What to know when adding equipment.
The annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas showcases the latest gadgets to market—some expensive, some practical—and some very timely. With new car sales plummeting, companies exhibiting at the CES hope you will upgrade your used car with some cool new gadgets. Carmakers and electronics companies have introduced tons of safety and entertainment features in the last few years, but not everyone can buy a new car just to get them.
New wheels, tires and audio systems are the first options that most people consider. For under $1,000 you can add a GPS system, DVD player, MP3 player connection and speakers that will rival the ones in your home. Rearview camera systems are also increasing in popularity.
More expensive options include collision avoidance systems and "night vision" options that allow you to see more clearly on unlit roads. Whether you're a driving enthusiast or just spend lots of time in your car, these options can make an old car feel like new.
However, gadgets can come with a car insurance cost. Anything you add to your car after it leaves the factory is considered "additional equipment" or "non-factory installed equipment." And that means you may need to pay an additional premium to make sure that equipment is covered if it's damaged in an accident or stolen. Some car insurance companies will cover add-on equipment up to a specified amount, say $500, and then ask you to pay a small additional premium if you wish to cover anything of value over that amount.
A small increase in your auto insurance premium may be a small price to pay for the added convenience of a navigation system that saves you time and money by getting you precisely to your destination with a minimum of fuss, while directing you around traffic jams. However, as discussed in our article "Custom Auto Insurance for Custom Cars," remember that added equipment is almost always covered for its actual cash value only—not its replacement cost.
For more ideas on upgrading your car, check out the show!
Do you have any questions or comments? Please let us know.
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Filed under insurance by on Dec 26th, 2010. Comment. 
In May 2008, the BBC Watchdog programme alerted viewers that a number of people were reporting itches, blisters, burns and rashes after buying imported Chinese leather sofas.
The reason: sachets containing the chemical dimethyl fumarate (DMF) had been used by Chinese manufacturer Linkwise to prevent mould from growing on their leather sofas during transportation and storage.
Unfortunately, the chemical, which is sometimes used as a fungicide, led to severe allergic reactions in some people using the sofas.
Tests have shown that DMF can cause severe eczema, a term referring to a range of skin conditions which are difficult to treat. The allergic reactions occur when the substance warms up.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Sandra Winhoven explained the condition at the time: 'The substance that's causing the sofa dermatitis outbreak is a fungicide, and this fungicide has a very low vapour point. So when it gets warm, more of it gets released.' As a result, the summer months led to higher numbers of allergic reactions.
Symptoms of eczema
Eczema, which is sometimes known as dermatitis, can refer to a range of unpleasant and distressing symptoms including itching, blistering, redness, swelling, dryness, crusting, flaking, cracking, oozing and bleeding of the skin. These symptoms can be very damaging to a person's quality of life, and some of the sofa rash sufferers reported symptoms of depression as a result.
With up to 50,000 households having been sold a contaminated sofa, and many people suffering from increasingly severe reactions, sufferers were often unaware that the reaction they were experiencing was connected to their sofa.
Some sufferers even unwittingly aggravated their injuries by staying at home to recover from their symptoms, thereby further increasing their contact with the problem sofa.
How the stores reacted
The sofas were sold by Argos, Land of Leather and Walmsley Furnishing. After learning of the problem with their sofas, the shops selling them responded in different ways. According to a Daily Mail report from June 21, 2008, Argos, who had sold the most contaminated sofas, withdrew the sofas from their shops and notified buyers, contacting them to arrange collection of the products.
Land of Leather, meanwhile, withdrew the sofas but was criticised for not notifying buyers, while Walmsley said they had removed the sachets from sofas they sold after they learned of the issue, though they also did not recall the sofas which had already been sold, as Argos had done.
Claiming compensation for sofa rash
In the UK's largest ever consumer injury claim, thousands claimed for compensation against the stores where they bought their sofas. Compensation is expected to total up to £10m for this initial class action.
Along with the thousands already claiming compensation, an estimated tens of thousands could have suffered or still be suffering from burns which have not yet been linked to their sofas. These cases could lead to further claims for compensation.
If you have been affected by a 'toxic' sofa and experienced skin problems as a result, you could be entitled to claim compensation for your injuries and money lost due to time off work.
National Accident Helpline can help you make a sofa burn claim. We will put you in touch with a specialist personal injury lawyer to help you with your claim.
Filed under Health Insurance by on Sep 3rd, 2010. Comment.
i need help with a tax and claim problem pleaseee thank you?
just had our home insurance claim money through, is it true that the insurance company need an invoice to claim the tax back?
Don't have any knowledge re VAT, but there is no income tax involvement in this.
Filed under Home Insurance by on May 24th, 2010. Comment.