Mini motorbikes not road–ready

Parents and guardians are being warned by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service to think twice before purchasing mini motorbikes, quad bikes, mini scooters and mini dirt bikes as Christmas presents for children unless they have a safe and legal place to ride them.

The bikes are miniature motorcycles and scooters which are usually powered by a small petrol engine.

Police officers are urging parents, before they spend any money on the vehicles, to consider not only the legal aspect of these bikes, but also the likelihood of injury to riders.

“These bikes can only be used on private land and never on a public road,” said Inspector Derrick Elliott of the Traffic Management Unit. “If they are used on a public road they are subject to the Traffic Law which requires the rider to have an appropriate driver’s licence, current insurance and relevant documentation from the vehicle licensing department.”

Under legislation the police have the power to seize these bikes if they are being used illegally.

“We don’t want to spoil people’s Christmas fun,” said Inspector Elliott. “But we want to make sure people are aware of the law. If you really do want to buy one these types of bikes make sure that you have access to land where it can be used safely and within the law.”

Source:http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin

Dad fined €500 for riding son's 'toy' motorbike

A FATHER who went for a ride with his child on a small scrambler bike he bought in a toy shop has said he couldn't believe it when gardai asked to see his driving licence for the vehicle.

Kevin Kelly (25) said the motorbike, which has a 20cc engine, was so small that it fit into the boot of the squad car.

Kelly, of Kilcarrig Green, Tallaght said he was unaware that under the road traffic legislation that he needed to have insurance for the vehicle also.

He admitted to driving the motorbike without insurance or a driving licence at Suncroft Drive, Tallaght.

Sergeant Michael Leahy told Tallaght District Court that he stopped Kelly shortly after 3pm on April 29 last year.

The sergeant said he asked Kelly to produce his driving licence and insurance at a garda station within 10 days but he refused to nominate a station.

Sgt Leahy also said there was no registration number on the vehicle and Kelly wasn't wearing a safety helmet.

Toy

Defence solicitor Grainne Malone said Kelly was driving a small scrambler bike, a child's bike which can be bought in a toy shop. Kelly's young child was also on the back of the bike when he was stopped by gardai.

Ms Malone said Kelly believed the bike, which he'd bought for his child, didn't count as a normal motor vehicle because it had such a small engine, 20cc or less, and "genuinely thought" it was safe to drive it.

She added that Kelly didn't nominate a garda station to produce his insurance as he simply didn't believe he needed insurance for the vehicle.

The court heard that Kelly, who is on disability and not working, has 18 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic matters.

Ms Malone said Kelly made a genuine mistake, but now accepts he was wrong to ride the bike.

Judge David McHugh fined Kelly €500 and disqualified him from driving for five years.

Source:http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/dad-fined-euro

A new campaign to cut bike insurance claims

A new campaign has been launched to better road safety for motorcyclists, bike insurance customers may like to know.

As part of the Winter Riding Campaign, Devon County Council has launched the campaign which involves documentary style videos based on various bikers.

According to Devon County Council, the videos provide motorcyclists extra awareness of road safety and aims to reduce the risk of possible accidents.

The campaign was also introduced to reduce the amount of motorcycle insurance claims being made on Britain’s roads.

Councillor Margaret Rogers, executive member of the environment of Devon County Council said "The videos are good fun and passing them on helps spread a really worthwhile message about bikers keeping up their skills."

The footage has already attracted 25,000 hits in its first few weeks after being posted on Youtube and the Motorcyclenews website.

The Winter Riding Campaign is part of one of many of Devon County Councils schemes aimed to improve rider safety. In 2004 Devon County Council had launched the “Bringing Bikers Out of the Blindspot” campaign.

Meanwhile, proposals for speed cameras are being made by residents of Wigan after speeding motorcyclists were caught riding up to three times above the speed limit.

Campaigner, Patrick Prosser said: "So many students walk down this road every day. It is only a matter of time before an accident happens where a speeding motorist loses control and ploughs into them, causing multiple fatalities."

