordable financial protection that people deserve, and that modern society requires to function properly,”

Adapting to change 

For those concerned about rising insurance costs, reassurance can be found in adaptations which have already been made by the insurance industry. From escalating flood concerns, schemes such as FloodRE have been implemented and insurance is increasingly becoming a part of resilience measures.

To find out more about protecting your business from extreme weather incidents with affordable and adaptable cover, get in touch with Amy or Ang at Adultsure on 01924 499182

The post How climate change is raising the cost of insurance appeared first on Adultsure.

In the early hours of yesterday morning it was announced that the UK’s oldest travel company, Thomas Cook, had ceased trading. With around 150,000 holidaymakers currently overseas and many more with holidays booked, what happens now?

Are you abroad now on a Thomas Cook holiday – what should you do?

The CAA are providing new flights to return you to the UK. These flights are operating for the next two weeks (from 23 September until 6 October 2019).

Depending on your location, this will be either on CAA-operated flights or by using existing flights with other airlines. Note that repatriation flights are only available or passengers whose journey originated in the UK.

If you are due to return home after 6 October you will have to make your own travel arrangements. From a small number of locations, passengers will have to book their own return flights.

For further details you should visit the CAA website set up for Thomas Cook passengers or use the telephone numbers below:

• From overseas, call: +44 1753 330 330.
• From within the UK call 0300 303 2800.

Can you stay in your hotel?

The CAA will seek to guarantee your stay by dealing directly with hoteliers. It may take the CAA a few days to secure these arrangements. While arrangements are being made, the advice is to not make any additional payments unless instructed to do so by the Civil Aviation Authority.

If you are having difficulty and the holiday is ATOL protected then you should call +44 1753 330 330.

Do you have a future holiday booked with Thomas Cook – what should you do?

If you are due to depart from a UK airport with Thomas Cook airlines, the advice is not to travel to the airport as the flight will not be operating and you will not be able to travel.

If the holiday is ATOL protected (package holidays) you will be entitled to a full refund for the cancelled holiday. The CAA will be launching a service to manage all refunds on Monday 30 September, once the flying operation has progressed. This refund service will seek to process all refunds within two months of receipt of a fully completed claims form.

Further information on how to claim will be available in the coming days.
The guidance is to not submit anything to the CAA in the meantime as the organisation continues to focus on the repatriation flying programme to return more than 150,000 passengers to the UK.

How do we know if a holiday is ATOL protected?

If you have booked a package holiday you will have been given an ATOL certificate as part of the paperwork. You can also use this link to find out if your holiday is classed as a package.

Note ATOL protection does not apply if you have bought flights directly from the airline and flight-only arrangements bought through a travel agent are not always protected either. For more information on these exceptions, you should visit the ATOL website.

What if the holiday is not ATOL protected?

If you have flight only tickets with Thomas Cook they are unlikely to be ATOL protected. If you paid with a credit card you should be able to get a refund under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act – as long as the purchase is over £100. If it is less than that, or you paid with a debit card, you should ask your bank for reimbursement under the “chargeback” scheme.

What about Travel Insurance?

If the holiday is not ATOL protected and you have been declined a refund by your credit or debit card provider you may be able to claim on your Travel Insurance, but only if your policy includes End Supplier Failure Insurance. This is included in all of our Gold policies and as an add on to any bronze and silver policies that we offer, so please check your terms and conditions supplied with your travel insurance.

To submit a claim via ESFI you should contact International Passenger Protection on 0345 266 1872.

If you decide to book a replacement holiday while awaiting the refund, can we amend your Travel Insurance policy?

If you choose to book another holiday to replace the one you have already taken out Travel Insurance for then we can amend the dates/destination at any time. Kindly note this is subject to an additional premium.

If you have any other questions, please do not hesitate to give our team a call on 01924 499182.

The Adultsure Team

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Due to capex or ‘capital expenditure’ constraints and the rising costs of mainstream energy options, many companies will find it difficult to make major changes to their operations in time for the 2050 deadline. However, a recent report by Aggreko found that a decentralised energy solution might just be the answer for many businesses.

