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NEWS FROM SAFIRE INSURANCE
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Rand’s fall and under insurance risks
Since the end of last year our currency has taken a battering, something that few of us realise may also affect the extent of our insurance cover. The replacement cost of many of our household items will have escalated: televisions, hifis, fridges, microwaves and laptops are all imported from overseas. Similarly, imported car parts and machinery for commercial and agricultural applications will be affected.
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Can you still drive?
If you have a valid drivers’ licence you should feel confident when you get behind the wheel of your car...or do you? A recent UK survey found that nearly seven million licensed British drivers believe they would now fail their driving test if they had to retake it. Approximately one in five doubted that they have the current driving skills necessary to pass their driving test.
To read more…
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Protect your home
Your home is probably your most precious asset. It is simply not enough to feel secure because you have household insurance – you are obligated to undertake reasonable precautions to prevent or limit possible foreseeable damage. There are a number of easy-to-complete measures to take to ensure that you don’t have to submit a claim for water damage this storm season.
Read more
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Google AI drivers “legal”
There has been much debate internationally over the implications in terms of the law, especially regarding driver accountability and insurance cover, relating to Google’s artificial intelligence ‘un-manned’ driverless vehicles. Now a decision has been made, at least as far as US Federal Law is concerned – Google computers may be defined as legal drivers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the USA.
To read more…
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How do they find you?
Have you been contacted by a call centre representing a company that you’ve never dealt with before? How do they find out your details? Apparently it’s a “grey area”, according to the Direct Marketing Association of South Africa, with many “lead brokers” having built up their database over many years, often before there were laws regulating the access and sharing of this data.
To read more… |
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Sporting exposure
Safire receives positive exposure in many different places. Seen here is one of our loyal brokers, CM Augustyn from Overberg Agri, standing with Cornel Fredericks, the 400m hurdles champion at the Commonwealth Games. Cornel attended Hoërskool Overberg, and CM Augustyn was his athletics coach while he was there. His training methods were obviously highly successful! CM Augustyn is wearing a Safire T-shirt – good news for us!
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Helping children in need
The Salvation Army Joseph Baynes Child and Youth Care Centre in Pietermaritzburg is a haven for children in need. When the Safire team heard that they had a cash flow crisis, largely because of delays in receiving government funding, we stepped in to provide essentials including stationery, school shoes and other items which impact on the children’s education. Crop Division’s Ruth Bezuidenhout says, “These children are already at a disadvantage, and we felt that taking this kind of pressure off them would help them to focus and perform better at school. It is so rewarding helping an association that has existed for many years and done so much good for so many.” Seen here are Gareth Smallbones from Safire Crop and Amenda Doubell from Joseph Baynes.
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Valentine’s Day for millennials
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March 19 is the date of this year’s Safire Berg 100. This popular MTB race starts in the KZN Midlands village of Nottingham Road and winds through beautiful scenery to the finish line in Himeville. The race’s unique format allows for the start and finish to be switched between these scenic villages annually. Visit www.berg100.co.za for details.
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Marketers try to maximise every special occasion, but Valentine’s Day is a no-no with so-called millennials. They prefer to celebrate the day of love their own way, and it doesn’t involve the traditional cards, flowers and candlelit dinner. In fact, they might even block all mention of Valentine’s Day from their browsers.
To read more...
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According to Crime Stats SA, 56,616 vehicles were stolen in South Africa in 2014. Of the approximately 11 million cars currently on our roads, Datadot estimates the number of stolen vehicles at 1.6 million. A study has revealed which vehicles are supposedly most at risk, a factor that might influence individual driver’s insurance costs.
To read more… |
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An African experience to treasure
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It has become a worldwide tourism sensation and an Internet favourite – the story about the elephants who came to dinner. Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia has a herd of elephants that follow ancient bush trails to reach the fruit that ripens each summer in the lodge garden. What makes this so spectacular? Well, the trails lead through the lodge’s reception area...so that’s where the elephants go. To view ...
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• R1 million – the value of an attempted life claim made by five people in Durban who used an unclaimed corpse and a fraudulent ID to commit insurance fraud. An indication of what happens to stolen ID documents.
• £1 billion – the amount at which BGL (an insurance company thought to be owned by South African insurance magnate Douw Steyn) could list on the London Stock Exchange.
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• 62% for death and 60% for disability – the amounts by which South Africans are (on average) underinsured according to the Association for Savings and Investment SA (Asisa).
• R256 billion (in 2010 terms) versus R367.4 billion – the contrasting estimates of what the NHI scheme will cost us in 2025. The first figure comes from the government’s white paper while the second comes from the Free Market Foundation’s director. . Read more here
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• One million – approximately the amount of debit order disputes lodged in South Africa every month. Stricter control measures are in the pipeline.
Read more here.
• 16.03 - percent of the global population who will be 65 or over in 2050, about double today's 8.28%. The median age of each country's population is also inching higher, but it varies sharply across country lines.
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Contact Us
Office: +27 (0)33 264 8500
Fax: +27 (0)33 264 8501
Email: admin@safireinsurance.com
Website: safireinsurance.com |
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Reg No: 2000/027673/06 An Authorised Financial Services Provider [FSP No: 2092]
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