Source:http://www.onlyfinance.com/Bike-Insurance

Five Burlco men charged in motorcycle-theft ring

Five Burlington County men have been indicted by a county grand jury for their alleged roles in a motorcycle theft ring, state authorities said yesterday.

The indictments followed an investigation by the New Jersey State Police and the Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor into a group of people who were stealing motorcycles, retagging them with new vehicle identification numbers, and selling them.

In some case, the suspects were submitting phony insurance claims representing that the cycles had been stolen from their owners when they actually had been given up by their owners, authorities said.

"Frequently, insurance fraud investigations lead to evidence of stolen vehicles, as well as owner-initiated give-ups," said the state insurance fraud prosecutor, Greta Gooden Brown.

Wilson Lopez, 25, of Burlington City; Tyrone Sapp, 31, of Willingboro; and Angel Carrion 3d, 28, of Mount Holly, were charged in one indictment with conspiracy, eight counts of theft by unlawful taking, and five counts of receiving stolen property. Lopez also was charged with one count of fencing.

Also yesterday, in two separate indictments, the same Burlington County grand jury charged Neil C. Moyer, 33, of Browns Mills, with receiving stolen property and fencing, and Ian Boyington, 30, of Riverside, with receiving stolen property, alteration of a vehicle identification number, and a motor vehicle title offense.

The indictment charges that between December 2003 and June 2004, Lopez, Sapp and Carrion conspired to steal six motorcycles and two vans. The indictment also alleges that Lopez organized the fencing of a stolen motorcycle.

Moyer was charged with knowingly taking possession of a stolen motorcycle and selling it. The indictment charging Boyington alleges that he knowingly purchased a stolen motorcycle stamped with an altered vehicle identification number, and that he fraudulently titled the motorcycle.

Source:http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/nj

Bike insurance fraud gang pleads guilty in court

A gang that allegedly specialised in making false bike insurance claims and pocketing thousands of pounds in payouts have pleaded guilty to charges of fraud, reports said.

The gang from Weston-super-Mare, a court was told, often made false claims for the theft of non-existent bikes.

Five members of the gang appeared before the court and were named as: Andrew Hall, 34, of Brompton Road, Oldmixon; Jody Cowell, 28, of Monkton Avenue; Duane Long, 20, of Thirlmere Road, Weston; Mathew Potter, 25, of Londsdae Avenue, Weston; and Liam Lees, 22, of Locking Road, Weston.

The court also heard that the underwriters for all policies purchased through Carole Nash was a firm called Groupama, based in Portsmouth.

Mr James Ward, prosecuting, said they became quite suspicious at what looked like an organised theft of off-road bikes in and around the Bournville estate in Weston-super-Mare.

But they discovered through investigation they were dealing with an insurance swindle connected to claims for non-existent off-road motorbikes, and not the theft of the bikes, he added.

Judge Jamie Tabor accordingly convicted all the accused persons, handing them penalties that ranged from curfew, unpaid work to the weekly payment of compensation.

Source:http://www.onlyfinance.com/Bike-Insurance-News/

Claims flood insurance brokers

Insurance companies expect to suffer serious headaches when it comes time to distribute compensation to auto owners for vehicles damaged during the worst flooding in three decades.

"Bao Viet Insurance Group received approximately 140 claims from auto-owners with total damages reaching at least VND3 billion (US$182,000)," says manager of the vehicle department Dinh Quang Tan.

Bao Viet has more than 3 million motorbike policy and 600,000 auto policy customers nationwide, making up over 30 per cent of the auto insurance market share.

"Petrolimex Joint Stock Insurance Co (PJICO) has received more than 150 flood damage claims from customers, with total losses coming to approximately VND5 billion ($303,000)," says deputy director Nguyen Tien Dong.

Dong adds that claims for luxury car damages account for more than 20 per cent of the total compensation requests.

