Classic Vehicle News 25 Christmas 2011

Classic Vehicle news (Number 26) Christmas & New Year 2012 As a follow up to the last news letter which is on the web site like all the previous letters I thought you would like to know of the progress being made. On a personal front it is wonderful working 4 mornings a week, all my major business clients have been visited and introduced and there has been a splendid example of Rawlins service. I took a phone call about a major burglary late on Saturday night, sent a text to the MD and by Monday afternoon a Rawlins Director was on site with the insurer’s loss adjuster dealing with the claim. It’s nice to know I no longer have that sort of pressure and have to cancel my Christmas holiday. Our grandchildren arrived on the 25/09 and stayed until late November. I had the pleasure of watching Charlie develop his skills as we first communicated by sticking our tongues out at each other and then he learned to grip my finger. With Scarllet I was introduced to Cbeebies a Children TV program, it even has a classic Citroen Van in it. Kathy, who is enjoying her retirement and I will see them at Christmas. On the classic front the Rover is in deep disgrace having failed after being cleaned for the airport run. I now need a replacement fuel pump. The Morris Van has provided sterling service (not euro) in moving files and office equipment down to Rawlins even being driven by their MD. It’s also been a rescue vehicle as one of the Directors with a MGZS ran out of petrol and needed to be rescued. He had to climb in the back doors as the passenger seat space was occupied by a Land Rover bulk head causing much amusement as he was videoed looking out the back window. Julie Furze the motor manager and I visited the Classic car show at the NEC. I have a nice photo of her in a Sprite on the Austin Healey club stand. Julie met some clients and one of our insurers and has a better feel for the scene. Our Mark 4 Sprite now has its MOT and the main lead to the coil replaced and runs a lot better now I had forgotten what a pleasure she is to drive but now we have winter they are resting Good progress is being made as all our records are integrated into the Rawlins system by manual update. We will be clear by the end off February ready for the start of the classic season as Julie and her team of 4 get to grips with detail At the moment the various templates for letters and information packs are being updated and agreed for next year along with the advertising changes before moving on to the modifications and updates to the web site so by the start of next season we are ready. Leaflets and tax discs are being looked at With Rawlins being a much bigger organisation, the Classic collections (5 vehicles) and above will be handled in their fleets department which is managed by Rob Salt the Motor Director. I have given you a few names and no doubt you will build your own relationship with the Rawlins team members over time, please remember what ever your insurance needs might be and if you need help , then they will do their best , just give them a ring for business insurance –commercial fleets - home insurance –life assurance Enjoy your vehicles and keep well.

Classic Vehicle News 25 Autumn -Winter 2011

Wow where has this year now gone! Autumn already and our classic`s have seen very little use apart from the Rover Vitesse with baby seat! In my last news letter I did mention Kathy & I were thinking about our long term future, now Scarllet has arrived (yes that the way it’s spelt on her birth certificate) well Scarllet has been joined by Charlie in August this year. Kathy & I now have two very young grandchildren. I call Kathy the flying Grandma as she has flown back and forward to Spain doing what we can to help before and after Charlie`s birth. Fortunately we have now agreed terms with a local insurance firm Eric Rawlins -www.rawlinsinsurance.co.uk whom I have known for many years to merge CHP & Historic with their organisation. They are very excited and keen to develop with my help the Classic car insurance and the Historic vehicle insurance business even further using the Historic insurance name and web site. This aspect of the specialist vehicle insurance has grown very well over the past 10 years and you know it’s my passion. It is now at the size where it needs more staff. My theory I can always find the time for another classic car insurance quote in the day has reached its limit unless I put in even more hours, and I am to old for that .The number of web enquires continue to build. As you know I have held back from shows over the last 2 years as the enquiry volume was getting to much .The business will therefore be merged on the 1/10/2011 and I will work from their office passing on my skills and expertise as well as being hands on. Kathy will retire and we will both then have more time to spend with our grandchildren and enjoy holidays together. All of you who have small business experience know Husband and wife teams have advantages, but taking a holiday longer than a few days is impossible in this modern instant world Rawlins insurance have an established track record off over 70 years in small business insurance, corporate insurance and personal insurance .Their office is not far from our office .It has the added advantage off a large car park where at times you will see our Morris 100 Van. You may not be aware but as well as our classic insurance clients we have a long established business insurance clients and personal insurance clients that we have looked after for many years, this move will also be of great benefit to them. Rawlins have greater buying power and Rawlins Insurance have the capacity to help you with business insurance and personal insurance .Rawlins insurance have their own nationwide special let property insurance scheme for landlords insurance called let line. The future looks bright, I might now have more time to use my cars and as the new owners are thinking about classic car shows .The little Morris van could be out and about again. Thank you again for your support, the most enjoyable part of my job is to help clients in the world of insurance Enjoy your vehicles & keep well

Classic vehicle news (24) Winter Spring 2011

Wow, well I hope the snow is behind us, but to be honest I can remember snow at Easter one year. Most of my classic customers cars are tucked away this time of the year but occasional they still go out. One year we had an Austin Healey 3000 written of on Christmas day. This year before Christmas we had a Bentley slide on the ice into its own garage. We have quite a lot of normal car clients and it surprised me how may suffered hit and run accidents which kept us very busy. Add to that all our home customers with the frozen pipes. I even had that my self at home but no burst due to prompt action by Kathy with her hairdryer. The condensing boiler outlet also froze which cut off the heating. The concrete slab in front of the garage door lifted and my Morris Van was stuck in its garage all December .All of this went on as we were trying to keep up to date , so we could fly away to visit our Granddaughter, pressure! Fortunately we got away and through Heathrow as it opened again .We both had a wonderful break enjoying Scarllet`s first Christmas. If you wish to see a picture of Scarllet, there are now a couple photos on the web site in gallery- about our office Kathy & I did get away last September to Wales and the weather was kind, however I was plagued with a sticking rear brake on the Healey 100. We enjoyed a wonderful trip to the Llangollen Motor Museum www.llangollenmotormuseum.co.uk I highly recommended a visit. Open March to October. I think perhaps I did not use the 100 enough last year. On the Classic car insurance side we were very busy and due to various factors including a spell of illness for Kathy. I then decided stopped taking new clients so the service to our existing clients would not suffer until we caught up with the backlog of outstanding problems which we have now done. When you give a very intensely personal service to your clients, in quite a complicated business for both the sales and claims process you have to realise your limits. On the classic car insurance we were very extremely busy with a lot of web enquires and despite the pause to take on new clients in September our sales equalled last year. We now have an insurer who will take classic risks that seems to frighten other insurers, they are good risks, but just happen to be not straight forward. An example, a collection of recently retired classic police vehicles, including a Volvo T70 Police car. They are securely kept but in the wrong area for most insurers. Also a still working Classic commercial LHD 1976 Citroen H Van parked in a high risk area and used for business. The only problem is starting the minimum premium starts at £1000 but at least they quote. At the lower premium of the classic car insurance market, we insured with KGM a 1982 Austin Metro L 988 cc with only 32,000 miles on it in mint condition with an agreed value of £2000. Did you know that engine block is yellow on the one litre version, you live and learn? 2011 will I think be a busy year for us. Now we are Grandparents, Kathy and I will have to think about the longer term future as we are both getting no younger and there is a limit on the numbers hours you can physically work as you get older. Our best wishes for a happy and healthy new year and let’s hope we have a warm summer

