Insurance

Is An Electric Car A Good Idea When You Live in the Countryside?

Charlie Johnson No Comments

If you live in the countryside and have thought about being an electric car but aren’t quite sure if it’s the right decision then you’re not alone.

Although there have been many advancements in electric car technology over the last decade, there are still concerns that stop quite a number of people buying them, particularly those who live in the country.

With this in mind, below are some of the biggest things to consider –

Where is the nearest charging station?

When it comes to owning an electric car, one of the most important considerations is how you’ll charge it. The infrastructure in the UK for electric vehicles has been greatly improved over the last few years, with more petrol stations than ever now offering electric charging points. That being said, if you live in the country then you’ll want to find out exactly where your near

est charging station is so can properly judge how often you’ll need to charge your car without risk of it running out of power. Of course this isn’t as much of a concern if you get a hybrid vehicle but it’s still an important thing to know.

Are you happy to get a charging point installed at your home?

It isn’t a necessity to have a charging point installed at your home when you own an electric vehicle but many EV owners find it to be a very beneficial. The most obvious benefit of having your own charging point is that you don’t have to worry about finding a charging station when your car is low on charge. You can simply plug it in when you’re at home so you know it’s always fully charged when you’re ready to use it.

Do you commute for work?

If you commute to work each day and have to drive in city conditions then an electric car could be a very sensible choice. The reason being that the constant stop/start nature of city driving consumes a lot of fuel and therefore you could save a considerable amount of money by switching to an electric car. Another reason that electric cars are great for city driving is their zippy acceleration and smooth handling.

Which is better – hybrid, plug-in or fully electric?

One of the major decisions to make when investing in a green car is whether to get a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or a pure electric. Each has its pros and cons. For example a traditional hybrid is great if you do a mix of motorway/country driving and city driving since you get the best of both worlds. With a pure electric you get a smoother and quieter ride but you do have to be mindful of how much charge you have left and where the nearest charging station is.

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Insuring a Campervan

Charlie Johnson No Comments

If you own a campervan then you want to make sure it’s properly protected by getting the right type of insurance. Because of the unique risks that come with owning such a vehicle, you want to get a special campervan insurance policy instead of regular car insurance.

Below are the types of cover you can get as well as some ways to save money.

Types of campervan insurance

  • Road risks – Road risks is the minimum level of insurance you’ll need to get in order to make your campervan road legal. If you only want minimal protection at the lowest cost then a third party only policy is the best option. For more protection for your own vehicle then you can get a third party, fire and theft policy or fully comprehensive.
  • European cover – If you intend to travel overseas in your campervan then you’ll definitely need to make sure you’re covered for accidents and other risks while you’re there. It’s always a good idea to research what the different legal requirements are for any countries you’re intending to visit.
  • Breakdown assistance – Having breakdown cover in place is highly recommended when you own a campervan. The last thing you want is to be stuck in the middle of nowhere when your battery goes flat. Most insurance providers will give you the option to have breakdown assistance included in a campervan insurance policy.
  • Windscreen repair – Windscreen repair is often something people don’t think to get included in their motor insurance but it’s definitely a useful type of additional cover to consider, particularly for motorhome owners who often drive in areas where a cracked windscreen is more likely to occur.

Saving money on campervan insurance

  • Get a limited mileage policy – If you only use your campervan for special trips at certain times of the year then you could save a considerable amount of money by getting a limited mileage policy.
  • Limit cover options – Another very obvious way to keep the cost of your insurance to a minimum is by limited cover options. You’ll need to at least get third party insurance in order to drive legally but most other types of cover aren’t a necessity.
  • Get quotes from a lot of providers – Getting quotes from a lot of providers is one of the best ways you can save money on campervan insurance since it enables you to easily compare them and choose the best one.

Getting Charity Minibus Insurance

Charlie Johnson No Comments

If you drive a minibus for non-profit purposes then you can benefit from getting a special type of insurance known as charity minibus insurance.

In order to get charity minibus insurance, you will need to provide a section 19 or section 22 permit. These can be obtained quite easily providing you’re able to prove that you do indeed use your minibus for charitable purposes.

Where to get cover

There are many places online where you can get Clean Green Compare minibus insurance quotes. Although you can contact insurance providers by phone, it’s much easier to shop for quotes online since you can easily choose the type of policy you want and cut out the time and hassle of calling different providers individually.

Ways to save money

Below are some of the best ways to save money on charity minibus insurance.

  • Pay upfront – Paying for your policy annually is not something you might relish the though of since you’ll have to pay a lot more upfront. However when you do pay annually, insurance providers will usually be happy to offer you a significant discount on the overall cost of your policy. Just be sure to haggle to get the best price possible as you want to make the extra initial investment worth it.
  • Get a limited mileage policy – If you only use your minibus at certain times or on certain days of the week then you can benefit by getting a limited mileage policy. A limited mileage policy is where you and the insurance provider agrees to a certain number of miles that you will stay under. This reduces the chances of you making a claim and therefore helps to lower the cost of your policy.
  • Secure your vehicle – Making your vehicle secure is another good way to lower the cost of your insurance. Any steps you can take, including having somewhere secure to park your minibus, will certainly help to keep costs down.
  • Get multiple quotes – One of the easiest ways to save money on charity minibus insurance is by getting quotes from a lot of different providers. This is very easy to do thanks to the internet and will prevent you from overspending.

Making a Living as a Recovery Truck Driver

Charlie Johnson No Comments

People are breaking down all the time so there’s plenty of money to be made from working as a recovery truck driver. One of the big decisions you have to make when working as a recovering truck driver is whether you’re going to work for another company or go out on your own as a freelancer.

There are many benefits of working freelance but there are drawbacks too. Below are some of the pros and cons of both.

Working for a company

Pros

  • A guaranteed wage – A big pro of working for an established company is that you’re guaranteed a wage each week; unlike freelancing where the amount of money you make will depend on your ability to find clients and negotiate a fair price for work.
  • The vehicle/insurance might be provided for you – Another pro that sometimes comes with working for a company is that the truck itself as well as insurance might be provided for you.

Cons

  • Not as much freedom – Working for a company means you’ll be expected to work set hours and do whatever kind of job is given to you. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but you’ll have fewer choices compared to working freelance.

Working freelance

Pros 

  • More freedom – Working for yourself means you can make more choices. There might be certain types of jobs that you just don’t like the sound of and when you’re in charge you can decide what work you take one.
  • Flexible working hours – Another big pro of working freelance is that you can set more flexible working hours. You’ll still need to work a lot to make enough money but if for example there’s a certain day you don’t want to work for whatever reason, then you have that choice.

Cons

  • Finding clients can be tough at first – This is one of the biggest challenges when first starting out as a freelancer but with time you will build up a client base and get repeat business and referrals.
  • You’ll need to get your own vehicle and insurance – Although this doesn’t need to be too big of an issue since it’s easier than ever now to get recovery truck insurance at cleangreencars.co.uk at an affordable rate.

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