Speed cameras on the slopes

Switzerland is reportedly trying to cut down on the number of skiing accidents by introducing speed cameras onto the slopes.

State-run Insurance company Swiss Accident Insurance (Suva), is set to bring in speed traps as part of a safety campaign aimed at reducing the number of winter sport-related accidents.

Officials carrying hand-held radar speed devices will be deployed to catch speeders, any one caught speeding could have their ski pass confiscated or get stung with a fine.


The scheme is said to have been prompted by figures showing a dramatic increase in ski-related accidents in Switzerland.

Reports suggest there were over 70,000 accidents on Swiss ski slopes last year.
Suva spokeswoman Angela Zobrist said: “This is not another fun-spoiling campaign of the health and safety brigade and we don’t intend to raise a warning finger to all snow sport lovers.

"It is a genuine safety concern. You do not realise how fast you go, which can prove to be really dangerous if you impact with another skier or have any other incident.”

Costly DIY?

A recent survey of 1500 men has revealed more than a third (37%) admitted they don't really like doing DIY and another third of all men feel under pressure from their partners to undertake DIY jobs.

This figure is corroborated by the fact that 31% of women expect their partners to carry out the necessary home improvement and 49% think DIY skills are desirable in a prospective partner.

Conversely, only 2% of men expect their partners to be able to accomplish DIY tasks.

The survey further suggests that, in order to impress their partners, many men take on too ambitious and even possibly dangerous projects such as electric wiring or major building or gas works.

A spokesperson for ROSPA said "TV home makeover shows make it all appear so simple, and it's easy to forget that these are highly skilled professionals."

"In reality trying to tackle certain areas you are not qualified for such as electrics or plumbing is dangerous and could even invalidate your home insurance policy, leaving you liable for any subsequent damage. We'd recommend using a reputable tradesman rather than going it alone."

ROSPA urges homeowners who do not have the necessary qualifications or experience to be cautious, because their home insurance might be invalidated if their home improvement work goes wrong.

Accidental damage of sinks, baths, ceramic hobs or glass in doors is included in most policies, but common DIY disasters like drilling into a water pipe or putting a foot through the ceiling might require additional cover.

Making a false insurance claim could cost you your home

False claims and policyholders exaggerating the cost of damage costs the insurance industry £1.5 billion a year.

With fraudulent claims on the up and the cost of recent flood damage rising, insurance companies are continuing to crack down on false or inflated claims.

One of the ways they deter false claims is by sharing information with mortgage lenders and credit card providers, which could potentially make it much harder for claims cheats to obtain credit.

John Beadle, RSA's counter fraud manager, said: "The reality is that insurance fraud adds a significant amount to overall claim costs and it's the honest policyholders who are the true victim, Fraud adds five per cent onto their insurance bills"

He added "Consumers need to be aware that in the near future we will be able to monitor fraud across a spectrum of financial products. So if a person commits fraud on a claim and is detected, other companies, like mortgage lenders and credit card providers will be aware of it".

You've been warned!