Should we have boiler insurance?

September 25th, 2011 by Mark | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

As winter approaches the adverts for boiler maintenance policies are appearing ever more frequently in the media, it is something that might be seen as an additional expense but if you are one of the unlucky thousands that has a boiler malfunction on the coldest day of the year then you will be glad you were prescient enough to have bought a policy earlier in the year. There are large costs associated with replacing a boiler and even getting one repaired can often be an expensive affair so the question is then – Should we have boiler insurance?

Despite the fact that we are still officially enjoying British summer time, the signs of autumn are already appearing, and with this in mind our thoughts turn to keeping warm in the autumn and winter months. Of course, this means you have to give your heating system some thought, and you are bound to ask yourself the question as to whether or not your system is going to be able to get you through the winter months. The natural thought beyond this of course is whether or not it would benefit you to have boiler insurance in place.

There’s no doubting that having a heating system that is less than reliable is one of the most frustrating things to have to endure, and anyone who has woken up on a chilly morning to discover that the shower is pouring out cold water will testify to this. You really do have to think carefully about the state of your heating system at this time of year, and if you have any misgivings about its performance it really will benefit you to have some sort of insurance policy in place. Having said this, there are some people who would argue that with the very real possibility of not claiming, is it really worth paying out for insurance? With this in mind, here are some great reasons why you should consider getting boiler insurance:

Some insurance policies will cover not only your boiler and its controls but also blocked drains, burst water pipes, electrical failures and lost keys, so it really does give you more benefits than you might realise. If you are not covered and you have to call someone out, you will be subject to some incredible call out costs – even before you have had to buy parts or pay for labour. Some policies will pay out a cash payment if your boiler fails, which can obviously help enormously if you have to buy a new boiler – something that can cost hundreds if not thousands of pounds. These are all good reasons to buy a new boiler policy, and with energy prices on the increase all the time, the last thing you need is to be landed with a hefty bill for your boiler breakdown. An insurance policy will negate the possibility of this happening.

If you are particularly concerned about the cost of your electricity this winter, there are a few ways to deal with the situation. Firstly an insurance policy is going to help in most cases, and another thing you can do is to find a deal with an energy supplier to provide you with fixed price energy deals. This of course protects you against increasing energy costs for a particular amount of time, depending on the contract you sign. Of course, you may pay slightly over the odds initially for this sort of contract, but if prices rise significantly, it is not something that will affect you.

All of these things are worth considering as we march into the winter months. Take heed now or pay the price later on.

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Why do electricity prices fluctuate madly?

May 25th, 2009 by writer | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

When you pay your electricity bill every month do you every give thought to the costs behind that bill? Probably not. Most of us just take a glance at the bill and recoil in horror at the most recent increase. Or if we have had a mild season, rejoice in the unexpected windfall of a slightly lower amount to be paid. But as with any commodity we purchase the selling company has an underlying cost and the way that company manages its affairs can directly affect its electricity prices. Public utilities like British Gas must produce the electricity you use in several ways. Generally all electricity has an inherent production cost but the largest percentage of costs comes from burning fossil fuels. Simply put, even British Gas must buy gas to make electricity in power plants. But if the management of those companies such as BG does not wisely purchase their fuel then you as the end user will pay for their mistakes. When an energy company fails to accurately predict the future price for their base fuels they are forced to charge their customers more. Obviously some companies will buy fuel more wisely than others and these firms then offer their customers better energy prices. These are the companies you want to buy gas and electricity from and these companies with better prices can be spotlighted by visiting EnergyChoices.co.uk and following the front-page instructions on how to find the best deals for energy in any part of the UK.

