How to Prevent Burst Pipes

Burst pipes are a nightmare for any homeowner or business owner. Not only can they cause extensive damage, but the cleanup can also be challenging due to cold weather. Most burst pipes are caused by frozen pipes. Here’s how to prevent burst pipes during Alberta’s cold winters. 

1. Ensure pipes are properly insulated.  

Insulation is important for keeping the heat in your home or building. However, even with proper insulation, there can be cold spots inside cabinets or because of a faulty furnace. Ensure your home or building is properly insulated. If this has been done or it’s not possible, you can insulate the pipes themselves by using spray-foam insulation or insulation pipe wrap. Focus on exterior walls and unheated areas (and the pipes adjacent to those unheated areas).  

2. Properly seal any cracks and holes.  

Cracks and holes can let cold air in which can cause pipes to freeze

Insuring an Ugly Christmas Sweater

Who doesn’t love an ugly Christmas sweater? Whether yours is homemade, bought with intention, or found in the back of a closet, these sweaters are a great way to celebrate the holidays. But what happens if that ugly Christmas sweater is stolen or damaged? It all depends on how it’s insured.  

Insuring an Ugly Christmas Sweater Under Property Insurance 

Whether you own or rent a house, condo or apartment, your property insurance includes contents coverage. This covers your personal belongings up to a specified limit if they’re damaged by an insured peril such as fire or theft. If your policy covers you for all risks, make sure you review the exclusions. 

There can be a per item limit ($1,000 to $2,000) and an overall maximum limit for more valuable items. You determine the overall limit when you purchase your tenant’s, condo or home insurance with your broker.  

For example, if

New year, new insurance needs: 5 areas to review.

Have you set resolutions for the new year? We have a request for you: In addition to your personal resolutions, take time to make necessary updates and changes to your insurance, too.

Many areas of your life ─ like your home, car, family, business, and plans ─ could have changed in the last 12 months. That’s why it’s a good habit to use the new year as a time to refresh coverage and set yourself up for success.

Not sure what to look over? Here are some key insurance areas to review:

  1. Your home inventory. Did you get any expensive gifts over the holidays or invest in big-ticket items like a flat-screen TV this year? Homeowners and renters insurance can be lifesavers in times of disaster, but policies have limits and require up-to-date records of your belongings. The beginning of the year is a great time to review your belongings

NobleOak Life wins inaugural Money Magazine Best Direct Life Insurance Cover of the Year Award 2022

NobleOak Life Limited (NobleOak) has continued its dominance as the most awarded direct life insurer by winning the inaugural Money Magazine Consumer Finance Awards Direct Life Insurance Cover of the Year 2022.

Anthony Brown, CEO of NobleOak, said, “This is the first time Money Magazine has awarded an insurer in the life insurance category. To be the first company to receive this distinction is very gratifying.”

Money Magazine partnered with Plan for Life, Actuaries & Researchers who are specialists in analysis of the Australian financial services industry, to complete the independent review of products offered direct in the market.

Plan for Life compared product offerings from direct life insurers based not only on their financial position but also market performance, product excellence and features, premium rates and customer service.

Mr Brown continued, “The combination of low premiums, outstanding personal service and range of product options was identified as being best

NobleOak recognised as #1 Sales Contact Centre 2022

The NobleOak sales team has just been crowned the number 1 sales contact centre in Australia by GRIST Consulting. They are ranked number 1 out of 34 Australian contact centres across six different industries, including banking, energy and health and life insurance.

Anthony Brown, CEO of NobleOak, commented, “We are absolutely delighted to receive this prestigious title of being the best sales contact centre nationally. It validates our approach on how we engage with customers and our core value of always putting customers first in everything we do.”

Winning this award has been a journey for NobleOak. After placing 2nd in 2020 (and with COVID-19 preventing the awards taking place in 2021) NobleOak increased the focus on the key behaviours that matter most to customers to take out this prestigious title.

Mr Brown continued, “What is most rewarding is that not only was our sales contact centre nominated as

Are you overpaying for life insurance?

