Goverment U-Turns, Flooding, eBay and Dangerous Young Drivers

NCD News: Goverment U-Turns, Flooding, eBay and Dangerous Young Drivers - 24.11.09

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Goverment U-Turns, Flooding, eBay and Dangerous Young Drivers: >>>> A computer system failure caused Ebay to crash over the weekend. The company have said that the problem was due to a 33% surge, compared to last year, in items being listed for sale during the run up to Christmas. It is expected that Ebay will face a huge compensation bill from sellers who lost business during the crash. Sellers were also complaining that they had to accept low prices for their goods due to customers not being able to bid on items. Ebay will also be offering fee credits for those people affected.

>>>> The government has made a last minute u-turn on the decision to offer compensation to victims for overseas terror attacks. It follows an announcement that a campaign might be launched to ask for similar compensation for soldiers. This is despite the compensation offer being included in the Queens Speech and written into the crime and securities bill. Campaigners for the law are angry that the MoD have been able to interfere in this way and they point out that soldiers are already covered by a separate compensation scheme. The MoD have said that the bill wasn't properly thought out and that if it was to include soldiers, the cost could be as much as £500m.

>>>> 6 of the women affected by the East Lancashire breast screening blunder have said they will fight for compensation. The women were all diagnosed with cancer after they were given the all clear. The blame was placed on a poorly trained radiologist. While the women's cancers were all in early stages, they could still receive payments in the tens of thousands of pounds. The consultant has been suspended and an investigation into his work is under way. The trust have said they will have to accept responsibility and "take it on the chin".

>>>> Passengers on board the plane that crash landed at Heathrow are fighting for compensation after it was revealed that the manufacturer, Boeing, failed to correct a design flaw allowing ice to build up in the fuel pipes. The pilot was hailed as a hero after he successfully crash landed the plane with no casualties. The compensation claim is being fought in the American courts and could lead to the largest payout for psychological damage following a plane crash. The passengers could get $1m each, or more if they can prove their work lives have been affected.

>>>> The ABI have estimated that the floods in Cumbria and Southern Scotland could cost the insurance industry more than £100m, assuming no further bad weather occurs. There have been 3 suspected fatalities and roads, bridges, cars and homes have been washed away. Insurers have received up to 1000 claims already and the average claim is expected to be between £20,000 and £40,000. The amount of rainfall has been unprecedented and would not be expected for another 1000 years. The Government is in the process of putting together a package of emergency relief.

Meanwhile, insurers around the country have drafted in extra staff to cope with the expected increase in calls to claim lines. They have also been issuing advice to customers on ways to protect their homes from flooding.

In addition, the ABI have released figures which show that 15% of British homes are at risk of flooding, meaning that these home-owners are likely to pay increased insurance premiums.

>>>> Specialist young persons car insurer, Young Marmalade has called for Government action to encourage young people to scrap their older cars. They believe that one of the biggest reasons behind the high death rates for 17-25 year-olds on the roads, is the fact they often drive in older unsafe vehicles. The insurer offers a new car combined with insurance scheme which has shown a threefold decrease in accidents among those taking up the offer.

>>>> An ex-policeman is among 7 men who have been jailed for insurance fraud after stealing from Norwich Union, now Aviva. The men have been convicted on various counts of conspiracy, fraud, money laundering and gun possession. The fraud was masterminded by an ex-insurance manager for Norwich Union, who redirected funds from dormant accounts amounting to £1.1m. He claimed that he felt undervalued at work.

Norwich Union were also victims of another staff scam when two claims handlers at an Exeter call centre exaggerated insurance claims for building repairs. The claims which also involved family members came to almost £500,000. They made up false claims for fires or floods and appointed contractors from within their own family to carry out the repair work. While insurers usually use approved contractors, provision is made for the customer to appoint their own contractor if the price is acceptable. In some cases work was carried out at extra cost and in others, the work was never carried out. The charges against the two and their family members is conspiracy to defraud and concealing the proceeds of crime.

>>>> Research from Co-operative insurance has found that 35% of young people regularly break the speed limit and 26% admit to racing their friends through city streets. Nearly 50% of young drivers say they drive while chatting on their mobiles or while texting, 18% overtake on blind bends and 5% do not wear a seat belt. A worrying 25% have driven without an MOT, insurance or even a drivers licence. The research was carried out as part of the insurer's 2young2die campaign, which aims to encourage young people to drive more safely.

>>>> RAC research has shown that motorists are increasingly opting to fix their own cars rather than pay for a mechanic. The RAC point out that the eventual cost of getting a mechanic to fix dodgy repairs far outweighs the cost of a roadside assistance package. They estimate that each car which is fixed by the side of the road saves the driver around £120 in garage costs and towing bills. The cost of breakdown cover is just £71.25 a year.

>>>> Research from Aegon has found that 98% of people will consider optional insurances such as pet, holiday and mobile phone insurance before they consider their retirement income. This is even though 30% of people fear not having enough money at retirement. 49% of people would however be interested in an insurance product which protects their retirement income against stock market fluctuation. Aegon say that the public need to be better educated on how to save for their future. †