November 2024 Newsletter

Welcome to our November 2024 Newsletter. This weeks product of the month is Unoccupied Property Insurance. Its been well documented that there's a housing shortage in the UK, in the next article we hear why Allianz are concerned where the next generation of houses are being built. Ghost Brokers are definitely a 21st century problem targeting young people on social media so here are some tips to avoid them. My cat is called Pudding - look for your pets name on the top pet names of the year!

Product of the Month

Importance of unoccupied home insurance

Whatever the reason, it’s important to insure an empty property in case something goes wrong. For example, could you afford to pay for damage caused by a flood or fire? What would happen if the house was targeted by thieves or vandals?

The 30-day rule

You might already have home insurance in place, but your existing policy is unlikely to be adequate. Most insurers will not cover a property if it is left unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days. So, if you were to make a claim on your standard insurance it would most likely not pay out.

Range of risks

Most unoccupied property insurance policies insure a range of risks including storm, flood, fire and theft. Your liability as the property owner would also be covered in case, for example, a slate blew off the roof and damaged your neighbour’s conservatory. But it’s always worth checking any exclusions. Some home insurance firms are reluctant to insure an empty property against malicious damage. There might also be restrictions on theft of contents and any damage caused by an escape of water.

Short term cover

You don’t have to insure an empty house for the usual 12 months required by a normal policy. Most firms allow you to arrange cover for three, six, nine or 12 months, with the option to extend if necessary. So, you might take out a three-month policy to cover your property while it is up for sale. But if the sale takes longer than expected, you could simply extend the policy as required.

You may be interested in our landlords policy

You may also like a quote for Home Insurance or Car Insurance

More than 7,000 new homes to be built in areas of high flood risk

Think tank calls for changes to planning policy and more resources for flood defences.

Planning permission has been given for more than 7,000 homes to be built in the areas at the

highest risk of flooding in England, a report commissioned by leading insurance provider Allianz reveals today.

The report – Plain dealing revisited: Planning for flood resilience – authored by independent think tank Localis,

reveals that a total of 7,116 new homes have full or conditional approval planning permission on previously

undeveloped floodplain land in the 12 local authorities with the highest proportion of homes at flood risk.

Researchers analysed the planning portals of these authorities, recording all entries relating to ongoing

developments in the first half of 2024. Of this total, 1,006 dwellings were given planning approval in the first

half of 2024[1], while 6,110 were granted approval in previous years.

The Localis report also highlights that 7% of England’s flood defences are in a poor state with 1% classed as

very poor. A quarter of flood defences are privately owned and almost twice as likely to be in poor condition

than those maintained by the Environment Agency.

Allianz is supporting a series of measures outlined in the report to help improve England's flood resilience including:

Increasing the Environment Agency's capacity to ensure the maintenance of both public and private
flood defences, and to enforce planning regulations.
The Minister for Water and Flooding, currently located within the Department for Environment,
Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), should be given a joint brief covering Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), with the responsibility of overseeing the Flood Resilience Taskforce and implementing its recommendations.

Caroline Johnson, claims director of personal lines insurance at Allianz UK, said:

“It is concerning to see so many homes being given planning permission in these areas. Floods are traumatic events for householders, who can see their homes ruined and a lifetime’s worth of possessions destroyed.

“The Government has announced ambitious plans to build 1.5m homes over the course of this Parliament, and while we know more new homes are necessary, it is important that they are resilient to floods and bad weather.

“Our changing climate means that floods and severe weather are likely to become more common. It is important for national and local planners and developers to work together to prevent unnecessary development in high-risk flood areas and ensure that new homes are more resilient to floods.”

High cost of flooding, Flood Re and homes at risk

Insurance claims caused by flooding and bad weather can be hugely expensive. Allianz paid UK flood claims totalling more than £20m in 2023 with the average cost of a claim costing £33,000. The largest single flood damage claim was nearly £450,000, which occurred during Storm Babet in October 2023.

Figures from the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee reveal there are 5.7m properties in England at risk of flooding. With at least 22 named storms hitting the UK since the previous report was published in 2021, figures from the ABI show the value of weather-related claims reached £573m in 2023.

Although some properties are protected by Flood Re – a joint initiative between Government and insurers that makes flood cover more widely available and affordable as part of home insurance - it does not include properties built since 2009.

Jonathan Werran, Localis chief executive, said:

“Twin government objectives of delivering up to 370,000 new homes a year and enhancing our resilience against flood risk are not of themselves incompatible missions, but will require tightening up and harmonising of policy levers.

“This need for a renewed urgency for joined-up government is especially the case as our research indicates a continuation of planning permissions being granted for new dwellings in areas of such high flood risk.”

The Localis report also recommends:

To help combat poor awareness of flood risk, the taskforce should work with to develop a live system providing flood-risk category certification for new buildings to increase risk awareness among homeowners and occupiers, which would update in response to new development to capture compounding local flood risk.

The regions surveyed

The Localis report highlights floodplain development in areas that are at the greatest risk of flooding. In England there are 12 local authorities where more than one in 10 properties face a more than 1% risk of flooding – the benchmark for being deemed high risk.

The authorities surveyed are: South Holland, Boston, Fenland, Runnymede, King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, City of Kingston upon Hull, East Lindsey, North Lincolnshire, Spelthorne, Doncaster, Exeter, Windsor and Maidenhead.