Classic vehicle news ( Number 23 ) Winter 2010

Well I have a new woman in my life and it is wonderful, Scarllet Eve arrived on the 22-June, being a grandfather is a whole new wonderful experience. Kathy and I are back into trying to work out if she is hungry, tired or needs a nappy change. When she smiles at you, and when you get it right it is wonderful, needless to say there has been reduced time for cars but the Rover SD1 Vitesse has been handy swallowing the push chairs, baby seats etc. I ventured on the M6 toll road for the first time in the Rover last week to reduce the normal M6 stress as we had Scarllet aboard; it was like stepping back 10 years gliding along with little traffic but then it did cost£5. The Morris van is running well and the Healey has not had much use but now has new front wheel cylinders and brake shoes. The Dodge needs a new windscreen following an incident and at present Auto windscreens are looking for one! On the motor insurance front we have found it an extremely busy year, with the affects of the banking crisis now working through into the insurance world. Insurers are now being forced to try and make money out of insurance instead of relying on investment returns on premiums. Call me a cynic, but it has been reported in the trade press that Direct line has under provided for earlier claims still pending in the pipe line bringing a half year loss of the amountof£253 million One could say now they are part owned by the taxpayer, they have had to do the sums correctly ! What a surprise now another large motor insurance provider is under investigation by the FSA for the same issues. One insurer has just recorded the highest personal injury motor claim at over£13,000,000 (thirteen million GBP) arising out of one accident, which takes a lot of premiums .The way insurers are now talking we expect premiums to rise, to me it seems the only people making money are the advertising companies judging by all the adverts some of which are quite entertaining. Our bill from the FSA has gone from some£600 to£1600 this year , as a result of an industry wide levy by the FSCS following mis-selling on Payment Protection cover by credit brokers with permission to sell insurance. Not an insurance product we have ever sold! Next year the FSA is to be changed and we will be regulated/licensed by a new body and so we will see another forest of paper as all the documents are changed to reflect this. Not what we need as we all fight to control overheads. With the insurers we use both Highway and KGM have introduced new rate guides with tighter risk requirements. These revised guides are to ensure they end up with the correct genuine enthusiast classic clients that fit the classic risk profile. Cherished car have chosen to introduce a web based quote system which in my view is a half baked system that needs more information so what used to be a 10 minute job to price a risk with them can now take 20 minutes just to get a Cherished car price, and should the quote be accepted later, but you need to amend something simple like a registration number, then all the data has to re entered doubling the time required. Cherished car then chose to move their office from Harrow to Pool slap bang in the middle of the classic season which has created back log service problems especially over getting agreed values done quickly. On the subject of values quite a lot of our big Healey owners have seen a rapid increase in the value of their cars and in some ways the market for proper classics seems to be bubbling. One day the market may run out of people with the money to pay these prices, but with all the revival meetings it is become quite a social scene /leisure activity for which you have to have the right equipment and it is happening through out Europe but then if you want to have a proper restoration on a Healey its and arm and leg job, if you use craftsman with a good reputation and track record on Healey restoration The Royal Bank of Scotland has now chosen to close the personal lines division of NIG over the next 12 months and I quote from their email to us -The assessment of our personal lines business suggests it is unlikely to sustain a sufficient level of profitable growth to meet our business requirements going forward. It says a lot when motor insurers cannot sell their motor business books easily and chose to close them down. Our classic scheme with NIG has been gradually reducing for the last 5 years, but we still have a reasonable number of standard car and home clients with them to replace with all the extra work that creates. Looking after our existing clients and providing them a decent, friendly, considerate human service has always been our main focus despite what insurers are doing and so after quite a very busy and difficult season for the reasons mentioned, in early September I decided reluctantly it would be better for us not take on business from new clients for a short period unless those enquiries have come via an existing client recommendation, while we draw breath , think and catch up with all the changes and update our website forms to prepare for next year. For existing and previous clients we are still adding cars and taking on new business, so when you recommend us please ask your friends to use your name as an intro. The classic claims this year have been normal, an engine fire in a car-a trailer with a Classic Fire Appliance loaded on it flipped over on a motorway– plus normal collision accidents and windscreens but despite them I am sure all our classic insurers made a profit out of the business we gave them this year. So as the winter now approaches, Kathy and I are hoping for a mild September as we have a weekend away with Healey before we prepare for winter We wish you all the best and thank you for your loyalty and your business

Classic Vehicle news (Number 22) Spring 2010

www.Historicinsurance.com Classic Vehicle news (Number 22) Spring-2010. Well the light has arrived and we all await the warmth. Now we have the summer to look forward to as we move into summer time, the light appears followed by heat which will tempt me into the garage. It has been a long cold winter. During the winter my battle with the Morris Van has continued, as I have tried to recapture the skills of my youth. My friend Tony and I used to play a game of who could achieve the lowest tick over revs with a warm engine yet would not stall when you dipped the clutch. With the A series the ignition light flickered or came on .That way we knew the engine was right, and we could move to the next stage. Well my Morris has had a faster tick over than I liked for some time now .In the end it was a combination of movement in the various joints; together with a throttle return spring fitting being bent out of shape and so the angle was wrong to close it correctly. A few hours looking at manuals and the engine until the penny dropped. The next job planned is new copper alloy brake pipes but I will leave that to the garage. During the winter months I have attended quite a few shows, starting with the classic car show at the NEC and the auto sport show at the NEC with both my Sons which were most enjoyable. At the race retro show I was staggered at the prices some cars now seem to fetch, but they are works of art and better than new. I had a Sat Nav from my boys for Christmas, and I am now a convert, they do make life easier so I have to put power points in my classic`s. It was soon pressed into use when I had the job of driving a hire van in that dreadful snow. I went with Stephen picking up Land Rover engines plus gearboxes and many other parts he had bought in for stock .A very interesting experiences driving a hire van in deep snow in Yorkshire. On the insurance front the market has started to harden for what I would now call recent classics.One company that would take MGF`s has said no more, as another has said no for TVR`s. I can see the premiums rise as insurers, like everybody else struggle to earn any interest on the money they have. They do not have that interest income to subsidise the premiums. However for the right risk we can still cover younger classics for the older driver with small miles requirements on a classic basis. Insurers have also increased their adjustment charges and cancellation charges as another way of trying to hang on to the money. The rules and regulations continue to become more onerous, the insurance data base is now asking for the full names of all the listed drivers not just the listed drivers initials and the surname. We are now going through the process of asking for this information where we have just had initials on behalf of the insurers. We have discovered a slight flaw/delay in the system where insurance renewal date and tax date are the same e.g. insurance renewal on the first of April, tax renewal on the first of April, it can be 7 days before the DVLA data base is updated to say your vehicle is insured for the next 12 month period, this can stop you being able to tax on line. The Motor Insurance Bureau (MIB) and Insurers are working towards the implementation of CIE (Continuous insurance enforcement) that currently is scheduled for the first part of 2011; in a nutshell this will be enforcement from the record. The MIB will compare the Motor Insurance Database (MID) and the DVLA database to identify a "suspect pool" of vehicles that are potentially uninsured. From what I am able to understand, if you have sorn on your vehicle then you are ok, but keep vehicle taxed but not insured will lead to trouble. Following the problems caused by the post strike we are gathering the email address for our clients and you will find that we will increasingly contact you that way as you do us. It will help us cope with the increased postage again from 6/4/2010 (that slipped out without much noise) As each change in regulations seems to bring a new thick policy booklet, a policy booklet used to last 5 years, now we are lucky to get 9 months before the next issue and we have to junk the old ones to be recycled. For new policies or where we have been asked by insurers to pass on an updated booklet, where possible we will forward a pdf copy of the booklet to you via email, as well as the current booklet being available on our web site. Of course hard copies will be available and the certificates plus schedules and cover notes will continue be posted. This should all be in place for May. I do have many clients with out computers or email addresses, lucky people. We will continue to look after them in the traditional way. It looks like we are moving back in my parentÂ’s era of saving string & brown paper and rag rug carpets! Kathy said I never left it as I never throw anything away. So like our cars, recycle save and enjoy. So as we move into the summer season .We wish you all happy motoring and good health.

