ChoiceQuote Insurance Services

How To Get A Taxi Insurance Quote - Now Showing!

2009-07-03T17:10:00.005+01:00

Now showing on YouTube - How to get a taxi insurance quote online at choicequote.co.uk

If the video doesn't play, you can watch on YouTube

CQ

Claiming This Blog!

2009-07-03T15:50:00.001+01:00

In order for me to claim this blog in Technorati, I apparently have to publish a code in a post, so here goes!

mgsitxef7h

Top Gear Insurance Gaffe

2009-07-03T10:55:00.002+01:00

Top Gear presenters got insurers hot under the collar this week by suggesting that 17 year-olds avoid high insurance premiums by getting their parents to insure their cars for them.

One of the show's presenters, James May, commented that 'the only realistic way of getting covered when you are 17 is by going on your parents' insurance'.

His co-presenter, Richard Hammond, did however go on to say that 'if you do decide to put yourself on your parents' insurance and you have a crash, and the insurance company find out that it wasn't really your car, they won't pay out. They can prosecute you and you might have to go to jail'.

The process, known as 'fronting' is illegal and can result in penalties ranging from fines to jail sentences.

CQ

Weststar Still Interested in LDV?

2009-06-16T14:11:00.003+01:00

It appears that the Malaysian firm Weststar may still be interested in stricken van manufacturer.

Read more at http://www.roadtransport.com/blogs/truck-and-van-blog/2009/06/future-of-ldv-lingers-onand-on.html

CQ

Weststar Pulls Out Of LDV Vans Buy-Out

2009-06-02T12:11:00.003+01:00

Malaysian firm Weststar has abandoned it's plans to buy ailing van manufacturer, LDV.

It is believed that the private funding which was to be used for the purchase has collapsed.

An official LDV statement read: "The directors of LDV Group have been forced to reapply for administration to protect the assets of the business.

"This is due to the fact that essential funds required to maintain the business and workforce as a going concern are not being made available."

There have been calls for the Government to rescue LDV however 850 jobs are now at risk at the Birmingham-based firm.

CQ

General Motors Files For Bankruptcy Protection

2009-06-01T16:24:00.003+01:00

The American car giant General Motors has become the biggest industrial failure in US history by filing for bankruptcy protection.

The move comes after falling sales has resulted in massive losses.

The US Government is now expected to take a 60% stake in the Company, announcing an additional $300 billion in aid.

GM's current debts stand at $173 billion and the Company has already received $20 billion in loans since the end of last year.

The bankruptcy order, which is expected to be in force for 60 to 90 days, allows the Company to restructure it's finances while it is protected from creditors however it is expected that 20,000 workers in the US will lose their jobs.

Opel and Vauxhall will not be affected by the move as their ownership has been transferred to a trust fund prior them being sold off to Canadian firm Magna.

General Motors was once the world's largest company however declining sales and rising costs has seen it's position slide.

CQ

2009 PHM Taxi Show

2009-05-28T12:27:00.004+01:00

Yesterday saw the start of the 2009 PHM Taxi Show and I was there helping our taxi insurance guys man the ChoiceQuote Insurance Services stand.

I was joined by Rachel from our Birmingham office and Andy from Liverpool where we were able to provide taxi insurance quotes to the show's visiting taxi drivers.

We were also running a prize draw to win a great Tom Tom which attracted a lot of attention.

The show continues today and we'll once again have a contingent there - Darren from the Liverpool office, Carl from Manchester and David from Birmingham.

If you're visiting today, come over and see us at Stand 8.

CQ

Porsche Flips It's Lid!

2009-05-20T16:08:00.003+01:00

An amazing clip of a Porsche GT1 doing a somersault! I seem to remember a Mercedes doing something similir during a Le Mans race a couple of years back.

UPDATE: Here's the Mercedes flip!

For sports car insurance visit http://www.choicequote.co.uk/

CQ

How to Reduce Your Taxi Insurance Premiums

2009-05-18T12:49:00.004+01:00

As the economy faces an uncertain future, it is important to any business to keep costs to a minimum.

Taxi insurance is a vital for all taxi drivers, not only to protect you and your vehicle but also to protect your passengers and the public in general.

Here at ChoiceQuote Insurance Services, we've put together our top tips to get the cheapest taxi insurance quote, without compromising on cover.

The first thing to consider is the amount of the voluntary excess you're prepared to pay. Generally speaking, the higher the excess, the lower your taxi insurance premium is likely to be however you should bear in mind that you will have to pay the voluntary excess, along with any compulsory excesses when you come to make a claim.

Next is your no claims bonus. You can get a discount of up to 60% on your taxi insurance depending on how many years no claims bonus you've earned. The more years you've been claim-free as a taxi driver, the higher your discount.*

This ties in nicely with taxi driving experience. Essentially, the longer you've been driving your taxi, the lower your taxi insurance premium is likely to be.*

Finally, think about how many people are going to be driving your cab. Insurers generally favour fewer drivers, particularly 'insured only' - limiting the number of drivers to you alone.