One in THREE young drivers have bought car insurance from an illegal ghost broker

Three in 10 young drivers have bought invalid car insurance from a ghost broker, according to the UK's largest car insurer.

Aviva surveyed 2,000 drivers under 25 and found 30 per cent admitted to buying invalid or fake car insurance from someone on social media, a scam known as ghost broking.

Ghost brokers pose as legitimate insurance intermediaries, and often target those that struggle to find affordable cover, particularly younger motorists.

What they actually sell may look like a legitimate insurance policy but is typically worthless.

Aviva found that 89 per cent of young drivers who bought insurance on social media experienced serious consequences.

One in 10 (nine per cent) said their details (e.g. age, address) were misrepresented on the policy, meaning it was not valid.

Almost a fifth (22 per cent) had a claim rejected due to not having proper insurance.

Just over one in six (17 per cent) said they were stopped by police for driving without insurance.

The insurer has identified nearly 7,000 cases linked to open ghost broking and application fraud investigations during 2024.

Aviva said that anyone buying insurance through social media is almost certainly dealing with a ghost broker, making any 'insurance' purchased worthless.

Driving without valid insurance puts drivers at risk of an unlimited fine, driving ban or having their car seized.

Katriona Cunningham, of Aviva, said: 'Young drivers aged 17–25 are the first generation to grow up with social media being an integral part of their daily lives.

'It is understandable, then, that when looking for car insurance, 30 per cent of young drivers said they turn to social media.

'However, ghost brokers are actively targeting young drivers on social media platforms, offering cheap-but-worthless car insurance that puts the young driver at risk of being uninsured.'

How to stay safe from ghost brokers

Beware of super-cheap deals that are too good to be true
Verify the broker by checking they are registered with the British Insurance Brokers' Association and Financial Conduct Authority
Check the broker is listed in the Motor Insurers’ Bureau
Legitimate brokers do use social media, but avoid those only operate on these online platforms
Watch out for bad spelling, vague details, and messaging app requests
Anyone who thinks they have been a victim of ghost broking or other fraud can report their concerns to CheatLine or by calling 0800 422 0421.

Revealed: Top pet names of the year - as cat and dog owners increasingly name their animals after politicians

The nation's most popular pet names for 2024 have been revealed - and it appears pet parents are taking inspiration from the stars - and their favourite culinary treats - when it comes to naming their furry friends.

TrustedHousesitters, the global pet-sitting platform, has unveiled its annual Pet Name Study, to find the most popular pet names across the UK.

After analysing over 120,000 pet names, the data found traditional favourite names, such as Luna and Poppy, remain ever-popular, while more eccentric monikers, such as Crumble, Pickle and Boris, have emerged as increasingly prominent picks.

However, the celestial-inspired Luna has risen to the top spot for overall pet names in the UK, having ranked as the most popular name for cats and the second most popular for dogs.

Meanwhile, when it comes to canines, traditional favourite Poppy still reigns supreme, followed by Luna and Bella.

When it comes to canines, traditional favourite Poppy still reigns supreme in the UK, followed by Luna and Bella

2024 Top pet names in the UK

Dog names

Poppy
Luna
Bella
Lola
Daisy
Ruby
Alfie
Willow
Molly
Coco
Monty
Teddy
Rosie
Charlie
Mabel
Milo
Bertie
Bailey
Max
Tilly

Cat names

Luna
Coco
Bella
Milo
Charlie
Lola
Monty
Lily
Loki
Oscar
Leo
Poppy
Willow
Cleo
Max
Tilly
Alfie
Millie
George
Molly

Following Luna's ranking as number one on the list of top cat names, other popular choices include Coco, Bella and Milo.

The study also revealed that pet owners are getting increasingly creative when naming their four-legged friends.

This year has seen a surge in quirky monikers, such as Crumble - up 3,796 per cent in popularity since last year - and Pickle, which has seen a 515 per cent increase in popularity.

The literary-inspired Bronte has shown a significant 1,848 per cent increase, while Bertie has grown notably in popularity - up 2,961 per cent - and, despite political associations, Boris has seen a 351 per cent increase this year.

Additionally, a number of new pet name entries have emerged, including Twiglet and Mungo - which is perhaps inspired by the bestselling novel, 'Young Mungo.'

The study also revealed a growing trend of food-inspired names, such as Pepper leading the pack as the most popular culinary-related name for both cats and dogs, followed closely by Olive and Honey.

The data also highlights some quintessentially British - and Scottish - food and drink choices gaining popularity, including Crumpet, Marmite, and Whisky.

Angela Laws, Head of Community at TrustedHousesitters, said: 'Each year, our Pet Name Study reveals fascinating insights into the names that pet owners choose for their beloved companions.

Following Luna's ranking as number one on the list of top cat names, other popular choices include Coco, Bella and Milo

'It's fascinating to see how pet naming trends evolve. While classic names like Bella and Charlie remain popular, we're seeing a surge in more unique and playful choices.'

Laws added: 'We're seeing a real trend towards names that reflect British culture and foods.

'It seems pet owners are using their furry friends' names as a form of expression, whether it's showcasing their humour or their favourite treats.'

Last year, Everypaw Pet Insurance determined that the top three strangest pet names in the UK are 'Ham and Cheese Toastie,' 'Albus Dumblepaws' and 'Baguette.'

Popular food items and well known fictional characters seem to be the source of inspiration behind the majority of the bizarre pet names.