PJICO now handles between 25 to 30 per cent of the domestic auto insurance market share and more than 40 per cent of the motorbike market share, Dong says.

Post and Telecoms Insurance Co (PTI) has announced it expects to provide compensation to auto-owners in excess of VND2 billion ($121,000) due to the floods, says deputy director Luu Quang Hieu.

According to some insurance company statistics, the total compensation for auto damage repair in Ha Noi is estimated to be about VND30 billion ($1.8 million), equivalent to 10 per cent of the yearly vehicle insurance revenue.

Under the law regulating auto insurance, most normal damage will be compensated based on the terms of the individual insurance polices purchased by owners.

In the case of damage to rods and pistons inside the engine combustion chamber, which is commonly caused when drivers attempt to start an already immersed engine, insurance companies will refuse to compensate the owner unless they purchased a special type of insurance specific to this phenomenon.

The flooding has forced many insurance companies to run full throttle, with customer assistance offered by telephone 24 hours per day.

Source:http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/

Saunders goes great guns in Taupo

Taupo's Nick Saunders may be an amateur racer but he showed extraordinary courage and determination to take the fight to the professional overseas riders at the weekend's Swann Insurance International Motocross event in Taupo.

Saunders, who works as parts manager for Taupo Toyota, rolled out his fuel-injected Location Homes Red Baron Kawasaki KX450F to battle international superstars from South Africa and Scotland at the weekend, plus Kiwi world No.5 Josh Coppins.

Saunders finished an impressive fifth overall in the premier MX1 class at Taupo on Sunday, easily the best of the amateurs.

"It's a buzz ... such a buzz to come to this event and then do so well, to be up there with those guys," said the 23-year-old Saunders.

His performance was all the more remarkable because he is still recovering from an injury to his left wrist.

"I didn't have a great start in my first race but I still came through. South African GP rider Gareth Swanepoel (Kawasaki) was chasing me down and I could see him coming. I held on by my fingernails to beat him.

"In the second race I pretty much got the holeshot. I had a buffer over (former GP star and now professional coach) Darryll King but then I stalled the bike and he got past.

"Then luck went my way and Swanepoel and (Queenstown international Scott) Columb made mistakes and I took fourth place. That was good for fifth overall for the event and I'm thrilled with that.

"I think I've raised my game to another level. I believe I'll be 100% by next weekend and round two of the national championships (near Hastings on Sunday)."

Meanwhile, fellow Taupo rider Brad Groombridge (Fly Team Green Kawasaki KX250F) also shone on his home track.

The teenager finished third overall, behind Hawera's national 500cc champion Daryl Hurey and behind Rotorua's national MX2 champion Michael Phillips.

Team Green Kawasaki manager Mike Cotter said he was impressed with Groombridge's riding over the weekend.

"After a difficult weekend last weekend (at the opening round of the nationals) at Rotorua, Brad was under a lot of pressure to perform today. And, in front of a home ground, the pressure was even more intense. But he responded well.

"I think he's in good shape for Hastings next weekend."

Source:http://www.drivesouth.co.nz/news/9672/saunders

Tescocompare.com celebrates with launch of further channels

Tescocompare.com, the comparison site, is celebrating its first anniversary with the launch of further new channels.

Over the last year, the site, which launched in September 2007, has grown from being a car insurance comparison site to a multi-channel service. Consumers now have the option to compare car, home and motorbike insurance as well as mortgages, credit cards, personal loans and utility providers.

In its first year, Tescocompare.com has been rated as best car insurance comparison site by Defaqto twice - once in 2007 and once in 2008. Defaqto said Tescocompare.com provides ‘the best overall service to consumers' and gave it the highest rating of all assessed comparison sites.

Unlike other comparison sites, Tescocompare.com is not just about the price; it focuses on helping people find the right cover or product for their individual needs. The site helps users compare search results on a like for like basis, by allowing them to compare different product features across their returned quotes.

