Minibus Club Article Archive

Did you know that you can buy breakdown assistance cover for your vehicle as an add-on to your minibus insurance? The Minibus Club offers optional breakdown assistance cover from the AA which has been specially designed for owners of larger vehicles such as minibuses. We only offer this cover when bought in combination with one of our minibus insurance policies.

Why worry about your vehicle breaking down? With our optional breakdown cover you will have the peace of mind that comes from knowing your vehicle and passengers will receive assistance should the worst happen.

When you consider that motorway towing charges can be £150 if you don’t have your own breakdown cover and the average garage call out charge is £90, then breakdown cover could easily pay for itself the first time you have to use it. Having a breakdown can not only be expensive but also rather inconvenient. Imagine how frustrating it would be if you could not use your minibus, especially if you rely on it to run your business.

Some breakdown assistance policies cover you as the driver regardless of which vehicle you are driving, whereas some cover your vehicle. Our breakdown cover is specific to your vehicle and will cover anyone who is insured to drive it. This means should you breakdown in any vehicle other than the one covered on your minibus insurance policy you will not be covered.

The breakdown cover offered by the Minibus Club includes two main types of cover, Roadside and at Home. We’ll take a look at Roadside cover first.

If your minibus breaks down whilst away from home the AA will send a patrol or contractor to help you. If your vehicle cannot be repaired immediately it will be taken to a nearby authorised repairer where you can arrange for further repairs to be made. Should the AA not be able to repair your vehicle within a reasonable amount of time they will arrange to take your vehicle and any passengers in your vehicle to the destination of the driver’s choice, in one non-stop journey. This facility may also be provided if the driver of your minibus falls ill and there are no passengers who can drive the vehicle, so that the journey can be completed.

Whilst we hope you never need to use our breakdown cover your vehicle can just as easily break down whilst at home. In the event that this should happen the AA will arrange for someone to come out and help. If your vehicle cannot be repaired immediately then it will be taken to a nearby garage, where you can arrange for repairs to be carried out.

As with other breakdown recovery services you cannot claim in some situations. For a full list please click here to access the policy booklet. However the main exclusions are:

The costs of spare parts, fuel, oil, keys, or other materials and garage labour; Any vehicles that cannot be recovered by normal trailers or transport.

So if you’re thinking about buying breakdown cover for your minibus as part of your minibus insurance package don’t put it off; call us at the Minibus Club where our helpful staff will be pleased to assist you.

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This article was brought to you by The Minibus Club. For more information about Minibus insurance visit www.minibusclub.co.uk

Buying the right type of minibus insurance for your vehicle can be a challenge, especially if you use your minibus for hire and reward. At the Minibus Club we are specialists in offering hire and reward minibus insurance.

A minibus driven for hire and reward is licensed by one of a number of organisations depending on where your business is located and how many seats your vehicle has. If your minibus has eight or less passenger seats then the vehicle is in effect a minicab and will be licensed by your local authority or if you operate in the Greater London area by Transport for London (“TfL”). Where this is the case you will also need to obtain a private hire driver’s licence or a hackney carriage licence to drive your minibus, these can be obtained either from TfL or your local authority.

If however your minibus is designed or adapted to carry nine or more passengers and does so for hire and reward it is a public service vehicle. This type of minibus requires a different licence which is called a Public Service Vehicle Operators licence and is sometimes abbreviated to PSV-O or PSV. These licences are issued by VOSA the national government agency responsible for licensing larger commercial vehicles.

VOSA define hire or reward as “When an operator or owner driver takes payment which gives a passenger a right to be carried on the vehicle regardless of whether a profit is made or not. The payment may be made by the passenger, or on the passenger’s behalf. It may be (a) a direct payment (e.g. a fare) or (b) an indirect payment (this could be an exchange for services such as a membership subscription to a club, payment for a bed in a hotel, school fees or payment for concert tickets where travel is included; the payment does not have to be money and the right to travel does not need to be taken up).”

The above definition takes in a wide range of minibus operators who may not think that they operate vehicle for hire and reward when in fact they do. Even if you do not take cash from passengers in your minibus you could still be operating a public service vehicle and if you don’t have hire and reward minibus insurance you could be driving illegally. This means that it is important to check whether your vehicle needs to be licensed by speaking to the appropriate agency. You should also explain exactly how your vehicle will be used when getting quotes for your minibus insurance.

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This article was brought to you by The Minibus Club. For more information about Minibus insurance visit www.minibusclub.co.uk

Driving your vehicle on a road or in a public place without minibus insurance is an offence, so it is important to ensure your vehicle is insured. In this article we would like to explain why this is important and how you can stay on the right side of the law.

It is estimated that there are two million motorists on our roads driving without insurance. These uninsured drivers cause £380 million damage each year which results in large numbers of claims to the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). Uninsured driving increases the cost of everybody’s insurance adding approximately £30 to each policy, including your minibus insurance.

To try and cut the number of uninsured drivers on UK roads the government recently introduced a package of measures which will crack down on those driving without insurance which means it is more important than ever that you make sure you have a valid minibus insurance policy.

This is called Continuous Insurance Enforcement (CIE) and it means that it is now a legal requirement for you to insure your minibus at all times.

It is now a legal offence to keep a minibus without insurance unless you have notified the DVLA that your vehicle is being kept off the road and have a valid Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN). You don’t have to be driving to be caught, simply owning the minibus and not having insurance can lead to you being prosecuted.

