Sirelark Risk Services

14/05/2023

As with most things, buy cheap, buy twice. However, given the surge in fires caused by cheap scooter and bike batteries, there may not be a second chance. Always purchase approved/certified, whilst they are more expensive, it's better than paying with someone's life.

If you are in England and Wales then please contact the Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133; if you're based in Scotland call 0808 164 600 or Northern Ireland call 0300 123 6262.

16/03/2023

Not insurance related but might be useful to some without having to digest the whole budget announcement.

15/03/2023

When it comes to home insurance, there are two main sections of cover - buildings and contents. After this comes all sorts of extra cover i.e. all risk, valuables, jewellery etc. Depending on the insurer, this extra cover has varying definitions of what and how this is covered and internal limits attributed to these sections.

Online aggregators are great at giving you cheap quotes, in most instances at the expense of cover, and no advice. At Sirelark, we offer an advised service and we are experts at interpreting policy documentation, so if you need us to guide you through the minefield, give us a shout - you'll be surprised how competitive we are against your online quote.

07/02/2023

Worth a read for all our contractor friends,

03/02/2023

Motorists getting hammered yet again. Whilst we can't guarantee insurance is interesting, we'll make sure it's better than watching your expensive new paint job dry.

There was an 8% rise in the cost of cover in the last three months of 2022, figures show.

01/02/2023

Insurance policies are contracts that have rules and if those rules are not followed, the policy may not respond to a claim. It’s the sporting equivalent of being shown a red card. If you don’t play by the rules of the game you are playing, you will be penalised in some way. Contracts are not different in that respect.

And it should be no surprise that a big cause of disgruntled policyholders is that there is not enough awareness of these rules before a policy is purchased.

So, dear reader, if you don’t want to fall foul of policy terms and conditions through simply not knowing what they are and you’d quite like some help in getting up to speed before you buy a policy, engage a broker like Sirelark. We’ll make sure we match up your needs to the cover we recommend and make sure you are aware of the terms and conditions in the policy – the rules – so that if you suffer a claim the policy pays out.

07/12/2022

It seems bizarre talking about blackouts in the UK, but sadly it is something we need to prepare for. A lot of things have happened in the last few years that most people had not even put a modest probability of happening, some very serious and regrettable and some not so important... The first topic in this paper deals with something we are simply not used to dealing with (electricity blackouts) and therefore worthy of a read. The second article is something that is a bit more familiar, Employee Morale and its impact on business performance.

04/12/2022

The cold wet days of winter have arrived a little late this year but if the weather forecasts are accurate the temperature will be floating around freezing point within a week or so. Because of that I imagine a lot of fireplaces and wood burning stoves will have or will soon be brought out of seasonal retirement to help keep homes up and down the country warm and provide a welcoming glow upon returning from a hard day at work or a long walk in the countryside. Fires and stoves are lovely things and arguably a good economical alternative to electricity, gas or heating oil. But they can be very dangerous and so now is the right time to dig out a season advice note about chimney maintenance. After months of inactivity, using your fireplace for heat without first maintaining and inspecting it can be dangerous—even deadly.Because fireplaces and chimneys often stand idle during warmer months, it is important to have your chimney regularly swept and inspected by a certified professional to be sure that it is safe to use. Google "Sirelark Blog" for full chimney advice post.
Chimney

09/08/2022

Starting your own business is hard. But growing your business can be even harder—you need to work constantly to improve your business and stave off risk. The best way to protect against future threats to your business is to make it as successful as possible.

08/08/2022

Developing sales forecasts and profit and loss forecasts will help you calculate an accurate forecast of your business’ cash flow. Once you know your cash flow, you can start identifying and solving potential problems.

06/08/2022

IT is thoroughly ingrained into daily life and business operations around the world. According to data from Statista, around 860 thousand people were employed in the IT industry within the UK in 2020. Furthermore, 82% of the UK workforce use IT skills within their jobs. This proportion will likely continue to rise.

Rather than bucking the trend, smart businesses should assess and upgrade their IT systems to stay ahead of the curve.

05/08/2022

When looking for commercial premises for sale or rent, you must be thorough. Take advantage of every resource you have, including the following:

• Commercial property agents
• Local newspapers
• Online searches
• Local surveyors
• Local authority
• Local chamber of commerce
• Trade associations