Tescocompare.com also guarantees that the quote returned on its site will be the same or lower than if the consumer went direct to the provider and asked for a quote under the same details.

The new channels and their highlights are:

Car and home insurance: customers can compare motor insurance policies by price and over 25 policy features across insurers so that they can find the right insurance for them.

Mortgage channel: offers a whole of market, no-fee, online mortgage search service with an option to contact a dedicated advice team by phone. Based on the search results up to four mortgages can be chosen for comparison.
Motorbike insurance: by only having to type in their details once consumers can automatically search all three levels of cover to get fully comprehensive, third party fire & theft, and third party quotes.

Utilities channel: provides a comprehensive comparison service of gas and electricity suppliers, including green electricity deals.
Credit cards and unsecured personal loans: Allows enquirers to create their own credit card and personal loan shortlist, based on the features they are most interested in.

Matthew Dransfield of Tescocompare.com added: "We launched Tescocompare.com because our customers asked us for a price comparison service that delivers what they were looking for. Over the last 12 months Tescocompare.com has added several new channels, and we have plans for many more in the months to come.
"We believe that people can trust us to find them the best deal for their needs, whether they are looking for an insurance quote, a new mortgage or want to switch utility providers. We are looking forward to adding further channels in the future and we will continue to listen to customer feedback to help improve our current proposition."

Source:http://www.easier.com/view/Finance

Toseland Hits the Phones for Bennetts

British biking hero and MotoGP star James Toseland will launch a month-long promotion for Bennetts, the nation’s favourite bike insurance provider, by working in their Coventry contact centre on Tuesday 8th April. James, a classically trained pianist, will be using a different type of keyboard for the day as he works alongside staff at theinsurance provider’s contact centre, talking to customers who have taken out a policy on the day.

As the nation struggles in the grip of higher prices, Bennetts is saving bikers money every day throughout April by offering free motorbike insurance*. In an unprecedented giveaway, five policies will be refunded every day in April, totalling over 150 free policies throughout the month. James will take to the phones on Tuesday to speak to customers, with the chance that one of his lucky callers will take away free annual cover.

Already excited about his stint in the contact centre, James said “I’m really looking forward to getting into the Bennetts contact centre and speaking to bikers up and down the country. It will be a completely new experience for me and pretty different to being on the race track but I hope I can encourage people to get involved with the promotion.”

Bennetts’ Marketing Director, Mark Fells said “This is one of our biggest ever promotions and we’re really pleased that James is helping us out. We wanted to kick off the season by offering bikers something that will be really unique – the opportunity to qualify for five freeinsurance policies* every day throughout April, and the chance to speak to a double World Champion as an added bonus!”

news source : http://www.prleap.com/

Bike Insurance - Deceased’s bike insurance invalid says insurer - 10/04/2008

Lawyers for an insurance firm have issued a high court writ, against the mother whose son was killed in a motorcycle accident, claiming that her son was not properly insured. John Rogerson, 40, was killed in a motorcycle accident with his girlfriend Jacqueline Arthur in April last year. GHL Insurance Services are suing Mrs Rogerson, of Riverside, Great Clifton, as the personal representative of her late son's estate. The writ accuses Mr Rogerson, a former bouncer and driving instructor, of making a false statement to obtain bike insurance for the Kawasaki machine on which he died.

The company, based at Haywards Heath in West Sussex, wants a legal ruling that says it is entitled to avoid paying out on hisinsurance policy. It says this is because Mr Rogerson obtained it by failing to disclose material facts, and making a false statement. The company says that the information he provided was incorrect, and that he was not the registered owner or keeper of the machine, which was owned by Graeme Cameron, who had allowed him to borrow the Kawasaki. Mr Rogerson knew that he was he not the owner or keeper, and that he had not just bought it, and was under a duty to disclose all material facts, the writ claims. GHL says it was induced to provide insurance cover by his claim that he owned the bike, but says that if it had known he did not own the machine, it would not have provided him withinsurance.

news source : http://www.onlyfinance.com/