Classic News (21) Autumn 2009 Winter 2010

www.Historicinsurance.com Classic Vehicle news (Number 21) For Autumn 2009 and Winter 2010. Well what a year it has been! The season slows now and for brief period it all slows down before the pre Christmas panic starts and then the New Year. The weather as I write is rain and wind (no change then) I am glad to be dry and warm. This year on the classic insurance side it has been a year of claims .A Vauxhall Convertible written off first, followed by Alfa in a frontal collision with a Bentley, very expensive! Throw in a Porsche engine fire, a stolen not recovered Morris Minor Van and a few windscreens claims; a couple costing over£500 and you get the picture. This also seems to be mirrored in the claims by our general business clients, with burglaries for both in our business and domestic premise clients with water pipe problems, drains, liability claims, in fact in 2009 .I know my work load looking after our client claims has more than doubled! Still that is the reason why people take out insurance. It can happen! I enjoy being at the coal face helping my clients, through the claims process where we prove our worth to our clients. I have used my Healey a little more this year; in fact I experienced perhaps the worst drive in my life in her, on the way back from the Pageant of Power Event. Kathy & I stayed late for the concert with fire works, which we watched in full Healey weatherproofs under umbrellas. The army display Guns firing a salute was massive and loud. The Healey club company was excellent and the food perfect .It was dark, cold and raining as we drove out across the field around 11pm (not getting stuck!) I chose a different country lanes route home , pitch black rain on either sides of the windscreen no hood of course (I might fit one when I am 70!) I now have to wear glasses to drive, more glass with water both sides and that is four layers of glass.The rain is dripping off my nose and then in the middle of nowhere, the wipers stop and the rain is hissing down! (I tell you that with no white lines, with on coming traffic blinding you, a twisty road its a thrill a second) We had the good fortune about three miles later to find a street lamp and a tree to shelter under as I checked to see what had happened. The wiper blade had stuck below the windscreen rubber and when released, it was fine, that was the first time in 39 years! In September we had a long weekend in Wales, warm again no rain! A bit embarrassed when I was teased in a good natured way by my friends. Did I have insurance? Why well the tax disc on our Healey ran out in July! Now I know why that Police car followed me out of Wrexham for 5 miles .It was taxed of course, I went on line but had I had a tax disc? Well I have one now! I also had some fun with the Van; I replaced the distributor cap,rota arm,plugleads,a condenser, a little tick tick like the rota arm catching the inside of the distributor, hmm? But she ran fine so I ignored it and when you closed the bonnet it could not be heard. Well any way 3 months later the condenser went down, again hissing down, dark and knowing my luck I would drop the points washers in the engine bay etc, so I called out the RAC and he said the tick was a high tension leak, and now I had a misfire. Well with my old parts fitted no tick. I parcelled up the parts and sent them back to EMS who supply our Morris parts. They promptly replied sending new parts with a little note the problem was, I had not screwed the grub screw far enough into the plug lead .I think I had better stick to insurance! My thanks to ESM www.morrisminors.com excellent service yet again Our classic business has grown, with some tasty vehicles, although not so fast this year, which is only to be expected. It has however been a longer insurance season with people still buying quality classics whose value seems to be actual climbing and projects coming to fruition. Our internet bank account has been far more successful than we anticipated, with a lot of clients paying their renewals and additional premiums that way. The postal strike has caused us some problems, which in the longer term will cause us to use e mails a lot more to contact you if we have your current details on file, so if they change please drop us an e mail with your current information . This is the first year I have not worked a show, but have been to 5 events for my own personal enjoyment. The last one was the November NEC classic car show which was most enjoyable, where I had a most interesting chat with one of my suppliers about a new motor sport insurance policy they are developing for 2010 to cover the more competitive clients who enjoy motorsport such hill climbs etc with their cars. Now we have the winter with us I will have some time to work on and enhance our web site again So we thank you again for your loyalty, business and support which has enabled us to earn a living and enjoy being here to help you Good health & enjoy your vehicles

Classic News ( 20 ) Summer 7- June 2009

As I write this, we all ready into in to early June and have had an early heat wave but now, as I write this, the rain beats against the window. My last news letter seems so out of date on the financial and political mess we are in. Our politicians have been fast asleep at the controls. I think the lesson they have yet to learn is, the tax we pay them in all sorts of ways, by even those of us who we are now retired, is not to be wasted by them and they are accountable for the way our money is used! Flipping -ducks,within the rules !Have they heard of morals! Anyway enough of my rant .Kathy says I get more like Victor Meldrew everyday. Did you see him crunching the gears in that very enjoyable series? Perhaps it will tempt a few more people to holiday in the UK with their classics. I still think we are very lucky compared to a lot of people in this world. On the classic front I am pleased to say we are busy, and we now have a new supplier on board Hagerty , we find them excellent for the top end Ferrari ,Aston Martin Porsche Maserati provided they are strictly used as toys. They are also able to provide a collection policy again strictly for toys, cover we see in increasing demand. Both KGM and Hagerty offer collection policies. Also Hagerty have been kind enough to provide us with a link into their quote system, so we can now obtain our indications outside our normal office hours when we actual do quite a lot of work. During the day our phones seem red hot .We continue to place wide spread of risks which vary from Solex moped in London to a Willys Jeep in Northern Ireland , yes for the right risk we can now cover classics in Northern Ireland. We cover a large spread of classics now, Fire Appliances ,Green goddess, Classic commercials and military vehicles along with normal classic cars plus 4x4 and Land Rovers. This year has seen two larger classic claims so far, but then the claims on the normal side are up,burglaries - etc. My classics continue to slumber in the garage apart from our Morris Minor Van which has had new foam and straps in its seats giving a more sit up and beg driving position! The Gawsworth show being its first real trip, fast running cured by lubricating the jet so it plops back after using the choke. We had some computer problems at the start of the season e.g. - over flowing sent items box, caused by my failure to delete and the ever increasing file sizes we send, however that is all solved now, all down to my sons expertise, whose own business is now paying its own expenses- yapcrm.com An on line contact management system (CRM) plus web development, which makes me proud of him. On the general section of our website you can now buy your travel insurance or check out price and cover. I am very pleased with our internet bank account, more clients than expected are paying their premiums direct into it .Very useful with new business as I can soon see who has paid. More people have broken their word in the last 12 months on the payment side so I now have to be more careful. I am look forward to seeing the special Land Rover Stephen is developing for a customer in October. If you wish to read my earlier news letters then you will find them on the news section of our web site as is this. I am now looking forward to the next few summer months and all the events it brings,so enjoy your vehicles,keep well and our best wishes,thank you for your business or reading this.

