• How to protect yourself against cyber attacks

    How to protect yourself against cyber attacks

    This article was published on Thur 24 Oct 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month and we’re doing our bit to raise awareness about cybercrime and how it can affect your daily life – whilst bringing you top tips on how to stay safe online.

    We’re more connected to technology than ever before. From shopping and online banking, to email and social media, our personal information is increasingly digitalised. And as a consequence, the threat of cyberattacks continues to expand and evolve.

    That’s why it’s vitally important to stay secure and safe online.

    What is cybercrime?

    Cybercrime is any criminal activity that involves a computer or network.

    Examples include, fraud, bullying, theft or grooming that are committed online using a device, such as smartphones, tablets or other devices.

    Cybercrime also includes crimes against your computer or device, such as contaminating or corrupting it with viruses or taking-over your social media profile, email account or your website.

    What is cyber security?

    Cyber security is the measures you can take to protect the devices you use, and services you access online from cybercrime. Cyber security is also a way of preventing unauthorised access to your personal information that you store on a device or online.

    Now that smartphones, computers and the internet are such a fundamental part of everyday life, cyber security is essential for everyone, not just businesses, to go about their day-to-day lives.

    What can I do to protect myself?

    There are a number of steps you can take to stay safe and secure online. From updating your privacy settings, to getting the latest software, here are some tips and resources to help you protect your devices and data.

    OWN IT

    Stay safe on social media by limiting what you share, changing your passwords and checking your security settings.

    You should also update your privacy settings regularly, whether this is on shopping websites, your email or music services you use.

    Make sure your personal information is safe on the apps you download, too. With so many apps available, data like your name, email address or home address may be being used without realising it.

    SECURE IT

    By creating strong passwords or turning on multifactor authentication (double log-in), you’re building stronger layers of protection against your personal information and keeping your devices well-protected.

    PROTECT IT

    It’s also important that you are using the latest security software and apply updates when possible. This will help to ensure cybercriminals are kept out – and stay out!

    Helpful resources:

    us.norton.com/internetsecurity-privacy-cyber-safety-guide-tips-to-own-it-secure-it-protect-it.html

    takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/

    ncsc.gov.uk/section/information-for/individuals-families

    stopthinkconnect.org/tips-advice/general-tips-and-advice

    getsafeonline.org/

    Chris Morey

    ,

  • Mental Health Awareness Day

    Mental Health Awareness Day

    This article was published on Thur 10 Oct 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but as today is mental health awareness day, it is a great day to look after your own wellbeing and show support to others.

    Mental health describes how you are feeling and how well you can cope with day to day life. Taking care of your mental health is as important as taking care of your physical health.  Mental health problems affect around 1 in 4 people*.

    How to take care of your mental health

    • Talk about your feelings – talking can help you take charge of your wellbeing
    • Keep active – regular exercise can boost your self-esteem, can help you concentrate, sleep and overall feel better
    • Eat well – a diet that is good for your physical health is also good for your mental health
    • Drink sensibly – drinking alcohol is not a good way to manage difficult feelings
    • Keep in touch – it’s good for you to catch up with friends and family face to face or over the phone
    • Ask for help – its ok not to be ok, so ask for help if you are struggling
    • Take a break – a change of scenery or pace is good for you
    • Do something you’re good at – enjoying yourself can help beat stress
    • Accept who you are – accept your uniqueness, don’t wish you were someone else
    • Care for others – supporting others uplifts you as well as them

    Worrying about money can negatively affect your mental health and for those people experiencing mental health problems it makes it harder to manage their finances. Problem debt can also be linked to suicide.

    According to Money and Mental Health Policy Institute, over 420,000 people in problem debt consider taking their own life in England every year, while more than 100,000 people in debt actually attempt suicide annually**.

    Police Mutual are here to help. We want to break down the stigma surrounding debt and get people talking about money.

