Finance Tips

It may still be cold and bitter outside, but as we move in February and approach March, spring and summer are certainly in sight, so those of us who were forced to put our bikes away due to the bitterly cold and snowy autumn and winter that the UK experienced, there is the glimmer of hope for warm summer rides and all of the motor biking events that the summer brings.
Moving into each new season all motorbike enthusiasts become aware of the new products that are soon to be released to the market, whether it be a new series of Arai helmets, some fresh new additions to the Alpinestars clothing range, or some stunning bikes that will have us all wishing our bank balance would allow a little treat, if not a large one!.
And the events that the spring and summer of 2011 will bring would provide the perfect place to show off your new purchases. This time of year sees bike meets and rides become longer and more regular, with the weather permitting rides to take place on some lovely summer evenings through some beautiful country routes as well as at weekends.
No doubt these rides will see those that havent been able to ride due to the weather conditions thoroughly blowing the dust off their bikes, and they finally get to enjoy the spring and summer on their bike. No doubt many will be sporting new summer bike wear, or a new helmet like one of the ever popular AGV helmets that many bikers opt for.
Not only will many people be itching to get back on their bikes, but the spring and summer also bring some widely welcomed and renowned events for any bikers calendar, such as the MotoGP, but nothing will be a welcome as a warm and dry ride after the weather of the last few months.
So if you are ready to get your bike back on the open road, why not check out some of the meets and rides that are local to you? Many hardy and dedicated riders have started during January and will continue throughout the summer months. There are often rides to suit everyones tastes, from longer country rides with small pit stops at country locations, to shorter ones that will really help you blow the cobwebs off yourself and your bike.

Do you remember the Blues Brothers? They were unstoppable. They were “on a mission from God”. Seems like almost everyone standing behind the counter in the rental agency is a Blues Brother when you come into collect the vehicle. They always want to sell you something, usually additional insurance. The most common special offer is loss damage waiver (LDW). It sounds such a good idea to have complete cover against any loss caused to the vehicle while under your control. The magic word is “waiver”. You are excluded from liability even if you drive the vehicle off the end of a pier and it sinks without trace (hopefully without you still inside it). The only problem is this good idea can seriously damage your bank balance when the final bill comes in. That hourly or daily rate just got heavy. So when should you add LDW? The answer is deceptively simple. If you do not own another vehicle and have no insurance cover in place, it may be a good buy. But most insurance policies on your own vehicle cover you while driving a rental. So it all comes down to the extent of that cover on your own vehicle.

To get the maximum discount in these hard economic times, most people have been pushing up the deductibles. In many cases, the potential losses can be managed to keep to the low end. It’s your vehicle. You can talk to the repair shop and get all the work you want done at the best price. But when it’s a rental vehicle, everything is out of your hands. The rental company has no interest in protecting your bank balance. It pays top dollar to get the vehicle repaired and sends you the bill. No searching around to find the cheapest replacement parts and lowest price body shops. Everything is top of the range and then comes the kicker. It’s called the “loss of use” charge. You are expected to cover their estimated loss of profit while the vehicle is off the road. And guess what. If you are paying their loss of profit, they have no incentive to rush the repairs. They can take their own sweet time and, in most cases, you pay – most private policies do not cover loss of use charges. Some credit card companies offer limited cover, but read the small print before relying on it. Limited cover means very little actual money will ever be paid out.

If you are only renting for a few days, it’s probably worth paying for LDW. It may not be cheap car insurance, but it protects you. But if the end bill is going to be too high, trust to luck and your own insurance policy. Hopefully, your own cheap car insurance policy will give you enough of a buffer against claims Remembering, of course, that only the best private policies cover you against the dreaded loss of use charges. If nothing else, all this bad news should give you the incentive to drive like your wheels are passing over egg shells. Drive as safely and carefully as possible. If you are going to break some eggs, make sure the damage is minor and the losses are small.