Classic Vehicle news (19) 2009 Winter-Spring

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS (No 19 )2009 Winter-Spring Oop`s,well what can you say, 2008 was interesting and 2009 could be tougher so they say, we have found out what some of the banks have been up to, not just lending us our own savings but been borrowing the money from outside the UK to lend to us and those foreign lenders do not want to lend to our banks any more and worse still want the money back! Still you can read the papers; needless to say I had a sleepless nights when I wondered if RBS and my client money would be with us in the morning but then I realised we have risk transfer in place, when you pay us, the legal position is that you have paid the insurers .In 2009 - to add safety to on line payments- we are developing a separate account with a different bank just for the purpose of taking on line payments. I am very wary of internet banking and thought a separate account with a separate bank would reduce the risk. We will also launch the first of several parts of our General Insurance site .The first option (target date end of February) will allow our clients to explore,quote and if so desired-buy on line travel insurance from our selected supplier and thus save our policy set up costs. The supplier gives a limited form of terrorism cover within the policy, which is better than many insurers and you still get our support if required. Other sections will be added later,e.g. short period motor insurance On the classic vehicle side, 2008 was a good year, with both us and our suppliers making progress. We adjusted to the new 24 hour deadlines on the Motor insurance data base. The Highway, now part of the Liverpool and Victoria group, introduced *EDI on its classic car product making the issue of new business policy documents faster. As the list of older vehicles with an *ABI codes increases we should be able to use the system with more cases. I enjoyed few more outings in 2008; notable was the Cholmondeley Pageant of power. You can see photos in the photo gallery section of web site. It was great event in Cheshire with an opportunity to look at the cars in great detail and me to learn a little more about my new camera - also bikes and power boats and helicopters. The Gold cup at Oulton Park and the Silverstone 6 hour meetings this year again were fantastic. We took the Healey to Wales in September, as warm as I have ever been in Wales,no helmet while driving - most unusual. My younger son handed his notice in so he could start his own company and has now launched his on line client relationship management system www.yapcrm.com. A competitively priced solution for the smaller business. As you know we are regulated by the FSA and we have to report to them twice a year, the latest regulation is to Treat Customers Fairly and I have had to give some thought on how to demonstrate we do this. In an owner driven business when you work in the front line you are in close touch and soon know if you have an unhappy customer. In a large business you can be so far away from your customer and the company perception of fairness may not have caught up with the current view. I will adapt some of our paperwork to provide a comment /feed back section. It is interesting how things have changed. At one time passenger liability was not a compulsory part of a motor insurance part. Looking at old motoring magazines for the nostalgia section in our galleries I found an advert where you could buy it as an optional extra. When I started in insurance, it was not part of motorcycle insurance. How times have changed, in many ways the private innocent person now gets a much better protection Keep well, enjoy your Classic cars and Historic vehicles and I thank you for your support ABI=Association of British Insurers.EDI=Electronic data transmission-FSA=Financial Services Authority

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS (No 18) Summer - 2008

Well some of us have been lucky and experienced a few warm sunny days so far this year. Lewis Hamilton won the British Grand Prix and what splendid example of his skill driving in the rain plus a few Schumacher type moves. We seem to be getting a little more rain these days, perhaps time to try a hood again on my Healey. As I expected this year we have been driven by the intense pressure of speedy data submission for any new risks and changes of drivers,vehicles etc - all of which have to have full information communicated to insurers within 24 real time hours. It has dramatically change the way we work and caused us to scan documents wrap them up in a PDF and e mail them across to insurers to beat the 24hr deadline placed on us. The originals follow in the post. It all now means the processing of this activity is front end loaded and has dramatically changed in the way we have to work; you cannot just add it to a processing pile to be done in our time. Some insurers no longer have paper cover note books. We have to go to their web site and issue the cover note , we can only issue the cover note from accessed time or some time in the future In consequence we can now longer keep the office door unlocked .To gain entrance you have to knock on the door. So please if you are coming far, or if it is a complex issue, ring for an appointment first. In fact a lot of work is now done outside our normal office hours and home offices hence you will notice minor adjustment to the times the office is open to callers without appointments. This has also effected the renewals process , just imagine if you had not paid your electricity on the due date your electricity stopped working , well that is how it is with your insurance and so if you have left it late to post your cheque , ring us to tell us the cheque is on the way so we can instruct insurers to renew. Some customers pay direct into our client bank account. If you require these details please contact us. One client, bless him paid his 2009 premium along with his 2008 premium. We in our turn are working hard to get your renewals out early giving you more time. In March 2007 we took on a new supplier Highway Insurance (www.highway-insurance.co.uk ) (for full details in the suppliers section of our web site) this has proved to be to be a great help. They have advised that by the autumn we should also have a classic EDI (Electronic Data change) policy issue system which should help us with the time pressure and enable us to issue documents in our office. By the time you read this the first stage of our own web site revamp will have taken place .We are now using a dedicated UK server giving faster link collection. The image presentation in our galleries has been improved considerably. We have started to figure towards the top pages in the google etc which has led to a increase enquires , so much so that we now have a roaming internet connection and I even did some quotes while in Spain but just do not try download photos or sending them ,it is expensive . I have just placed an order for another 500 of our historic tax disc holders for clients, if you need one let me know. We changed our legal expenses provider in January 2008 to Alps (www.alpsltd.co.uk.) The main reason being they were able to offer as an optional extra a home start–breakdown-recovery package to all our customers with special a discounted rate for our classic car customers. (Provided by Euro assist) They have already been tested, sourcing and flying out a petrol tank for a Jensen Interceptor. Our client punctured the tank when the underside grounded on a French post and pushed the spare wheel carrier into the tank. This while being at the classic Le mans with his Jensen + trailer and race car. He was impressed and very pleased with the service. Alps have a history of Motor Sport sponsorship which first drew my attention to them. I like suppliers who are enthusiasts as well. Alps now Sponsor Amery Motor Sport in the 2008 Renault Clio Cup. (www.amerymotorsport.co.uk ) On the personal car front, the Sprite I think now is sorted with I hope her last hissey fit throwing in a failed rota arm to test me – my first in 43 years driving (bring back Lucas). Still it was a warm sunny Saturday afternoon and my faith in human nature was restored by the number of people who stopped to offer help, especial David Holding who went to get his spare coil because I thought it was the coil. In the end the RAC man Alan Humphries who organised a coil and then found the rota arm earthing out, was superb. He insulated the rota arm with tape and followed me home. The Trentham show which was earlier this year was another relaxed and happy warm summer day to enjoy. Our Morris van doing sterling work and being much admired. My next job is to spruce up the wheels and have the seats repaired. Kathy has made excellent progress with her arm but gear changing can jar her arm, so perhaps our next normal car will be an auto. Keep well, enjoy your Classic cars and Historic vehicles and I thank you for your support

Classic News - Winter 2007 &2008

Historic Vehicle Insurance Services A DIVISION OF C.H.P. INSURANCE BROKERS LTD Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority –Firm Reference number 304879 Contact@HistoricInsurance.com www.historicinsurance.com CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS Winter 2007- Spring - 2008 Here we are 1 December already; this year has been a bit different, first we had the early promise of a wonderful summer followed by the rain and summer floods. We were very lucky no floating classic car claims! You never know what events lead to claims? I am in two minds if I should mention weather and our cars at present as it seems to be putting on the jinx. The 100 has had minimal use this year so far and most of my efforts have been at improving the running of Kathys Sprite. Always a problem when in truth you just do not use them enough. In the end a fault on the low tension wiring with an intermittent break proved to be the main problem and so a few more degrees on the timing and mixture control and it should run like an A series engine should be easy to start and tractable . My biggest problem this year was at the end of June; Kathy my wife fell of a chair landing on a concrete floor and broke her arm and wrist. As they said at the accident unit, how could some one so slight cause so much damage! The surgeon said she had made a proper job. I am please to say that she was plated up in excellent fashion with 6 screws and 4 inch metal plate just like meccano on the x ray. While it will never be as good, she has now made an excellent recovery aided by her devotion to her yoga so she is back teaching now. It was tough at the time because Kathy looks after the wages and the renewal system for us, so as well as looking after her at home we had to cope without her at work. Then add in the post strikes to complicate it all further .However thanks to extra hours put in by the rest of the team and myself I trust that none of our existing clients noticed, although we were slower on responding to quotes and had to stop sending out leaflets to generate more sales. Although we recovered some time ago from the damage the Independent liquidation caused .It was good to see the SFO secured convictions against certain directors which will lead to prison (see www.SFO.gov.uk) for full details. The system refunded my clients 90% of their premiums back. On the business side we continue to grow with the main source being our internet site followed by recommendation and magazine adverts. The August Trentham show was most enjoyable, one of the few warm summer show days. Although I was knobbled by friends on the Rover SD1 stand in the afternoon with a drink of farm house Normandy cider brought back from France. It was pretty strong, so by 2.30 I had to close our stand and just went out to enjoy the cars and the show. Our new computer system has now been in over 12 months and is a big improvement enabling us to give you better service with its copy quote facility, taking what we know about you into either the standard car or household quote engines making it simpler to give you prices for those covers.The EDI system gives us a wider choice of insurers products. Ring us we could save you a lot of clicking and give advice. The big challenge I see for 2008 is the change in the ( MID) Motor Insurance Data base time limits for 14 days to 7 days for insurers to have accurate information on the computer or face heavy fines . The trickle down effect to us is that within they need to know within a 24 hour period of the fact they are on cover or any driver changes. So a change / new business /renewal at 2pm on a Friday have to be advised to the insurer by 2pm on a Saturday. If you want to check if your vehicle is on the MID and has the correct description then just visit our home page and you will see a direct link (address is www.askmid.com pass it on to your friends, Over 60,000 vehicles have been seized by the police last year with 40% crushed or not returned . A powerful message to 2m who drive without cover. Now the season is in its slower period I will continue to build and develop our web site. From 2008 clients will be able to advertise their vehicle and auto jumble on our site without cost, for more see the next news letter (news letters from 2001 on are on our site) our first news letter being issued in 1996 Enjoy your vehicles and thank you for your continued support. Peter