There are some other things that you should look out for when taking out a taxi insurance policy.

As previously mentioned, most insurance policies will carry a compulsory excess. Check how much this is before you buy as this will need to be added to the voluntary excess to see how much you will have to shell out if you ever need to make a claim.

Protecting your no claims bonus can be costly and will bump up your taxi insurance premium. Consider the benefits before splashing out.

Finally, cheapest is not necessarily the best. Whilst you need to keep you expenses as low as possible, don't scrimp on cover that may cost you more at claim time should you not be covered for audio equipment, broken windows and courtesy vehicles.

You can now get a taxi insurance quote online at http://www.choicequote.co.uk/.

CQ

*Upper limits apply
Please note these definitions are for guidance only. For full definitions please refer to your policy document.

Lamborghini Dreamland!

2009-05-15T15:30:00.002+01:00

How much would it cost to insure this lot?!

If you do have a Lamborghini and need sports car insurance, get a quote online at ChoiceQuote Sports Car Insurance.

CQ

Renault Join Ferrari in F1 Quit Threat

2009-05-14T15:25:00.003+01:00

Following yesterday's announcement by Ferrari that they would pull out of Formula 1 at the end of the current season if the sports governing body, FIA persists with it's plans to introduce budget caps on teams, Renault have today issued a statement indicating that they too will be prepared to walk away from the sport.

The fears surround the proposed introduction of an optional £40m budget cap which may result in a two-tier championship.

Other F1 teams, including Toyota and Red Bull have issued similar threats.

FIA have so far rejected Ferrari's threats however all F1 teams are due to meet with FIA chief Max Mosley in the coming weeks to discuss the future of the sport.

However, Bernie Ecclestone, CEO of Formula One Managment, has commented that he expects any issues to be resolved, stating that "They (Ferrari) don't want to leave Formula 1 and we don't want to lose them, so we'll get to grips with it".

CQ

Taxi Show Cancelled

2009-05-13T15:03:00.003+01:00

This year's Northwest Taxi and Private Hire Trade Exhibition, which is organised by the Liverpool Taxi Drivers Children in Care Outing Fund charity, was due to be held at Liverpool's BT Convention Centre on the 29th and 30th June.

Increased venue charges have been cited as the reason for the cancellation.

The charity also said that a survey of prospective exhibitors revealled that many people would rather make a donation to the charity or participate in one of the other events the charity frequently organises.

Events currently scheduled are as follows:

• 23rd JUNE 2009 - The annual outing to Gulliver's World in Warrington.
• 26th August 2009 - The annual Golf Day at Lee Park Golf Club.
• October 2009 - The trip of a lifetime to Euro Disney Paris with 50-60 children.
• January 2010 - The annual pantomime.

Please contact the charity's website for further details.

http://www.ltd-cicof.org.uk/

CQ

Better Than Bond?

2009-05-12T17:31:00.001+01:00

This is completely random but very cool!

Fiat to Rescue Chrysler?

2009-05-01T17:24:00.002+01:00

Italian giant Fiat looks set to rescue ailing firm Chrysler, just one day after the US outfit filed for bankruptcy after talks with creditors collapsed.

Chrysler will stop vehicle production for up to two months until the deal with Fiat is complete.

Fiat is likely to initially own a 20% stake in the company with this likely to increase into a majority shareholding in the future.

The Italian manufacturer will share it's technical know-how, particularly on environmentally-friendly engines and has pledged to get production in America rolling again.

CQ

Van Maker LDV Files For Administration

2009-04-29T14:57:00.003+01:00

The Russian-owned van maker, LDV has today reported that it has filed for administration.

The Company, which had previously applied for a Government bail-out but had been refused, has not produced any new vehicles for some months and now workers have been sent home from the plant in Birmingham.

The British-based firm is still seeking investment in order to prevent closure and the loss of around 850 jobs.

A Government source insisted that any funding should come from parent company GAZ, Russia's second largest car manufacturer, and it's owner, oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

CQ

Car Insurance For Young Drivers

2009-04-28T09:23:00.005+01:00

Finding car insurance if you're under 21 can be a frustrating task. Many insurers shy away from insuring young drivers, preferring instead to only insure drivers with a couple of years experience under their belts. There is a reason for this; Statistics show that drivers are more likely to be involved in an accident within the first two years of passing their test.

If you're aged between 17 and 21 and have just passed your test, you may struggle to find car insurance but help is at hand.

ChoiceQuote have just launched a new scheme allowing drivers in the 17 - 21 years old bracket to get a quote and take out car insurance online.

To get a car insurance quote, visit http://www.choicequote.co.uk/.

CQ

Chancellor's Changes Strike Wrong Note With Motor Industry

2009-04-22T10:30:00.004+01:00

The motoring industry is digesting the news that Alistair Darling has announced plans to help inflate the ailing motor industry in this afternoon's Budget.

