�2.3m in fraud claims found per day

The insurance industry is uncovering an average of 335 fraudulent claims worth �2.3 million every day, figures showed today. Home insurance has become the most common type of cover on which people try to commit fraud, with around 170 bogus claims found each day, according to the Association of British Insurers. Typical home insurance frauds ...- 29/12/2010, Insurance

Wealth Check: Can he kick his martial arts to the next level?

The Patient Setting up a new business is always a challenge. But for Giuseppe Vitolo, the manager of Maloca, a Putney-based fitness and leisure centre, pushing himself to the limit is part of a normal day's work. The 40-year-old Colombian is a martial arts instructor who has competed in some of the toughest competitions on both sides of the Atla...- 19/12/2010, Spend & Save

Protect your home from winter weather

This is already shaping up to be a cold winter.- 12/12/2010, Insurance

As winter comes, so does the risk of flood damage

Winter has arrived early this year, bringing the big chill to the north and west of the country. But along with the danger of frozen pipes, there is the risk of flooding as rivers swell. Just a fortnight ago, Cornwall was hit by torrential, freezing rain and flooding which wrecked hundreds of businesses and homes. This may only be a taste of what's to ...- 28/11/2010, Insurance

Cost of running a home falls by 14%

The cost of running a home has fallen by nearly 14% during the past two years on the back of record low interest rates, research suggested today. The average home now costs �8,059 a year to run in terms of mortgage repayments, utility bills, council tax and maintenance, �155 a week or �22 a day less than in 2008, according to Sainsbury's Home Insu...- 15/11/2010, Spend & Save

Don't let your parking space go to waste

Ask any motorist in Britain what their biggest bugbear is and, after potholes and pouring rain, parking usually comes close to the top.- 14/11/2010, Spend & Save

Made to measure: When buying a new kitchen avoid design fads and remember to plan

Kitchens are now by far the most expensive room in the home, worth an average of £4,000, according to a new report from home insurer Liverpool Victoria. In fact, the average spend on a kitchen – now the central space in modern homes – has increased by 45 per cent alone since 2005. But while the general rule is to never buy a kitchen on t ...- 12/11/2010, Interiors

Buggy burglars, scourge of yummy mummies

If you go down to the shops today, be careful where you park your buggy. Britain's seemingly insatiable demand for designer pushchairs has helped fuel a multi-million pound industry that has turned the contraptions into four-wheeled status symbols. But it has also made them a particularly attractive target for criminals. According to figures rele...- 06/11/2010, Crime

Five Questions About: Building and contents insurance

Who needs building and contents cover? Everyone should have contents cover to pay for the replacement of their belongings if they are destroyed, damaged or stolen. Contents cover is not a legal requirement but it's a sensible insurance to have – the cost of buying all your belongings again as new is likely to run into thousands of pounds. ...- 30/10/2010, Insurance

Wealth Check: How can I make the great leap from a flat to a house?

The patient Jonathan Eisenberg, 31, a technical consultant from Edinburgh, saved enough last year to put down a �70,000 deposit on a one-bedroom Georgian flat in the city centre. But with plans to marry his fianc�e, a single mother with one daughter, and to have more children in the near future, Mr Eisenberg says he will need to upgrade to ha...- 24/10/2010, Spend & Save

Love your new laptop or iPhone? Then insure it

With expensive smart phones, pocket-sized games consoles and laptops, gadget fans are a walking temptation for thieves. At any given time we could be carrying thousands of pounds' worth of equipment and, without proper protection in place, risk losing the lot. - 17/10/2010, Insurance

Errors in switching accounts put off customers

Fears over missed direct debit payments and administrative errors are stopping bank customers from switching current account providers according to Consumer Focus. - 10/10/2010, Spend & Save

Five Questions About: Boiler cover

As its name suggests, this policy will cover the cost of repairs to your boiler if it breaks down. If you have a new boiler, cover may not be necessary, as you may already be covered for breakdowns by a warranty. Otherwise, cover is worth considering if you want to avoid expensive repair bills. Some home insurance policies include emerge...- 09/10/2010, Insurance

Market Report: Burberry trips up as bid hopes begin to unravel

Burberry was out of fashion last night as Citigroup poured cold water on recent rumours of bid interest from private equity investors.- 06/10/2010, Sharewatch

Tesco to launch mortgages and current accounts

Supermarket giant Tesco said today that its banking arm was set to become a "significant" part of its business as it finalised plans to launch mortgages and current accounts. The supermarket has for the past two years made clear its ambition to become a full service banking operation, last year relaunching its personal finance ope...- 05/10/2010, Mortgages