Classic News - Spring & Summer 2007

Historic Vehicle Insurance Services A DIVISION OF C.H.P. INSURANCE BROKERS LTD Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Services Authority Firm Reference number 304879 Contact@HistoricInsurance.com www.historicinsurance.com CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS  Spring - Summer 2007 Here we are 1 June already; I do not know where the year has gone so far, what an amazing start with excellent weather in April, perhaps it will extend the season for us classic vehicle enthusiasts. We certainly got very busy very fast. I have a data base of some 1000 plus enquiries prior to 2000 when our web site went live. We started leafleting them in January, but then had to suspend it as it just went mad in April, as all the quote forms started to come back and a lot more internet enquires plus phone calls that came in. Fortunately Stephen's partner who has her own Range Rover has offered to help with the quotes, once she has recovered from her house move to main land Spain. A Spanish branch some time in the future? Thank goodness for our new system which we can access from any where in the world with a broad band connection. Out of 100 classic / hobby vehicle quotes we tend to land around 25 the first time round. It is getting quite exciting, but it is hard work to keep up. We have a new insurer on our panel, Highway they have given us an excellent set of rates to use, plus the ability to quote for a wider range of risks, including a working classics scheme and a camper  motor home scheme. This all adds to our flexibility and the range of risks we can cover. We can get excellent rates on the super car and performance classic `s such as Porsche Ferrari Aston for the right enthusiast owner, but we have to ask quite detailed questions to get the best rate. It's all about picking the best insurance risks. One of our panel providers Cherished cars /Towergate have announced an agreed value plus optional extra uplift percentage towards a rebuild cost option in the event of claim on their scheme. That's good when the rebuild cost of a concourse Healey 3000 can outstrip its actual market value. A 50% uplift increases your premium by 50%.On a recent Austin Healey claim I have seen a repair labour rate of £45 an hour, when working on classics to get a high standard time just fly's. Our Morris van is now back in service with a lot more metal in it now. A 100% over budget of course, she feels quite tight with no scuttle shake, ready for some shows once I see what we can fit in or even for Le Mans or Spain one day! I love our little van nobody expects me to drive fast and other commercials are quite gentle with me and let me out at the most unexpected times. The Rover has had 3 reconditioned alloy wheels and two new Pirelli tyres so with luck no more tyres losing air. I just need new wheel nuts or the old slide on chrome plastic covers they used to make (22mm if any one has any covers) She has just taken us on a 300 plus miles trips around Wales stopping in Llandudno for my birthday No 60 , it makes a change to be warm and dry in the rain. It is quite economical at a steady 50mph in Wales! But then Kathy was following in the Peugeot with the other family members. The Healey sounds quite crisp now I have done the points; she seems to eat points at the moment. Stephen says he will fit electronic ignition for me. We now have a super new Cannon digital SLR camera. The motor sport photos should get better once I have learned, do you ever stop learning? Now the summer is on us, the garden has exploded along with the hedge but at least it's warm. I remember lying under my Healey on Christmas day fitting a hand brake cable and helping a friend to change his Morris E type gearbox, I am a lot softer now! I tend to stall in the winter regarding working on cars. I will continue the development of our web site, for your leisure and to make it better. If you are a new client and this is your first news letter .If you want to read the earlier news letters then they are all on our website We update our news letter around 3 times a year I have pleasure in again thanking you for entrusting us with your insurance business be it classic, standard car or your home in this intensively competitive world. Every advert on TV seems to want to sell cheap insurance. I hope that you find dealing with us more of a pleasure than the press button and wait options in this world or some of the call centres, even if it happens to be when we hold your hand through the claim process. We try to be perfect but we are human and perhaps that's why we are better with humans than computers! Enjoy your vehicles and thank you for your continued support. Peter Higgins v2-25/06/07

Classic Vehicle News -Winter 2006/7

Here we are near a new year and up to now the winter has been very mild which has perhaps extended the season for classic vehicle enthusiasts. 2006 was a very busy year and very positive for us with the new business classic sales of some £21,000 a large proportion following internet enquires although more business has bought a few more accidents plus the locks broken off storage garage with the car being stolen and then latter torched. The poor client only knew about it when the police rang. When I have the Accounts on the new computer I am sure it will show gross sales of some £100,000 for classic side of the business The new computer system went live on 1/4/2006 and the manual transfer of data as each policy is renewed is being accomplished as we pass through the year due to the heroic efforts of Jo. The majority of the job is done. The new system has a copy risk facility which will for example lift what we know about you on a classic policy and load it into a standard car  home  van- quote engine. Thus we do not then have to re key relevant information. This plus the EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) system means if a price is accepted we can produce the documents in our office for standard car etc. Some insurers only now deal on an EDI basis and now have access to their rates which can enable us to compete more effectively. Michael went into provisional retirement this year, keeping an eye on his mother, his various vehicles rebuilds and his many vehicle related holidays has restricted his available working time. I have been very grateful for his help over the last few years. He has promised emergency assistance, if required and he sends a special thanks to the unknown customer who sent him a switch for his sprite. On our vehicle side I have really just been to busy to enjoy them properly, We went in Kathy's Sprite went to Wales for the Welsh weekend, her Sprite now goes like a little rocket . Phil took her Sprite and his girl friend to the Gold Cup at Oulton Park. Kathy and I went in the 100. It was a very satisfying day despite the rain. I enjoyed our stand Trentham show which was the only one I managed on a commercial basis. The van has gone in for metal using Ian McKenzie (Fairmile) special van panel `s. This has given me the opportunity to run the Rover, what a thirsty beast! Just as well most of my time is in an office with all the speed cameras on the roads. Now the winter is on us I will continue the development of our web site, for your leisure and my fun. I have had the offer from some insurers to place their quote engine on our site so that you can do your own quotes. I think that might be fine for travel with terrorism cover or empty domestic property where we tend to use the one chosen insurer. On the Classic / Historic / Performance car side where the insurer's view of a risk/rate can be so very different, I think it better we continue as we are at present. We can get risks accepted that the quote engines will throw out by asking a few careful questions in our e mail response to an enquiry. Last year we managed to find insurance for a new classic customer aged 85 years young with his Morris Minor. I have pleasure in again thanking you for entrusting us with your insurance business in this intensively competitive world. I hope that you find dealing with us more of a pleasure than the press button options in this world, even if it happens to be when we hold your hand through the claim process. Enjoy your vehicles and thank you again for your continued support.