Life insurance isn’t the cheapest thing in the world. However, cost is a key reason some people refrain from getting it despite how useful it can be.

What’s more, certain types of life insurance can seem even costlier than their actual value. That’s why it can be discouraging to think that you’re overpaying for a service that’s already considered expensive.

In NobleOak’s 2022 Whitepaper, research respondents confirmed that ‘not seeing the value in their policy’ was one of the main reasons they didn’t renew their cover. Another reason was that people didn’t know if they had the right type or amount of cover. Unfortunately, this is something that happens quite often. And it has to do with how well you’re able to compare available offers. Because without thoroughly analysing them, you’re more than likely to overpay for the kind of insurance you actually need.

Presumably, overpaying for life insurance

Online is for all ages when buying life insurance

It would be no surprise to anyone that young people born into the digital age are more advanced with online technology compared to older people who grew up in the non-digital, pre-internet age.

However, when it comes to looking for information on life insurance and buying it online things are beginning to change.

According to NobleOak’s 2022 Whitepaper research conducted in 2022 the internet is the most used source for finding information generally as well as for getting comparisons and checking customer reviews. And even more so for taking out life insurance cover direct.

Buying insurance via websites is the dominant option

What may surprise you is that in the 2017 NobleOak survey just 20% of people bought through a website. Fast forward to the 2022 Whitepaper survey and we see quite a different picture. Now 48% of respondents indicated a preference for buying their insurance through websites.  The survey

NobleOak Life partners with Heritage Bank to provide outstanding life insurance solutions

Heritage Bank members can now consider fully underwritten life insurance thanks to a new partnership with Australia’s most awarded direct life insurer for the past three years running^, NobleOak Life.

The partnership will help Heritage members access information about life insurance options available to consider to protect the financial security of their families and loved ones.

The NobleOak life insurance product will initially be available from NobleOak by referral via Heritage’s online channels, and then later this year information will also be available in-branch also via a referral model. Heritage Bank customers will be able to access a two month free^^ launch offer if they take out cover before 30 September 2022.

NobleOak CEO Anthony Brown, said the arrangement brought together two brands who prided themselves on putting the needs of their customers first.

“NobleOak Life puts customers at the heart of everything we do and we are delighted to

NobleOak wins the 2022 Finder ‘Best Life Insurer’ and ‘Best Income Protection Insurer’ Award

NobleOak continues to consolidate its position as a leading provider of high quality and outstanding value Life Insurance products by winning both Finder’s ‘Best Life Insurer’ award for the fourth year in a row and the Best ‘Income Protection Insurer’ award for the third year running.

The Finder Awards recognise the market’s most competitive offerings across credit cards, home loans, savings accounts, personal loans, insurance, phone plans, internet plans, superannuation and share trading.

Anthony Brown, CEO of NobleOak said, “Winning both Finder awards including the best Life Insurer award for the fourth-year running is testament to our great products. Finder provides an independent assessment of the quality and value of various life insurance products in the market before deciding on the award winner.”

“We strive to do the best for our customers, ensuring that they have access to quality cover at an affordable price without compromising on the level of

NobleOak Wins Customer Service Award at Plan For Life Direct Life Insurance Awards 2022

 

NobleOak has won the Plan For Life Customer Service Award for 2022. This is the third continuous year it has been awarded to NobleOak.

Anthony Brown, CEO of NobleOak, said “Winning the Customer Service Award for the third year in a row is a tremendous achievement for the team who work hard to deliver the best experience for our customers. Quality customer service is one of our top priorities.”

Not only did NobleOak win the Customer Service award this year, they also received three additional awards at the 2022 event including the:

  • Income Protection Award;
  • TPD Award
  • and the Innovation Award.

The Plan for Life Awards recognise excellence in the direct life insurance industry.

Mr Brown continued ‘These awards mean a lot to our team, I would like to thank Plan For Life for running the awards and our clients for putting their trust in us.’

The Plan for Life