    We’ve teamed up with PayPlan, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

    They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

    Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan on 0800 197 8433

    Police Mutual Care Line Service provided by Health Assured can offer advice and information at the end of a phone, helping with a range of concerns. To talk to someone please call 0800 028 1708 or take a look at the e-portal –

    Health & Wellbeing e-portal
    https://healthassuredeap.co.uk/
    Username: policemutual
    Password: careline

    Police Mutual offer a range of wellbeing support services, for more details check out the For You pages on our website www.policemutual.co.uk

    All of our Relationship Managers and Financial Wellbeing Consultants are trained Mental Health First Aiders

    *According to Mental Health First Aid Organisation
    **Money and Health Policy Institute report ‘a silent killer’ Published December 2018

    Police Mutual Assurance Society Limited, trading as Police Mutual is an incorporated friendly society Registered office: Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QS. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

    ,

  • Tips for winter driving

    Tips for winter driving

    This article was published on Mon 07 Oct 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Driving on the roads can be tricky at the best of times, but the winter months can add to this with shorter daylight hours, poor driving conditions, busy roads, distracted drivers, and even a few pedestrians you need to watch out for. To help you avoid some of the more common motoring problems and be more prepared as bad weather hits, we’ve put together a few handy hints to help you and your family. Many of these may come as second nature to you, but it might be handy to share with your family.

    Winter essentials for your car

    It’s important to give your car a regular check and with busy lives, it’s something that we can all easily forget.

    • Check your oil levels and battery, and make sure that your lights are in good working condition.

    • Don’t get caught out by the early morning and late night frost. Buy yourself a new supply of de-icer and keep it in your glove compartment along with an ice scraper, it’s sensible to keep a back-up supply in the boot as well. Remember, never pour boiling water onto your windscreen as it can scratch or crack the glass.

    • It’s really important to check your tyres to ensure you’ve got all the grip you need. A simple way to test this is by using a 20 pence coin. Just insert the coin into the main tread grooves of your tyres. If the coin’s outer band is no longer visible then your tread is above the legal limit. Look online for more safety guidance and get your tyres tested by a professional if you’re unsure.

    • Check your wiper blades for wear and tear and don’t forget that you’ll also need a higher concentration of screen wash in winter to compensate for the colder temperatures. Make sure to check your screen wash level regularly too, as you’ll be using it a lot more than in the summer!

    • Think about packing an emergency kit for your car, especially if you’re going on a long journey. Possible items could include a shovel, high-visibility vest, reflective warning sign, torch, blanket, jump leads, extra warm clothing, first aid kit and don’t forget some snacks or chocolate!

    Many garages offer winter checks for your car, so if in doubt about what you should check, seek some help.

    Prepare for your journey

    • If you can, plan your journey in advance and check for any roadworks or closures, and updates on the weather forecast. With shorter daylight hours, there’s potential for delays and accidents, so also remember to allow extra time for each journey.

    • Driving in these conditions can be very tiring and some road accidents are caused by driver tiredness, so make sure that you take plenty of rest breaks and if possible share the driving with someone else.

    • Finally, if you are carrying personal possessions in the car, try and keep them out of sight in the boot. This will become increasingly important as we approach the festive season, with presents and gifts carried in the car.

    Check your breakdown cover

    No one wants to breakdown at any time of the year, but they are commonplace in the winter months, so it will be worth checking if you have cover and, if you do, what level of cover you have.

    Good time to check if you are fully covered with your car insurance or have an individual breakdown policy?

    Car Insurance just for the Police family

    Police Mutual car insurance isn’t for everyone. If you look on price comparison website, you won’t find us. Why? Because our car insurance is exclusively for serving or retired Police Officers, Staff and their families.

    Car insurance renewal not due?

    No worries. You can switch to us anytime as we pay the cancellation fee that might be charged by your current insurer, up to £125.

    Breakdown Cover

    You can also purchase Breakdown cover for your vehicle with optional European cover from Police Mutual.

    For more information about our car insurance and breakdown cover, click here or call 0151 242 7640.

    Police Mutual car insurance is provided by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc.
    Police Mutual Rescue (Breakdown Cover) is provided by ERS (Syndicate 218 at Lloyds)
    PMGI Limited, trading as Police Mutual, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England & Wales No. 1073408. Registered office:

    Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QS.

    For your security, all telephone calls are recorded and may be monitored.

    Chris Morey

  • Sleeptember 2019

    Sleeptember 2019

    This article was published on Tue 17 Sep 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Most healthy adults need between 7 to 9 hours of good quality sleep per night to function at your best

    We spend about a third of our lives asleep. Sleep is essential – It is as important to our bodies as eating, drinking and breathing, and is vital for maintaining good mental and physical health. Sleeping helps us to recover from mental as well as physical exertion.

    Sleep and health are strongly related – poor sleep can increase the risk of having poor health, and poor health can make it harder to sleep.  Sleep disturbances can be one of the first signs of distress.

    Common mental health problems like anxiety and depression can often underpin sleep problems.