Classic Vehicle News For August 2006

Here we are half way through August, what a beautiful warm summer, just like 1976 when I got roasted watching my first Le Mans. It's been a very busy year caused by a heavy demand for classic & hobby vehicle quotes and the subsequent sales. This year our gross new business classic sales were over £16,000 to August. We are on target for the £100,000 gross sales classic account. We insured a customer last week after a 5 year rebuild on his MGB and he paid less premium than in 2000. The premiums are excellent value, perhaps at the bottom of the price cycle now before energy and other cost increases kick in. It can take 3 years premiums to cover the cost of a big Healey screen. When I switch on our system to check the e mails, once you have removed the Viagra offers , bank checking scams , share purchase scams .It gets to be around 20 incoming e mails a day . Almost a full time job dealing with those! The Motor Insurance Data base pressure continues as the time scales shorten but at least its a tool now to help the police seize uninsured vehicles at last , which is excellent news. Our new windows Insurecom TAM broadband computer system went live on 1 May and we now have 5 months of data loaded which means more and more of the new system is coming into play . A slightly different letterhead will tell you if it's written on the new system & the £. I am very impressed with the system and their service so far. We have DVLA look up to correctly identify the vehicle on younger cars but just why you get an option of say two models on one registration number input and why the older car data is questionable ( Austin Healey could seem to be an Austin 1100 ) eludes me at present . It has a copy risk facility which enables us to lift known information from existing policy records and place that information into the standard car /home /commercial van quote engines. Jo has joined us to help, she has a Nissan which is called Nigel and then Naughty Nigel when he does not start! She is a wiz with computers as the young are and a fast learner. She is a great help with our new windows based system and keeping the work processed .She is learning fast about classic cars. On to our vehicles, the 100 is now on its third brake master cylinder since 1968 and has developed a misfire which has yet to be cured. Our every day Peugeot 206 alarm sensor is fixed at last. The Morris van runs sweetly, the Rover SD1 Vitesse just burbles; oh that V8 engine .Having taken the centre consol out to fix the heater switch .I just cannot believe they were sold at £15,000 new in 1984. All that thin plastic etc! I now really need time to drive my cars not work computers! Like a lot of our clients, I continue to dream of driving the miles, but if you do not have dreams, its time to give up! We managed a 10 day holiday in Spain visiting our oldest son and his girlfriend .We were provided with a Discovery full of Diesel to drive. I also had a drive in his modified Landover V8 special, with its neck snapping acceleration. He has his own private dirt hill climb to the Villa ! Very exhilarating but made me realise my real age. We took a vehicle through a Spanish MOT and visited various motor factors, quite novel seeing the Spangenglish communication on Landover parts. I am told when his girlfriend takes cars for MOT in a micro skirt the pass rate is higher! I also drove his Imersher Camel Ranger Rover what a lovely machine. In August the Trentham show was a splendid day out with a good atmosphere, now I tend to work until 2 hours before the end of a show. Then we pack up and look around the show for ourselves. I will get back in the winter to developing the both the insurance and leisure content on our website after I have got the hang of the new postal system. Time to iron our envelops or put them in a press! Enjoy your vehicles and thank you for your support.

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR 2006 MARCH

Well it has been a long cold winter but my little Morris van has remained in use doings its job advertising our wares. She has run a sweet as a nut. Its great fun to drive and other drivers are most considerate. The Peugeot 206 is now 3 years old. In February it developed an intermittent fault and would not start at odd times. A sensor had gone down! It might be cured because the computer cannot find any faults! I taxed the Rover Vitesse while this was going on. What a pleasure to drive that V8 burble and so much power! However when it gets to £45 plus for a full tank of Petrol! On the work side I have at signed for the new computer system. I have decided on the Insurecom Windows based ASP tam plus software system which should be live for the first of May. However because I have decided on a manual data transfer which we will carry out ourselves I expect the full benefits of the new system to come to the fore in 2007. At least we will now get a £ sign in our letters plus minimize work in hand and open the system to a new work. I am quite excited because I know after the initial pain it will be a much better future proofed system with the responsibility of putting the new rates on every month and backing up removed. It will give us access to more standard insurers using the EDI method and thus have more competitive standard motor quotes with what information we have stored being transferable to new quote enquires without re inputting. We will access this information via our broad band connection and so remote access for me will be possible My web appeal for help over the Dodge has born fruit. There is another similar vehicle in the UK and I have had lots of useful advice and some new parts ordered from USA. So I am on my way. The Morris Van will have new rear wing arches, and metal about April so it goes in the 2006/7 budget! The web site is generating lots of enquires spread through the country and classic sales are running just over 20% of the quotes we give. At the end of 2006 I would hope to be well past £80,000 in classic sales. We added lots of interesting links through 2005. I want to add more images and tidy up a little, but soon the new season will explode on us. I am very much looking forward to the warm days of summer and the shows again. Kathy is very much involved in her Yoga so I am looking for shows when she is away with her sisterhood. Phil if he is not playing with the TA or commuting to Korea should be able to drive our classics now. We are awaiting the artwork and prices for some decals to promote our site My playing on e bay, which helped to give the confidence to trust the principles of a remote data storage and access, won me a Le Mans Jaguar XJR14 rear wing end plate to put on display in our office once it's decorated again this year. We have been in our new office 5 years now. How time flies. At last our responsibilities in the Independent Saga are now finished. We have settled with the liquidator and paid back the commission they reclaimed from us on the policies they cancelled when they made refunds back to you. The SFO issued a summons against certain Independent directors. So a big thanks you to all our clients both old and new. Thank you for your support and loyalty which enables me to enjoy my job, have fun and earn part of my living chatting about classic vehicles. Enjoy your vehicles and thank you for your support.

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR 2005(DECEMBER)

I think cars must be like mistresses (not that I have any experience) neglect them at your peril! While paying attention to Miss Morris which now runs with reliability and has her new rear springs. Miss 100 threw a sulk in the Peak district with a strange misfire and now at the end of the year her master cylinder is leaking slightly. She did averaged 23 mpg when playing in Wales this year. At the start of the year I had real concern about how the EEC Motor Insurance Directive would affect our client renewal retention. We tried hard to warn our clients of the implications and for those who had not paid by the renewal date a first class letter warning them all cover had stopped. We now have to fax over to your insurers individuals renewal confirmation as each policy is renewed which is a lot of extra work. Thanks to your response our renewal retention has been excellent. Perhaps some time in the near future, we will begin to see the police impound vehicles from drivers they stop without any insurance documents and nothing showing on the DVLA computer. Instead of the present 7 days to produce the documents and the ability to continue to cause havoc. This has to be good for us all who pay up to £30 in our premiums for effects of uninsured driver's accidents. Some of Europe has not implemented it yet! We embarked on a small sales campaign to attract extra enquiries. This has proved successful along with word of mouth recommendations from clients producing a steady stream of sales. The support of one of our enthusiastic insurers the KGM also helped. They gave us authority to quote for a wider range of hobby vehicles. Their reward was to see last year's sales achieved in the first 5 months. Our personal reward apart from staying in business in this very competitive insurance market was to insurer a range of diverse and interesting vehicles such as a genuine SAS Willis Jeep Fire enginesRadford- Enfield Electric Rockney and some very tasty cars and commercials. More superb Austin Healey`s, including some very Fast Sprites. The 500 tax disc holders for our clients delivered in March are almost gone, with replacements ordered. Perhaps stickers on classic racing cars next ? Now that we are in to our slower period we can continue with the website development, uploading images etc. (check to see if your car is featured yet) It will be nice to think with in 2 years my clients could advertise their surplus spares etc on it. We have great plans for the site. On the show side I managed Cholmondeley Castle, very good but a damp windy day at the start of the year. Later in August, Trentham, which was a warm sunny day. We also had Mistress Rover on display there on the Rover SD1 stand .Our 2005 list of events we find interesting was never completed sorry. In truth I have needed to work several weekends just to keep up. I will just have to get more organised The FSA (Financial Services Authority) continues to affect business and the way it is transacted for the better with its Key facts documents etc. I have to decide very soon on which new computer system for installation next year. Phil ended up with a Panther Black Ford Ka 2 which I find to be an excellent drivers vehicle when I borrow it. He wishes he had aircon! Tough I say, in my day heaters were optional extras Enjoy your vehicles and thank you for your support.