The cost of energy
Aggreko’s report discovered that there has been a 37% rise in the cost of energy for manufacturers alone in the past 5 years. From their survey sample, 26% of those asked had said that up to 20% of their costs were energy consumption. Over half of them believed that the high cost of energy was impacting competitiveness in their industries. 

What is decentralised energy?
The decentralised energy term refers to energy which is not generated on the main grid including wind power, solar, geothermal and biomass energy. This type of energy can serve to cut both the carbon and costs, providing manufacturing businesses with an affordable solution to the government pledge.

While many of those surveyed could see a problem with their current energy solution, they were reluctant to initiate the change to decentralised energy due to big factors such as cost and lack of technical resource. This was despite being mindful of the benefits of lower overall security, sustainability and energy costs.

Solar energy
Toward the end of 2016, solar energy became the cheapest source of energy in the world. Whilst there have been big concerns about the supply lasting during the night and periods of harsh weather has been found in the past, this source of energy is becoming increasingly efficient for powering largescale commercial factories.

Capex constraints
Unfortunately, 38% of those surveyed – including manufacturing industries – reported that they had a request for investment into decentralised energy turned down due to capex restrictions. Aggreko suggest that those who have previously been turned down could investigate long-term hire solutions to avoid capex constraints; a concept which has been traditionally rejected in the UK industrial landscape. They suggest this could help to bridge the gap in enabling businesses to access new technology, lower their costs and achieve greater energy security overall.

Are you a manufacturing firm that is looking to go green? The right insurance can support your journey, from environmental liability issues, stock, machinery and more. Get in touch with our team on 01924 499182 to find out more.

The post Find out how the manufacturing industry could go green by 2050 appeared first on Adultsure.

Looking forward to your well-earned holiday this year but worried about making your spending money stretch? Here are our top tips for budgeting on holiday without having to miss out on doing the things you hoped to do?

Avoid packaged excursions 
While it is so tempting to spend over 50 euros on a half-day excursion on a boat or to a city, it will likely be more cost effective for you to go it alone. This will also save you time in waiting around for a coach load of people and means you can see the places that you’re really interested in rather than having to visit 5 places and spend less time in the place you really want to be. If you’re looking for ideas, just look at the areas you can visit on an organised tour and plan your own route and way of getting there. Car, boat, Segway’s? The choices are endless and you’ll probably find it’s a whole lot of fun exploring new places in a different way.

Get walking 
Paying for transport costs on your holiday can quickly add up, and while it’s sometimes necessary, if you’re staying in a city you can likely walk to many places you want to see. Think about where you want to visit in a day and plan your route, so each stop is within walkable distance and if you don’t feel like walking a day ticket for a bus may be cheaper than a taxi!

Visit the local supermarket 
Of course, when you’re on holiday you will want to taste the local cuisine, but for smaller meals like breakfast and lunch especially if you’re laid out by the pool, you don’t need to spend a fortune or even get dressed! Prepare a tasty baguette before you leave the house for a lunchtime meal and pack some delicious snacks to tide you over. This means you’ll avoid having to grab something in expensive tourist areas while you’re on the go. Also shopping in a local grocer or shop will help support residents and you can find local delicacies on the shelves! There’s nothing juicier than a Philippine mango and nothing sweeter than a French grape!

Bring a water bottle  
Reusable water bottles are not only great for the environment, but they can also save you a lot of money buying pricey drinks while you’re out and about!

Go off the beaten track 
Visiting the most popular tourist attractions can get really expensive, fast! As well as dining and drinking in busy areas. Ask the locals where they like to go eat and relax and do some research of your own about some lesser-known things to do in the area where you are. You will likely see a whole new, wonderful side to the place that you’re visiting, all the while making your holiday spend go further.

One thing you shouldn’t skimp on when going abroad is your Travel Insurance. You never know what could go wrong and with the right protection in place you can enjoy your holiday with reassurance that you’re covered if it does. From medical expenses and repatriation to lost baggage, Adultsure can ensure you have the Travel Insurance features you need. Give our lovely Helen a call on 01924 499182, Helen has over 25 years of insurance experience, so she really does know what she’s talking about and she is really nice too!