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Electricity Prices are tied directly to natural gas

April 29th, 2009 by writer | No Comments | Filed in General News

Since last year’s sharp rise and even sharper fall in electricity prices, many people have begun drawing a correlation between the price consumers in the United Kingdom pay for natural gas and that which they pay for electricity. It is doubtful that a single UK homeowner has not wondered at one time or another whether they would be better off relying solely on electricity for heat and hot water or on the combination of gas and electricity that is more commonly in place. We tend to assume that using gas for heating and hot water saves money consistently. But the recent downturn in electricity prices has made many people stop and consider the symbiotic relationship that exists between gas and electricity that results in overall energy prices.

Electricity producing plants produce power through many different means. The most efficient of these is hydroelectric power but there are simply not enough dams and rivers in the UK to provide the electricity needed. Many then would opt for nuclear power as a non-fossil fuel alternative. But until such time as cold fusion exists, nuclear fission remains a distinct safety liability. This essentially leaves us with coal fired and natural gas fired power plants as the major source of UK electricity. Coal fired power plants must be fitted with gobs of antipollution devices. Burns twice as cleanly as coal and therefore is the fossil fuel of choice. So, given that we primarily use natural gas to produce our electricity the two are tied together in a pricing parallel. If we as consumers use more gas then the demand creates higher prices that in turn raised the cost of the gas used to produce our electricity, which results in higher end user electricity prices. If we use more electricity, more gas is used to produce that same power and once again higher demand results in higher prices for natural gas to fire the power plants and we are then faced with higher electric bills and probably higher prices for our natural gas.

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Compare Electricity Prices – and Check out Fixed Price Energy

December 14th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

There is a lot of buzz about fixed price energy and given the massive price hikes (up to 35%!) and market instability, Many people want to find out the score and see if they canreally save, or if this is just another marketing ploy to get as many customers as possible on contract. For most people the prospect of calling every energy provider to find out a) if they provide in their area, b) if they offer a fixed price tariff and c) what are the contractual terms and d) what small print nasties lurk beneath the surface fills them with the creeping horrors of muzak and ‘your call is important to us….’

Maybe try a comparison site like www.energychoices.co.uk this is an independent energy comparison website that lists all of the suppliers, all of the tariffs and lays them side by side so it’s possible to really compare the value. Not only that, use the postcode search to find out whether a particular provider can supply your area and a decent selection of well-written articles so jargon and small-print are no longer your enemies. And, unlike some comparison sites, this one is regularly updated so you can be sure the offers listed are current and available.
 
 
If you are l impressed, and found a good package you too could be certain of your energy bills until 2012, You could also get a saving on my gas and electricity prices for having them with the same company, which will give greater savings overall.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

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Energy Choices- Energy Prices

November 20th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Press Releases

Recently, fuel prices and supply have been big news. A volatile market and uncertain supply has meant the cost of fuel to the average consumer has been fluctuating wildly, though tending ever upwards. Canny consumers are increasingly scouring the market for good deals or the best terms and offers from their suppliers. But help is at hand, energychoices.co.uk is an independant company that offers an excellant comparison service so with a few quick clicks you can find out which providers serve your area and what offers and deals are available.
 
For some time now the energy providers have been trying to woo our custom from underneath our existing provider but, given rises in energy prices of up to 35% the tables have been turned and now it is the customer seeking to switch and save. Comparison websites have been filling a niche and putting all the facts in the hands of the customer without all the time and effort of spending all day on the phone. As part of the Consumer Choices network, Energychoices.co.uk aims to give the consumer all the information so a truly informed decision can be made. Their site is regularly updated, so you can be sure that the terms you see on screen are current, the site is clearly laid out so you can jump straight to the part you need whether that’s advice on switching provider, payment methods or boiler insurance- all easily accessible from the home page. Energychoices are keen to offer the full package, a list of names and prices is not the whole story so they host a large selection of articles to help you understand the jargon and get to facts. They even have a resident expert on hand to point you in the right direction if the big rises in electricity prices are leaving you sweating. They also offer a postcode checker so with one click you can find out which providers offer what services in your area.
 
So, if it’s time for a switch or if you just want to be sure you have the best deal log on to www.energychoices.co.uk and let the impartial and independant experts do the hard work for you.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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