    According to The Sleep Council organisation shift work can be harmful to sleep

    Poor Sleep or lack of sleep can lead to –

    • Mood changes
    • High levels of Stress
    • High levels of anger
    • A higher tendency to take drugs and drink alcohol

    How to look after yourself when working nights

    • Manage your time correctly
    • Eat correctly
    • Prepare yourself to be in the best condition possible for your night shift

    There are four simple things to consider to help you with a period of poor sleep:

    • Health – It’s important to address any mental and physical health worries that might keep you awake.
    • Environment – Where you sleep is important. Watching TV, playing with phones or eating in bed can all affect the quality of our sleep. Temperature, noise levels and light all play a part in determining our sleep.
    • Attitude – In the time before we go to bed, we should try and wind down, be less stimulated, and relax. Try relaxation techniques, a warm bath or mindfulness practice.
    • Lifestyle – Stimulants like caffeine can make it harder to sleep, and a heavy or sugary meal close to bedtime can make sleep uncomfortable and alcohol can reduce the quality of sleep.

    Top 10 reasons to get a good night’s sleep

    • Sleep helps reduce stress
    • Sleep can improve your memory
    • Sleep can lower your blood pressure
    • Sleep can help you maintain your weight
    • Sleep puts you in a better mood
    • Sleep could reduce your chances of diabetes
    • Sleep helps keep your heart healthy
    • Sleep can be a painkiller
    • Sleep can make you smarter

    Risks of poor sleep

    • Memory issues
    • Mood changes
    • Trouble with thinking and concentration
    • Accidents – car or in the home
    • Weakened immunity
    • High blood pressure
    • Risk of diabetes
    • Weight gain
    • Risk of heart disease
    • Poor balance

    What to do if you can’t sleep

    • Try mindfulness sleep here
    • Use the Headspace App here
    • Have a look at MindFit Cop on the Oscar Kilo website here
    • Watch this Webinar here
    • Try this 4 week plan here
    • Talk to your line manager
    • Talk to your EAP provider
    Police Mutual Care Line Service provided by Health Assured can offer advice and information at the end of a phone, helping with a range of concerns including sleep problems. To talk to someone please call 0800 028 1708 or take a look at the e-portal –
    Health & Wellbeing e-portal
    https://healthassuredeap.co.uk/ Username: policemutual Password: careline  

    Police Mutual offer a range of wellbeing support services, for more details check out the For You pages on our website www.policemutual.co.uk

    Police Mutual Assurance Society Limited, trading as Police Mutual is an incorporated friendly society Registered office: Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QS. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

    ,

  • World Suicide Prevention Day 10 September

    World Suicide Prevention Day 10 September

    This article was published on Tue 10 Sep 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Suicide is preventable, it’s not inevitable

    High financial stress and mental health are intrinsically linked.

    Worrying about money negatively affects people’s mental health and for those people experiencing mental health problems it makes it harder to manage their finances.

    It can become a vicious cycle. Research has shown that money worries don’t just affect your personal life, they can also affect your family life, health and work.

    According to a survey of 5,500 people carried out by the Money and Mental Health Organisation*

    • 46% of people in problem debt also have a mental health problem.
    • 86% of people with experience of mental health problems said that their financial situation had made their mental health problems worse.
    • Almost one in five people with mental health problems are in problem debt.
    • People experiencing mental health problems are three and a half times more likely to be in problem debt than people without mental health problems.
    • 72% said that their mental health problems had made their financial situation worse

    Many people who are experiencing high financial stress feel unable to talk openly about their situation due to feelings of shame or guilt or fears that it may impact their career.

    Problem debt can also be linked to suicide.

    According to Money and Mental Health Policy Institute

    Over 420,000 people in problem debt considered taking their own life in England last year, while more than 100,000 people in debt actually attempt suicide annually**.

    Individuals with multiple debt problems are at a ‘significantly high risk of suicide’ than those with just one problem debt.

    Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 49.

    Police Mutual are here to help. Our mission is to break down the stigma surrounding debt and get people talking about money.

    We’ve teamed up with PayPlan, one of the UK’s leading free debt advice providers, who offer free and confidential advice to anyone in serious financial difficulties.

    They’re able to advise you on a range of debt solutions suited to your individual circumstances, helping to protect you and your family with a sustainable way to manage your debt.