The post Holidaying on a budget appeared first on Adultsure.

Most of us enjoy a good ice cream and many people can pinpoint the best ice cream they’ve ever had and where it was. Whilst we’ll always enjoy a Mr Whippy on the beach despite fighting off seagulls as it’s a piece of our childhood relived, those who work in the industry are constantly thinking up new inventive ways for us to enjoy the frozen luxury that is Ice cream. Here are some ideas thought up by creative entrepreneurs who have made a living selling some of our favourite scrumptious treats!

1) Halo Top’s guilt-free ‘Scoop Shops’
The word has made its way around fitness fanatics and now its hit the general public, Halo Top has joined the healthy ice-cream revolution, yes you read that right! They have created delicious guilt-free flavours which are all under 400 calories per tub and packed with protein, WIN WIN! They’ve adopted some of the nation’s favourites such as vanilla, choc chip and chocolate alongside the decadent peanut butter cup, choc mint and choc chip cookie dough. Having started in the kitchen at home, Halo Top has now embarked on the next step of its journey and opened a range of ‘Scoop Shops’ in the US, serving up soft serve and scoop ice cream offerings in-between ice cream sandwiches, tacos or in shiny gold waffle cones. SIGH it all sounds so wonderful we’ve got our fingers and toes crossed these take off in the UK soon enough to get our own guilt-free ice-cream fix.

2) Visit the cows who make your ice cream possible
Nestled in the rolling hills of lower Wensleydale, in the heart of Yorkshore is Brymor. They’re the only ice cream producers in Yorkshire who have their own herd of Pedigree Gurnsey Cows and make all their ice cream by hand on the farm. Their cows all live nearby in Wensleydale and the you can visit their calves at the parlour. Brymor boasts over 25 flavours of ice cream and sorbet and their flavours include delights such as Lemon Meringue, Chocolate Fudge Brownie and, Black Cherry Whim Wham – which won two gold stars at the 2017 Great Taste Awards. They even offer a diabetic option so even more people can enjoy their product. It’s worth the visit!

3) Ice cream on clouds of candy floss
The Milk Train Café in London is serving ice cream wrapped in clouds of candy floss, and they’re a marvel! They’ve hopped on the Instagram-able food train with their soft serve ice creams in a variety of flavours including vanilla, matcha and a variety of themed/seasonal flavours like ginger and cinnamon. Customers then have the option to have them wrapped in candy floss and topped with delicious treats like biscuits, strawberry sauce, sprinkles, waffle sticks and an array of other delights. If you want to try their ice cream, you will need to be prepared to wait because the queues can get very very long, especially during peak times! So keep a bottle of water handy and stay hydrated if it’s hot out!

4) The fine art of the chocolate fountain
Italy is, of course, famous for its gelato and you could say it’s very hard to improve on – however, Venchi has managed it. They’re artisan chocolatiers by trade with gelato parlours across the whole of Italy. One of their stores in Rome fills an entire wall with a chocolate waterfall (YUM) and you can buy their chocolate to take home or snack on during the day (If you can’t wait). They dip their cones into melted chocolate giving you the option to add nuts, they even fill it inside the cone itself if you desire then stuff it with premium gelato until its oozing out! You can indulge in such a wide range of flavours and sorbets it’s impossible to pick just one.

5) Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream or ‘Nice Cream’
There has been a recent rise of ice cream parlours where they make the ice cream from its base ingredients, using liquid nitrogen to flash freeze the contents in front of your very eyes, WOW! This not only makes for great entertainment for the kids (Who are we kidding for yourselves too)  but actually creates a smoother, velvety texture of ice cream. The potential for flavours is limitless and if you want to test run a new flavour, it won’t take long at all to whip up a batch and see if it works. The only drawback is that making ice cream in small batches on a ‘per customer’ basis can be time-consuming and can mean a longer wait for guests, but good things do come to those who wait and we think this is one of those things!

If you’re already running an ice cream business or are looking to open one and want to know more about how Adultsure can help you find suitable insurance, get in touch today. Call the amazing Ang or Sam on 01924 499182 they will be happy to give you a quote today!

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