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR 2005(MARCH)

Well last year was busy, as you can see from the site we obtained our licence to continue trading from the FSA (Financial Services Agency) from January 2005 . The MID (Motor Insurance Directive) was also implemented further in January 2005. This is having a radical effect on the way Motor insurance is conducted. The insurers have to provide insurance information to a central data base on what vehicles they insurer and who is insured or now face substantial fines. In real life this means they need to know on renewal date if a policy has been renewed to keep their entry up to date. Most insurers now have an auto lapse policy unless we confirm on or before renewal that the policy is paid. All this change and speed of information now demanded, means that we have decided now is the time to grasp the nettle of reviewing and buying a new Microsoft based computer system . Then running parallel with our existing Unix system for at least 12 months. So our spare money & time is now going to being spent on computers not cars! I am looking for the advantages of real time standard motor/home/commercial vehicle quotes plus client information integration enabling us to reduce the number of times we input information and thus give you a better service. On the car front not a lot to report, the Morris van is now running well and will be treated to new rear springs this year. Kathy?s Sprite is running better, but I think the new front wire wheels may have to wait till next year. I hope to have the Rover Vitesse out playing this year before it gets use to resting and develops electrical problems. The Healey 100 did perhaps 500 miles reliable as ever. The Dodge rests with patience. My son Stephen who now lives outside the UK has acquired an interesting vehicle a Camel Range Rover. We think it was rebuilt by Immerscher in Germany for Camel to act as a promotional vehicle. The research continues on this. I have advised him not to part with it. Vehicles like this do not come along very often. Philip has now past his test so we are looking together for small every day car. It?s surprising with long legs how many cars where the steering wheel catches his legs. Our web site is doing very well. I can have 12 quotes / enquires after a winter weekend. Not bad for out of season. It is bringing some interesting business. Broad band is a delight to use. I am perhaps 75% of where I want to be with our site now. Sourcing Healey advertisement material for our gallery lead me to the delights of e bay .I have promised Kathy I will now dispose of surplus junk!- Sorry valuable items, now I have a good rating. Le Mans -Austin Healey -Silk Cut- being my hunting grounds! Our e mail system is working well so our ambition to be a small business that offers flexibility and personal attention to our clients but with the advantages of modern systems is on target At this time I have not yet prepared a list of interesting shows /events for 2005. Last year I managed Trentham and Uttoxter shows. I would hope to fit at least 3 events in 2005. You will see a little more magazine advertising from us this year. We are working on some new historic vehicle tax disc holders which will be free to our clients and sent out with renewals starting April/May Enjoy your vehicles and thank you for your support.

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR 2004 (as from June)

I am a bit behind in my targets due to a marvellous opportunity to share the return trip of Philip my younger son after the end of his Job in South Korea. Meet me in Beijing and let us explore for a few days. Then come home on the 6 day fast train. The Trans Manchurian/Siberian express to Moscow. Kathy said go go! Theses chances come only once. I was in China and Russia from 5/01 until 18/01. I now realise how fortunate most of us are in this country .All went very well, I was like a puppy off a leash. I can highly recommend the fascinating museum of the Chinese military in Beijing plenty of machinery and lot from the Korean war .Our trip to explore an unrestored part of the great wall was mind expanding and body exhausting for me as it can be very steep in parts. A fantastic and very busy time .The China /Russian border posts took from 5am until 3.21pm to see the train across it. (They alter the wheels on the coaches due to different gauges. 17 coaches is 34 bogies) Photographing the trains in the freezing cold 20C -7 times zones. All went well until about 3 days into the vast space of Siberia between Irkutsk & Omsk when the effects of jet lag, all the travel, exploring Beijing, caught up with me All that, plus a virus infection brought me down, from then it was survival. The planned web site work was thus delayed. It took me a least a month to recover but we are now making good progress with the real time ability to update the links and the sample quotes sections. It will all be re jigged on this basis. I am looking forward to being able to me to display up our photo/image library very soon. On the car front our everyday Metro was eventually replaced with Kathy`s choice a green Peugeot 206 Roland Garos (the name of the first French pilot to fly across the Mediterranean in 1913(not a tennis tournament). Our Morris van is now sign written with the web address and phone number. She runs fine now, the brake master cylinder has been replaced and a clutch is in stock for fitting soon. I have used it for our first show and a visit to the Mouldsworth Motor museum near Oulton Park, which I can highly recommend. This year I hope to take a stand at about 3 shows this year with our van. Kathy's sprite is now having new rear wheels; splines half shafts etc after 96,000 plus miles, so my plans for restored seats for my 100 are presently delayed. The other toys are resting waiting their turn. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) will regulate the general insurance from Jan 04. This is now causing major changes across the industry. Our application for a licence went in at the end of April. We are bringing our business systems in line with their published requirements. One of the effects of this is the re issue of our terms of trade/business, which are now enclosed with all renewal letters, and new business premium indications we send out. The insurance market is now freeing up for standard classic risks but non standard risks are take longer to place as we still need to talk to underwriters. You can wait on the phone forever. The number of wholesale brokers with their own schemes to which we have been given access is increasing. One of our supplier's Cherished car now has RAC breakdown and recovery including Europe as an extra. If breakdown cover is important to you ask us to give you their price at your renewal. Those caught up in the Independent affair should all by now have had your proportionate premium refunds We thank you for your loyalty and support, enjoy your vehicles in 2004.

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR DECEMBER 2003

As the winter draws close most of my toys are now relaxing in garages avoiding the salt. I have just had my 3rd clutch in the 100. Not bad since 1968 considering, I have a tendency to slip the clutch and start in 2nd gear (BN2 4speed). The fantastic Gold Cup weekend at Oulton Park was her last real outing this year. It was a super event, lots of burbling machinery in the paddock, plus excellent racing and company. Kathy`s Sprite now runs with just a misfire when hot under light throttle! It needed a new clutch slave cylinder, after a marvellous week end in North Wales, it did get us home, but failed me later that night when I was out testing the revised carb settings. (I was forbidden to mess with the carbs in Wales). The Morris van engine-stopping problem when very warm now seems sorted out at long last. (A failure in the high tension lead from the coil to distributor). We now await the sign writer to update her with the Historic details ready for next year's shows. I have faith I will get there now! The Rover SD1 Vitesse works like a dream and has a new alternator. Like a lot of my client's. I just have to ignore the cost per mile and enjoy the pleasure. My main disaster was to crumple our everyday Rover Metro (my fault). So after 12 years-loyal service we have to find a new town car. What a choice out there! One has to admit old cars are not a pleasure in the traffic jams that seem to be so much part of the M6, city and town driving these days. You are forever watching the temperature and smelling the engine! If you breakdown like the Minor did in heavy traffic then its not very pleasant. However on the subject of pleasure, I was offered the ride down to the Balearic Islands in Stephens Landrover V8 special, no hood - drop down windscreen (wipers not required) - and plenty of fuel injected 3.5 Rover grunt. (He finds fuel injection simpler than carbs). A bit like a 100 but designed for off road! As he said with my credit card and his mechanical skills we could cope with anything! An epic trip after an epic rebuild .The MOT passed at 5pm, in the rain and then on the M6 at 3 am bound for Plymouth, then wondering where the engine water was escaping from (3-hours for the first 77 miles) never use a second hand water pump! I have saved the stick he used to block the hole. It was very interesting crossing Spain using the minor roads for the 440 miles drive to Valencia. It's a very big country with lots of varied scenery with long empty roads. Our web site is working well. This plus your recommendations and low key advertising means it's been a good year for our business. In September 2003 we began scanning in the new photos as part of the plan to enhance and develop our web site further. I have a scanner at home now and will be picking out photos from our albums .I should have some interesting vehicles for you to view and extra links to explore. The next full upgrade will all be in place for the end of March 04. There will be big changes in the general insurance industry over the next couple of years as it becomes subject to compulsory regulation and control by the FSA (Financial Services Authority). My hope is it will lead to a higher standards all round, but expect to see more paper at the start. We are developing our terms of business to follow their new ruling of splitting customers into retail and trade plus looking at more compliant computer systems. We thank you for your loyalty and support, enjoy your vehicles.

