Thoughts from the Shelf

The best performing unit trust in the UK last year was the Co-operative Insurance sustainable leaders trust. It came out on top of a list of the 324 all companies UK unit trusts, having avoided casino and tobacco industries that suffered a tough year.

(Read the BBC article here)

This is the first time an ethical investment fund has topped the performance chart, and has helped such investments take a step towards shedding the image that ethical investments are unprofitable. As a result investment funds such as these are growing in popularity.

In the news recently we have also seen Norway change is stance on the vice industries of corporate America. By recently pulling out of Wal-mart and defence contractors Boeing and Lockheed Martin for ‘ethical fallings’, Oslo is certainly revaluating where it’s $300 billion rainy day fund is invested.

Could it be as ethical investments grow ever more popular, and prove as profitable as investments guided without any ethical values, that larger institutions will take note and change their position on how their money is invested?

Anyone care to think of the impact of Saudi Oil fortunes coming to corporate America such with investment clauses?

The experiences of people who have an accident abroad vary greatly, often encountering different standards of health care that is dependant on the travel destination. It was not until an accident in summer 2004 I came to realise that simply because people are on holiday they are exempt from accidents, and in many cases act in ways that make them more prone to them.

As part of a university sports tour I was part of a large group who travelled by coach to Cella, a small town built for the summer influx of British students, located an hour north of Barcelona. It was here that we spent the week in typical student fashion, partying and sunning ourselves in the little daylight that was actually seen.

The morning after one such night I slipped off a raised platform, and with a lacerated thumb. With a tea towel wrapped around the wound I was instructed by the complex manager to walk a mile to the local hospital to seek attention. Although the language barrier proved a frustrating and time consuming obstacle, my thumb was eventually cleaned and sewn, albeit with stitches that would have looked more at home in a veterinary surgery.

The incident was not concluded there. The complexity was that I had lacerated the nerve running down the thumb and the resulting hospital hadn’t the facilities to operate, and would have meant a transfer to Barcelona. With a flight home only taking an hour, I caught a plane back to England where the operation was carried out on my return.

The experience played a crucial role in ensuring that I now always travel with my own medical insurance, although at the time my E111 and student travel insurance covered the costs, it could have been a lot worse.

On a recent trip this experience was put in stark contrast in an area of the world supposedly less developed than Spain. The country was Thailand, and the incident involved a group member being stabbed in the arm with a broken bottle.

The incident happened late at night, so a walk-in visit to the local hospital the morning after was required. Presented upon arrival was a hospital that rivalled anything I had previously seen. We were seen immediately, and after being taken into an immaculately clean room, the party member was bandaged up and on his way with antibiotics in hand.

Most of us are cautious to the extent that we insure items that hold a monitory value in-case the unexpected actually happens. Airing on the side of caution is a path many of us choose including myself, after all, it takes time to accumulate the possessions we hold dear and the thought that all could be lost in an instant doesn’t seem an acceptable burden.

This is true for more than material possessions and can also account for matters of health. In a growing ‘Nanny Culture’ it is the ‘Norm’ to insure oneself for unpredictable illness or accidents, in some cases even seeking compensation for the inconvenience.

Personally I believe there is a line. I find it acceptable to insure possessions that I am not able to immediately replace, in the event them becoming damaged or stolen. Having individual insurance policies for a mobile phone, TV, DVD player and personal computer has always seemed acceptable and sensible along with additional covers such as breakdown cover on car insurance, card protection with the Bank and home insurance.

It was not until an incident on the motorway where by I needed breakdown cover on New-Years Day that my thinking changed. Having not ticked the ‘Add Breakdown Cover’ box on the insurance application, and subsequently being left high and dry, I realised how much this call-out would cost. Needless to say I trawled home and decided to sit down and to reassess my priorities.

Having recently upgraded my mobile phone and needing travel insurance for my trip to the Far-East, I looked around for a package to cover all of my needs; the result was an account upgrade through my local bank. By paying around £14 a month I could have mobile phone insurance, travel insurance and breakdown cover which individually would set me back around £190 a year, which is a saving of £22, plus the piece of mind that all of my needs are catered for under one policy on a month to month basis as I am not tied to a yearly contract.

As well this cover I got protection on many of my major electrical items, card protection and housing insurance, which allows me to no longer worry about those expensive appliance warranty extensions, payment protection fees and a home insurance policy. It’s nice having piece of mind, and also having my policies grouped as it is far easier to keep a handle on things.

Seeing as these are thoughts from The Shelf, it would seem inappropriate not to post about the actions of UEFA this week in kicking Feyenoord out of the UEFA cup for crowd violence. After numerous warnings, and already playing behind closed doors at home, more crowd trouble occurred resulting in the last 16 match up with Tottenham being thrust into turmoil.

After recently purchasing tickets for the home leg, I was understandably disappointed to find out that Feyenoord had in fact been kicked out of the competition. Now we are either left with a rematch against the unglamorous Wisla Krakov who finished FORTH in the UEFA cup qualifying group, or a bye to the next round.

It has been widely rumoured that the board want Wisla Krakov to be reinstated to make up for the loss in gate receipts, although as Spurs remain in all four competitions in January, the manager Martin Jol would understandably take the bye and a much needed free fixture.

We will just have to wait until Thursday 25th to see how UEFA decide to deal with Spurs, and consequently my dream tickets.

As is the case with many contracts offered by phone companies these days, you are rewarded heavily for taking an 18 instead of 12 month contract option, both covering the increased retail cost of the latest hand sets, and keeping you cemented to a specific provider even longer. I have been a long term customer with 02, nearly 5 years and on the whole was happy with the service provided; (now they have ditched the premium rate helpline number).

The reception from 02 is good, even in the most remote of places, and as a provider they are competitive in terms of the plans offered. I have also experienced acceptable customer service when a problem has been identified and the online account management system employed is exceptionally easy to use.

I did however find myself reluctant to enter into an 18 month contract, and thus as upgrade time approached I simply didn’t, I kept my old phone and calling plan. However 6 months later my phone did indeed need replacing, and as a result I went hunting for different deals.

After a little investigating I identified the deals that best suited my phone usage, and required more minutes than the 200 previously provided. I discovered a contract that near enough suited my calling pattern, from three for £17.50 a month providing 300 calling minutes and 1000 text. I then got in contact with 02 to see if they could in fact match this deal as I was at present ‘a happy customer’.

What happen is pretty usual behaviour I hear, but demonstrates how playing a bit of cat and mouse can get you a far better contract. An initial phone conversation went along the lines of 02 being unable to match the contract offered by the 3 network and that was it – even after 5 years of custom.

I did not want to switch to the 3 network particularly, as I have heard mixed reviews regarding calling reception in the southwest. I bit the bullet and was willing to switch for the financial benefits. As I was put through to disconnections I was put through to a much more helpful customer service assistant. After 30 minutes of convincing me not to switch I was assigned a contract where by I get 500 minutes and 1150 texts for £2.50 extra a month, the end result meaning I don’t have to worry about over use.

So next time you renew a contract why not call the bluff and see how much more you can get out of your plan?