    Get free and confidential help to combat your debt, call PayPlan on 0800 197

    All of our Relationship Managers and Financial Wellbeing Consultants are trained Mental Health First Aiders

    Police Mutual Care Line Service provided by Health Assured can offer advice and information at the end of a phone, helping with a range of concerns. To talk to someone please call 0800 028 1708 or take a look at the e-portal –

    Health & Wellbeing e-portal

    https://healthassuredeap.co.uk/

    Username: policemutual
    Password: careline

    Police Mutual offer a range of wellbeing support services, for more details check out the For You pages on our website www.policemutual.co.uk

    * Money and Health Policy Institute report ‘Debt and Mental Health’ Published March 2019

    ** Money and Health Policy Institute report ‘a silent killer’ Published December 2018

    Police Mutual Assurance Society Limited, trading as Police Mutual is an incorporated friendly society Registered office: Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QS. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority.

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

    ,

  • Top Tips for improving your financial wellbeing during scroll free September

    Top Tips for improving your financial wellbeing during scroll free September

    This article was published on Tue 10 Sep 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    People spend on average 2 hours per day on social media*. You could use this time during September to take control of your finances

    • Use our budget calculator here to help you manage your money. Set yourself a daily spend limit based on how much disposable cash you have each month
    • Set up a separate bill account and transfer an amount each month to cover the cost of all your household bills
    • Check your bank balance each week so there are no nasty surprises. Consider using an app so you can see all your accounts in one place
    • Switch your current account – banks will often pay you to switch accounts use the link here for more information
    • Look at your general insurance, using the link here for Police Mutual car insurance and here for Police Mutual home insurance
    • Check your utility bills, for more information use the link here
    • Review your mortgage – for more information on the Police Mutual mortgage advice service click here

    Check your credit score using one of the various companies available online including, Experian, Equifax

    Why go #ScrollFree this September

    Social media is great at connecting people from all walks of life, but have you ever thought about how it may be having a negative impact on your life?  By going scroll free for a month, you’ll have a chance to reflect on your social media use, what you missed, what you didn’t and what you got to do and enjoy instead.

    3/4 of those who went scroll free in 2018 said it improved their mental health according to the Royal Society for Public Health

    Scroll Free September offers a unique opportunity to take a break from all personal social accounts for 30 days during September

    #ScrollFree

    Police Mutual offer a range of wellbeing support services, for more details check out the For You pages on our website www.policemutual.co.uk

    *according to a report carried out by globalwebindex.com

    Want to learn more? Access our wellbeing hub here.

    Chris Morey

  • Protect what matters most to you

    Protect what matters most to you

    This article was published on Tue 21 May 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Protect what matters most to you

    We know how important it is to protect the things that matter most. What’s more, getting car and home insurance that is right for you with the right level of cover can be a minefield.

    The car and home insurance market is one area where you really need to keep your eyes peeled. At Police Mutual we believe in making it easy for our members, providing great protection as standard with no hidden costs.

    It’s important to remember when making a decision on your insurance sometimes you have to look behind the headline policy cost.

    We take a different approach compared to many insurers in the marketplace. There’s no charge for the convenience of paying by monthly instalments or admin fees for making policy changes. Plus, to make it even easier for you to look after your prized possessions we pay the cancellation fee that might be charged by your current provider, up to the value of £125. This means you can change insurers before your current policy expires.

    Understanding what matters to our customers

    We know home, and family time spent at home is hugely important for everyone. Last year we commissioned a survey to find out what makes a house a home for the Police family, with the aim to better understand what matters.

    When asked ‘Which items would you save if your home was on fire?’ responses ranged from:

    • The Essentials – family, pets, photos, phones and computers;
    • The Practicals – cash, bank card, car keys, contact lenses, important documents, passport and insulin pump;
    • The Sentimentals – Grandfather’s First World War medals, photos of deceased family members, daughter’s cuddly toy rabbit; and
    • The Matters to Me – bed, fridge and sofa, my password list, the books I’m writing, my financial paperwork, penguin shaped vase, piece of Elvis’ hair, (full) wine rack and action figure collectibles!

    It’s really interesting, but not surprising, to see how much importance people put on their personal belongings and the contents of their home, from key pieces of furniture to electricals and technology. This ties into the claims data we see, which shows that the most frequent claims we receive relate to accidental damage to contents in the home and loss and damage to personal belongings.

    Not surprisingly, the research demonstrated the huge range of items that people apply sentimental value to. We know we can’t bring back the sentimental value, however we can ensure that we are there to help our members when they really need us.

    What we are most proud of is our friendly Liverpool team and the service we offer, making people want to stay with us as they know they are in safe hands.