The "cash for bangers" scheme will see anyone with a car registered prior to 31st December 1999 offered £2000 to trade their car in for a new one.

Manufacturers have dismissed the scheme, already in place in France, Italy and Germany, branding it a disaster.

The cost of the scheme is to be split between the the tax-payer and the car companies and would mainly benefit foreign manufacturers given that over 80% of new cars sold in the UK are made abroad.

The move is also likely to anger environmentalists as there will be no insistence that the old vehicles be replaced with lower emission cars, nor will there be any trade-in option for high-emission vehicles which have been devalued due to rising road tax and fuel duty.

CQ

Volkswagen Golf Claims Car of the Year Crown

2009-04-14T11:28:00.001+01:00

The Volkswagen Golf has been crowned 'Car of the Year' at the New York International Automobile Show.

The car scored highly in each of the six categories - Value, Merit, Environment, Safety, Significance and 'Emotional Appeal', thus achieving the highest overall score to scoop the award.

The coveted title has been won by a different marque in each of the preceeding four years since it's inception in 2005 with the BMW 3-Series, Lexus LS 460, Mazda 2 and the Audi A6 previous winners.

CQ

For great deals on car insurance, visit www.choicequote.co.uk

ChoiceQuote Takes To The Airwaves!

2009-04-02T10:37:00.004+01:00

ChoiceQuote can now be heard on the Liverpool radio station, City Talk 105.9, during morning and afternoon drive-times as the proud supporter of the station's traffic and travel bulletins.

Tune in to 105.9 f.m. between 6.00am and 9.00am and 4.00pm and 7.00pm Monday to Friday.

CQ

Car Dealers Batten Down The Hatches

2009-04-01T11:55:00.002+01:00

Motor traders in London are bracing themselves for the G20 Summit with anarchists and hard-core protesters expected to cause damage on the City streets.

Luxury marques such as Ferrari, Bentley, Rolls Royce and Maserati have stepped up security in line with the Metropolitan Police, who are conducting a massive security operation in preparation for the demonstrations on 2nd April.

Some dealers have taken extreme measures such as boarding up showrooms and removing all vehicles from their premises.

CQ

For car dealers looking for motor trade insurance, visit www.choicequote.co.uk. Prestige car insurance is also available.

Cheap Hybrid Toyota Yaris Revealed

2009-03-26T10:24:00.002Z

Japanese car giant Toyota is set to launch an affordable hybrid supermini.

Due to hit the streets in 2011, the new car will make use of the Hybrid Synergy Drive technology already used in the Prius but in a smaller car based on the hugely popular Yaris.

The new car should be more efficient than the Prius due to it's scaled down size and is said to cost a couple of thousand less, too.

Looking for motor trade insurance? Get a quote online now at www.choicequote.co.uk.

CQ

More Street View

2009-03-20T10:28:00.001Z

Here's a shot of ChoiceQuote's Liverpool Office. Amazing!

View Larger Map

ChoiceQuote Insurance Services on Google Street View

2009-03-19T14:31:00.003Z

Check out ChoiceQuote Insurance Services on Google's new Street View.

This is quite extraordinary!

See ChoiceQuote Insurance Services here.

CQ

Almost £1,500 Raised For Comic Relief So Far

2009-03-16T17:09:00.003Z

The money is still coming in but so far the total raised by ChoiceQuote Insurance for Comic Relief on Friday stands at £1,434.

With a variety of events ranging from a 'nose and spoon' race, Pro Evo PlayStation tournament, raffles and fancy dress, money was raised across our offices in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow, with generous contributions from managers, staff and customers.

You can see the photo's at the foot of this blog and at Picasa.

Well done to everyone who took part - the money will go to a very worthwhile cause. Overall, the charity has raised a staggering £59 million so far.

CQ

Ryder Cup Could Spell Trouble For Older Taxis

2009-03-13T12:54:00.002Z

Taxi drivers in Newport believe that the 2010 Ryder Cup, which is to be played at Newport's Luxury Celtic Manor Golf Resort, is the reason why the city council has proposed 'age limits' on the city's taxis.

The council suggests that no private hire taxis over six years old and hackney carriages over 10 years old will be allowed on the roads from 1st August, 2010 - shortly before the tournament commences on 27th September that year.

The move has raised fears that taxi drivers who cannot afford to update their vehicles may be forced off the road.

Drivers are in favour of all vehicles meeting a certain standard of cleanliness and safety but believe that imposing an age restriction will put some taxi drivers out of business.

Some, however feel that the restrictions are reasonable and that standards do need to improve but acknowledge that the current financial climate may not a good time for drivers to upgrade.

A decision is due on 18th March 2009.

In the meantime, drivers looking for taxi insurance on either public or private hire vehicles can now get a quote online at www.choicequote.co.uk/taxi/taxi-insurance-uk.asp.

CQ