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR MARCH 2003

Thank goodness at last a hint of spring and a promise of the end of winter. We have good news for those private individuals who got caught in the Independent Insurance failure. I have seen the first of the premium refund letters issued by Aurora/Independent on behalf of Financial Services Compensation Scheme who are funded by a general levy on all insurance companies. It was a good year last year. We were able to put in a lot of development work, we have our web site up and working with an e-mail quote facility. This is now bringing in to us enquires and business but web sites are like cars always need attention and continued development. Our first Historic leaflet was designed and printed to help with our marketing efforts. At the end of the 2002 we started some extra advertising. All this activity coupled with an expanded base of insurers CHERISHED CAR ,NIG, KGM-NU-RSA has enabled us to grow our classic business. We managed to sell at last our old office at Shelton and pay the bank back, who had helped us to fund our move and the restoration of our May Bank office. That was quite a relief, it only took 18 months longer than expected. At last I have some Dinky toys & Hornby trains in the cabinet. That plus the automobila makes it interesting for those who visit us. We are now developing upstairs of the property and our space at the back even having planted two apple trees and some plants. Again if you are coming from some distance please ring first to make an appointment. With regard to our toys, my 100 developed a crack tyre for its MOT and it has done very few miles because I played with Kathy`s Sprite which has been most temperamental! Flooding carbs, stopping when hot at halt signs, difficult to restart and then when I cured those problems, she developed a misfire after prolonged bursts of speed over 60mph just because I tightened up the petrol hose to the tank to cured the smell of petrol in the boot! A blocked vent in the petrol cap perhaps caused the miss fire by a vacuum developing in the tank .I think now she is cured but needs a good test. Perhaps we may get to Eire in her this year. Our Morris Van after been given a soft time has developed a fault of cutting out when hot. I think that it's electrical but I need the testing time to provoke and fix that fault. The Rover Vitesse is fine perhaps new axle location bushes required. Kathy`s nightmare and my dream the 6 litre petrol Dodge Motor homes sits out the back brooding awaiting to consume money but it is so far down the pecking order I wonder? At least with Stephen in Spain & Phil in S Korea my spanners etc are where I left them and the original chips are still in my computers. With regard to shows and events I have decided to list the events that are of interest to me on a separate sheet. I could see you at some of them .I expect that most of the time it will be for pleasure only without a stand. Please check before you travel, the data could have changed or my source wrong. Thank you for your support and classic business. Remember we can be a source of help and advice with business insurance and your personal insurance. If you have already have general insurance based problem with some one else then we may be able to help solve it with our low cost fee based advice. Enjoy your vehicles in 2003 Peter

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR JULY 2002

This year has been far less fraught thank goodness! More a year of picking up all the pieces. The Independent Insurance failure, from our point of view now seems to be coming to an end. For the latest information you can view their web site. The address is www.auroracsl.com For us it was quite a damaging experience, both on a financial and emotional basis. It has caused a lot of unpaid work. We had a lot of help from our main classic suppliers NIG & KGM. Most of our clients were very patient and understanding, for which we thank you. We are now rested and ready to push forward again. We now have 5 classic insurers on our panel. This will enable us to satisfy more enquiries and place a wider selection of non-standard classic vehicle risks. We have put a lot of work into developing our web site to attract potential clients. Rather than just being a boring insurance site. We have now put in some interesting non-insurance links. We look forward to any of your suggestions / address for our next upgrade. We welcome your e-mails. The site will be advertised in magazines etc. Please recommend us and pass the word on. We now have 18 months under our belt, here in the new premise. Most of the small jobs, such as a lock on the toilet door are now done. The inside motoring decoration is increasing. If you come to visit us just remember it's the High street in the May bank area of Newcastle under Lyme (not the high street in Newcastle under Lyme its self). The building is painted a shade of British racing green out side. With a hanging basket if we are about (one was stolen this year). If you travel some distance please ring us first to make an appointment. With regard to our toys, the Morris is now back with the bodywork done. The Historic name has yet to be signwriten. Next on the list for her is a new set of rear springs. The Dodge is still resting. Kathy`s Sprite is now out playing, perhaps new wires being next on his list. I now have seatbelts in the 100 and will hope to reduce the body rattles. Both our children have left home and work abroad now. It was a special Birthday for Kathy this year so we treated ourselves to a rather supper 10 day Italian holiday in Venice and Lake Garda. I enjoyed the boats. The burble of powerful engines is most seducing. Its perhaps just as well we live in the centre of the UK and I do not enjoy towing .If you ever visit Lake Garda then I can recommend the smaller high-speed catamaran service. Sit in the open part at the back. It must be like an MTB. Kathy enjoyed the serenade gondola ride in Venice. The Italian food, fruit and wine were a revelation as was the grapa ! There is no list of events for this newsletter, as we are now more than halfway through the season. I hope to list local shows and the larger events for the next year, plus have our newsletter back to its normal times and format. Thank you for your support and business. Enjoy your vehicles. Peter Higgins

CLASSIC VEHICLE NEWS FOR SEPTEMBER 2001

What a year! The move into our new office on 2/1/2001went well, but behind the scenes took a lot of extra energy and cash. After 8 months it's proved to be far better working environment. We even have a hanging basket outside! Very gradually the inside motoring decoration is taking place with my Turner prints, Jaguar XJR 8 wheel, model cars If you come to visit the office just remember it's the High street in May bank area of Newcastle under Lyme (not the high street in Newcastle under Lyme its self). It's painted a shade of British racing green out side. We still continue to be very busy on our non-classic side caused by the reduction in insurers and the problems of getting a decent service from them. On our classic side the plans for this year where changed by a series of events. In February we lost a life long friend to cancer after a very short terrible illness. This was followed in April by my mums death, Before old age took its hold, she was always a great support, helping with my leaflets and shows. After events like that you take stock and we decided we need a time of rest and recuperation. So our only show was February at Buxton. An interesting drive across the moors in the snow in our Morris van. Our Morris is on holiday having now gone in for a tidy up, two new front wings, and removal of the old address and phone numbers. My 100 has had its new windscreen; my 2nd since 1968 plus its 3rd set of rear springs and at long last safety belts. Kathy`s Sprite has had more detailed attention making it easier to use. Our 1976 Dodge RCV rests at the back of our office awaiting research, time and money. We have a new employee on board from April, another car and motorcycle enthusiast; his name is Mike Walker he has his own toys! When you chat to him, ask how his Sprite restoration is going! Independent Insurance - just when you think its getting better, something else hits you. We had about 250 car insured by them and since 1993 till the end they had made a £74,000 profit out my clients. They had a good product and we had just got them trained and we were getting fair prices on the odd ball risks and collections from them. On the 14 of June we had the phone call, any dreams of Le Mans just disappeared as we struggled to seek detailed information, inform and advise clients and prepare contingency plans. Thank goodness for the Internet! So now we have a new supplier the NIG who will honour the Independents agreed values. We already have a large account with them on the home and standard motor side. They are still learning and developing on the classic side and we are moving them forward in the right direction, expanding the risks they will take to everbodys benefit The KGM have now revamped their product and are seeking to expand their classic account and they have agreed to honour the Independents values. They now have a special classic department who is very good Our next marketing will be done by the use of our data base of enquires built up since 1995. Although you could see me at shows for pleasure . Thank you for your support, business and recommendations, through a difficult time. Enjoy your vehicles. Peter Higgins

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