    Not only that it’s the little things we believe are important, doing more to help look after your car and home – we want to ensure our members get a better policy as standard without the need to take out multiple optional extras:

    • Up to £500 in Home Emergency Cover as standard on our home insurance product, providing you with immediate assistance in the event of a domestic emergency.
    • If you are buying a brand new car, we offer new car replacement cover as standard for the first 2 years of ownership.
    • An extra £5,000 in contents cover around religious festivals such as Christmas.
    • Cover when driving a courtesy car when your car is in for a service.
    • Low compulsory excesses so you don’t get stung when it comes to claiming.
    • Longer cover when driving abroad, with us you are covered for 6 months compared to 3 months with many competitors.

    Terms and conditions apply.

    It’s no wonder on average someone insures with Police Mutual every 4 minutes*

    Our car and home insurance is provided by Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance plc. PMGI Limited, trading as Police Mutual, is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Registered in England & Wales No. 1073408. Registered office: Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire, WS13 6QS. Calls to 0800 numbers are free from UK landlines and mobiles. For your security, all telephone calls are recorded and may be monitored.

    *Calculation is based on 135,179 live policies which includes new business and renewals as at 3 May 2018

    Chris Morey

    ,

  • Young driver car insurance: things to consider

    Young driver car insurance: things to consider

    This article was published on Fri 03 May 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    A pivotal moment in most young adults’ lives is the day you pass your driving test. All your hard work has paid off and you’ve got more freedom than ever before. But if paying for all the lessons wasn’t expensive enough, once you pass you’ve got the cost of your car insurance to deal with.

    The cost of insurance is based on the level of risk there’s expected to be. The perceived higher risk results in a higher price. Younger drivers are seen to be high risk because of their lack of experience. Statistics from THINK! do show that a fifth of newly-qualified drivers suffer an accident within the first year of passing their test [1]. Other factors that can impact the cost of young drivers’ insurance includes:

    The car you drive

    A car’s age, value, engine size, and potential cost and time of repairs all contribute to the calculation of premiums. Newer, more powerful cars will typically be more expensive to insure.

    Who are you

    Where you live, your age, your occupation and if you’ve got a no claims free driving history can all affect how much you can end up paying.

    Your level of cover 

    Reduced cover doesn’t always mean a reduced price. In reality, third-party cover is generally more expensive. Research shows that this is because people who take out third-party policies are more likely to make a claim than those on fully comprehensive cover [2].

    Opting for comprehensive cover shows your insurer that you are more responsible, so it can be cheaper after all.

    Your excess

    Excess is the amount of money you must pay towards a claim made on your policy before the insurance company picks up the bill. The larger the amount you are prepared to pay in the event of a claim will reduce the cost of your premium. Make sure you choose an excess that you’re sure you can afford to pay if it calls for it.

    Reducing the cost of your insurance

    Research shows that for the average young driver as much as 10% of your whole yearly salary can be swallowed up by the cost of your car insurance. [3] That’s money that could be better spent on enjoying being able to drive. So what could you do to keep down the price?

    Your car

    After all those years of waiting to drive your own car it can be really tempting to get something fast and flamboyant. But what you gain for looking good, you’ll have to pay more for to insure. Again it all goes back to perceived risk. Cars with more power are seen as a risk and more likely to be involved in an accident or as a target for thieves. A more modest vehicle might not be as impressive but will be much cheaper to insure.

    Make safety a priority

    There’s a few things you can do to keep your car secure that will help ease your car insurance price and give you peace of mind too. Park your car in your garage if you can, or at least off the road overnight. It could also make a difference if you invest in some security devices like an alarm, tracker and immobiliser.

    Add mum or dad to your policy

    Including a more experienced driver to your policy could lead to cheaper insurance. Even if they don’t drive your car very often, adding someone older with a claim free history and no points on their licence could help! Be aware of ‘fronting’ though. Putting them as the main driver instead of a named driver is illegal and will mean an insurer could reject any claims you make.

    Get a black box

    Young people are stereotyped as a risk and therefore more costly to cover. Black boxes allow for young drivers to be judged on their own driving ability instead. Once installed in your car the box would monitor your driving and the results will be used to determine your price at renewal. If you drive safely it could save you money.

    All part of the service

    At Police Mutual we agree that it’s only fair that younger drivers are judged on how safe they are behind the wheel and not their age. That’s why we’ve carefully chosen to work with More Th>n and their Smart Wheels telematics black box technology to offer Young Driver Insurance. More Th>n’s black box technology offers younger drivers the chance to get a lower premium and to build a no claim discount in claim free years. Find out more and how to get your quote here:

    Young Driver Car Insurance is provided by More Th>n. Visit our legal page for further details.

