If you have at least 4 years no claims bonus, you may be able to pay an extra amount to protect your entitlement in the event of claim following a fault or non recoverable claim. This means that within a certain period (2 years with most insurers) you can make a specified number of claims (3 with most insurers) without your no claims bonus being affected. Insurers may still apply a premium load for claims experience but your no claims discount will remain intact.

Goods vehicle insurance is different to private car insurance and doesn't come with a 'driving other vehicles extension'.

We regret we are unable to provide cover for people not permanently residing within the UK.

An excess is the amount a policyholder is liable to pay towards any claim. It usually has to be paid to the garage where a vehicle has been repaired before the vehicle can be collected. In the event of a total loss, the excess will be deducted from the settlement cheque the policyholder receives. The excess figure is a combination of the Compulsory Excess and Voluntary Excess (where selected).

Compulsory Excess

A compulsory excess is imposed by the insurer and cannot be be removed from the policy. Additional compulsory excess may apply whilst a vehicle is being driven by a specific person i.e. young driver. They may also be applied for specific vehicle types. Most comprehensive policies now carry a compulsory excess. In the event of a claim this excess applies in addition to any voluntary excess selected by the client.

Voluntary Excess

A voluntary excess is an additional amount the policyholder chooses to pay in the event of a claim in order to achieve a reduction in their premium. In the event of a claim the voluntary excess will be added to any compulsory excess that applies to the policy.

Fully Comprehensive (Comp)

This is the widest form of cover. It covers you for:-accidental damage to your vehicle, loss of or damage to your vehicle as a result of fire or theft and your legal liability for motor accidents caused by you, including injuries to other people and damage to property.

Third Party Fire & Theft (TPF&T)

This covers damage to, or loss of your vehicle as a result of fire or theft and cover for your legal liability for motor accidents caused by you, including injuries to other people and damage to property. There is no cover for your vehicle in respect of accidental damage.

Third Party Only (TPO)

This is the minimum level of cover. It covers your legal liability for motor accidents caused by you, including injuries to other people and damage to property. It does not provide any cover for damage to, or loss of your vehicle.

If you use your van for social, domestic & pleasure purposes only there are a number of insurers that are happy to quote for this. Please contact us on 01224 848112

Goods in Transit insurance provides protection for goods that you are transporting whilst in transit - this could include customers goods (for example an item you have collected for repair) and your own supplies (for example building materials). Our business insurance department can offer advice to ensure you have the right cover in place for this and other aspects of your business. Tel. 01224 848111

No, unfortunately our goods vehicle insurance policies do not cover tools.

Our business insurance department can offer advice to ensure you have the right cover in place for the other aspects of your business. Tel. 01224 848111

As well as helping you preserve your estate and structure the succession of wealth through to the next generation it is just as important to administer these arrangements properly. Failure to do so may result in executors and trustees becoming personally liable for loss or even result in the planning that has been carefully planned.

Trust Administration

Trustees have duties to fulfil (see our professional trustee services guide) and part of this role is to ensure certain processes are undertaken;

1. Trust registration and ongoing tax (Inland Revenue) compliance and reporting.
2. Implementation of a trust investment policy statement.
3. Instructing where relevant professional financial advisors.
4. Completing annual trust accounts.
5. Convene trustee meetings to discuss trust objectives, beneficiary requests and investments. The frequency of meetings will depend upon the nature of the trust.
6. Making records of decisions, distributions and professional advice taken.
7. Some trusts will need more involvement than others and some may need little or no management until there are assets held, such as trusts where life insurance proceeds are assigned and the life assured is still alive. (See our Life insurance and death benefit planning guide).

Estate Administration

When someone dies it is often a traumatic time for family, friends and colleagues. What might in normal circumstances be a straight forward task can become confusing and time consuming. It is therefore sometimes easier for an estate to be administered independently and we can offer a full or partial estate service that may involve some or all of the following;

1. Interpretation of intestacy rules where there is no Will.
2. Collection of estate asset and liability valuations.
3. Preparation and submission of Inland Revenue accounts.
4. Applications for Probate or Letters of Administration.
5. Collection of assets and preparation of Accounts.
6. Rearranging estates after death

Professional fees

We will either agree a fixed fee with you for specific work or where you would like us to undertake general administration we will agree a rate based upon the time we think it will take to complete the work. We will never charge a percentage element and promise to regularly update you on progress.

We have individuals and companies that Trust us with arranging their Will. If you want us to help you,

01224 848388

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Managing your financial lifestyle and making decisions about medical treatment and long term care can become complicated if you lose the mental capacity to make these decisions for yourself. Whilst you have the mental capacity you should make a Power of Attorney to avoid unnecessary expense in future and the uncertainty and anxiety your family and business partners would face if you become incapable of making decisions. Making an LPA also means you get to choose who you would like to act on your behalf.

Property and Financial Affairs LPA

This type of LPA allows you to choose who you wish to be responsible for your financial, property and business concerns if you can no longer make decisions about them.

Inheritance Tax

You can generally gift up to the value of the inheritance tax threshold (currently £325,000) into trust without inheritance tax arising. However it is important to look at not just your own immediate inheritance tax position. Thinking of the wealth of the beneficiaries is important to determine whether a trust is a good vehicle to pass your estate into. Using this will avoid your estate adding to another estate that may already be in the inheritance tax trap.

Health & Welfare LPA

You can also put in place a Health & Welfare LPA to authorise decisions about your healthcare and personal welfare.

Registration

Both types of LPA must be registered with the office of the Public Guardian before they can be used. Failure to do this will result in a delay if the LPA is needed following incapacity.

Enduring Powers of Attorney ("EPA")

It was possible to make an EPA prior to October 2007. This type of power of attorney allowed someone to manage property and financial affairs. After October 2007 it is no longer possible to create an EPA, although if you executed one before then, it can still be used by your Attorney(s) to manage your financial, property and business affairs.

Whilst this type of power of attorney could be used immediately after signature, it must be registered with the Office of the Public Guardian if the person who granted the power has become or is becoming mentally incapable of managing their financial affairs.

Medical expertise

We also have access to medical experts who can help assess whether an individual has legal capacity to make decisions concerning their affairs.