    Sources:

    1 https://www.think.gov.uk/campaign/road-whisperer/

    2 https://www.moneysupermarket.com/car-insurance/third-party-only/

    3  https://www.abi.org.uk/news/news-articles/2018/02/cost-of-car-insurance-now-gobbles-up-10-percent-of-a-young-drivers-average-salary/

    Chris Morey

    ,

  • Telephone number change

    Telephone number change

    We’re making some changes to our telephone numbers and we wanted to keep you updated on what’s happening and how it could affect you.

    This article was published on Fri 05 Apr 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    We’re replacing our non-geographic telephone numbers (i.e. those starting 08 and 03) with our regional numbers.

    Using regional numbers provides an opportunity for us to save costs without impacting the services that you will receive. We also want to reduce the telephone numbers we use, to make things more efficient to manage, and more straightforward for you.

    We recently conducted a review of our telephony usage overall and the decision to make the changes was made to ensure we are managing our business in the best possible way for our members. This ensures we can continue to support our affinities for the long-term.

    Unfortunately this means now that depending on whether you are calling from a landline or a mobile and the call plan you are on, it could now cost you to call us. Geographic UK numbers cost up to 13p per minute from a landline and from 3p to 15p per minute from a mobile. You can read more about call charges here.

    Our numbers will begin to switch over from Saturday 6 April 2019, but don’t worry it shouldn’t impact our services to you. For the next 12 months, if you do call one of our old numbers they will still work but there will be a message advising you of our new numbers that you will need to use in the future.

    Here are the new phone numbers you will now need to contact us:

    Insurance0151 242 7640
    Savings & Investments
    Including Options ISA, Regular Savings Plans, Guaranteed ISA top-up and Savings for Children    		01543 441630
    NARPO0151 242 7645
    Mortgages01543 441630
    Healthcare01543 441630
    Complaints01543 305318
    IFA0151 242 7829

    To find out about the other ways you can speak to us visit our Contact Us page

    Chris Morey

  • 5 golden rules when choosing an investment

    5 golden rules when choosing an investment

    This article was published on Fri 05 Apr 2019. At the time of publishing, this article was true and accurate, however, over time this may have changed. Some links may no longer work. If you have any concerns about this please contact us

    Looking to invest? Check out these important things to consider.

    If you have made the decision to start investing, it’s important to take the time to research the market and find the right product for you. Below are some golden rules to follow to help you through the process.

    1. Higher returns = higher risks
    If you don’t want to or can’t take any risks with your money then investing may not be right for you. The basic rule is that to improve your chances of better returns you will have to accept more risk. When you are selecting your investment product always consider the level of risk you are willing or able to take. Try looking for investment products that can help you manage risks by offering some guarantees to protect your growth.

    2. Be diversified
    Putting all of your money in one type of investment can be risky, a bit like putting all of your eggs in one basket. You can reduce this risk by choosing a product that spreads your money across a mix of investment types and sectors. This is called diversifying and works on the basis that when prices in one investment area may be falling they could be rising in another. This can help to balance out the risk and return on your investment.

    3. Think long term
    The longer your money is invested the better chance it has to grow in value and produce a favourable return. There are of course no guarantees but keeping your investment for at least 5 years, or ideally 10 or more years, increases the potential for better returns. This is because there’s more time for your investment to recover from any short-term drops in value. If you think you may want access to your money in the short term you might want to consider a cash savings product instead.

    4. Let the experts help
    Investing does not need to be complex or time consuming. You can of course choose to manage your investments yourself but this does take time and takes a certain level of expertise. If you are new to investing or short on time, consider looking for an investment product where the fund and your money is managed for you by experts. If you’re unsure about which type of investment is right for you, think about contacting a financial adviser for help and support.

    5. Keep an eye on your investments
    You should take time to review your investments on an annual basis to make sure they are on track. This will allow you to monitor how they are performing and make any necessary adjustments to help you reach your savings goals. Remember the value of investments can vary all the time as the markets fall and rise, investing over the long term can help minimise the impact of this. If you are constantly worrying about how your investments are performing then it might be time to review whether this level of risk is right for you.


    Police Mutual offer a range of savings and investments products. Whether you want to save regularly or invest a larger amount our products could help meet your needs. To find out more about our range click here or call the team on 0345 88 22 999.

    Police Mutual Assurance Society Limited is an incorporated friendly society. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Registered office: Alexandra House, Queen Street, Lichfield, Staffordshire WS13 6QS.

    Chris Morey