If you fail to keep your vehicle insured the DVLA will write and tell you that you must either buy a minibus insurance policy or declare your minibus off road.

If you should ever receive one of these letters it is important that you deal with it immediately. You will not receive another warning before more formal action is taken.

Some of the punishments introduced for failing to have minibus insurance include:
• Being issued a fixed penalty of £100
• Your minibus could be clamped, or even seized and disposed of.
• You can receive a court prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.

When you buy a minibus insurance policy your insurer will automatically send details of insurance to the proper database automatically so if your vehicle is already taxed you will not need to do anything else.

However if your vehicle is not already insured you must:
• buy a minibus insurance policy immediately;
• make a SORN, if the vehicle is not used on the road; or
• notify DVLA if you are no longer the registered keeper.

If you own a minibus it’s easy to ensure that these new rules don’t catch you out. If you still need to buy your minibus insurance don’t put it off call us at the Minibus Club where our helpful staff will be pleased to assist you.

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As a minibus driver you already know that having a larger vehicle is more complex than owning other types of vehicle. Even after you have bought a minibus insurance policy there are other legal issues to consider.

Did you know that from 3rd January 2012 anyone driving a diesel minibus with more than 9 seats in the borders of the Greater London Authority will have to pay a daily charge or risk being fined? This area is called the Low Emission Zone (LEZ); it operates 24 hours a day, every day of the year and was introduced to encourage diesel vehicles driving within Greater London to become cleaner.

The aim of the LEZ is to improve the health and quality of life of everyone in London by limiting the amount of particulate matter (pollution) that comes from the exhausts of diesel vehicles. Particulate matter is a type of pollution which can contribute to asthma, heart and lung disease, other respiratory illnesses and even early death.

If your minibus has more than 9 seats, was first registered before 1 January 2002 and is powered by a diesel engine it will be affected by the Low Emission Zone (LEZ). It doesn’t matter whether your minibus is used for commercial or private purposes - it will still need to meet the new standards. So if you own or drive this type of minibus, and do not want to pay the daily charge you will need to take action now to ensure you can continue to use your minibus.

The quickest way to check if your vehicle meets the current or new standards is to enter your registration plate into the Transport for London vehicle checker

If after checking with Transport for London you find that your minibus does not meet the new standards you will have to pay £100 for each day your vehicle is in the LEZ or risk being fined £500.

It is possible to avoid paying the daily charge if you take action now to modify your minibus. There are a number of options available that include fitting a particulate filter to your vehicle or having your minibus converted to run on pure gas. Transport for London offer a lot of useful information on their website on how you can modify your vehicle to meet the new requirements of the LEZ.

Don’t forget though that any modification to your vehicle can affect your minibus insurance, so please remember to notify your minibus insurance company of any changes you make to your vehicle.

The Minibus Club are working in partnership with Transport for London to bring you this information. Transport for London is the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London. Its role is to implement the transport strategy and to manage transport services across London. For advice the Low Emission Zone visit http://www.tfl.gov.uk/lezlondon or call 0845 607 0009.

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance look no further than The Minibus Club. Why not visit their website to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance.

When buying a secondhand minibus, you can bag yourself a bargain or burden yourself with an expensive liability. The former, happy outcome isn’t difficult to achieve and these tips will help you make the right choice. Remember that the costs don’t end with buying the vehicle alone. Budget for essentials such as minibus insurance.

The first tip is to know what you’re looking for. You can save a lot of time, effort and money by seeing only minibuses that fulfill your needs. Most advertisements give you enough information to rule out those vehicles that aren’t suitable.

Once you’ve made a short list of likely buys, treat them all in the same way, by examining the candidates using these guidelines.

Has the vehicle been the subject of a minibus insurance claim? Look very closely at the bodywork, for ripples, mismatches in the paint colour and poorly fitting body panels. Stray patches of paint under the wheel arches or beneath the bonnet are a dead giveaway. Rust is far less of a problem than it used to be but can be present on older or maltreated minibuses. Look out for poor rust repairs.

Has the minibus been neglected? Dip the engine oil, which should be a clear, golden-brown colour. Tarry black oil has been in the sump a long time and is a cue to look elsewhere. Other mechanical problems can be betrayed by the presence of leaks beneath the vehicle. Remember that oil, water and brake fluid can all leak: they shouldn’t.

While near ground level, examine the minibus’s tyres. They must have a minimum of 3mm of tread and no cracking, crazing, splits or lumps in the sidewalls. Remember that a full set of tyres is a costly investment. Look out for strange wear patterns in the treads; these can indicate suspension or steering problems.

The inside of a minibus can tell you a lot about the vehicle’s history. Modern trim materials are tough so if you see wear, cuts and splits, be wary. These suggest the minibus has had a hard life and/or is a high-mileage example. If the steering wheel rim and pedal rubbers are (a) worn smooth or (b) look suspiciously new, look at the mileometer. If its figures aren’t aligned properly, or if the instrument panel has scratches or damaged fastenings, there’s every chance the minibus has been clocked…the mileage has been wound back.

When test driving, use a vehicle as you mean to use it – a five-minute trip around the block isn’t enough. Make sure the minibus’s engine is fully warmed and establish that everything works to your expectations.

If you find yourself seriously considering buying a particular minibus, carefully check its documentation. Are the claimed service records there and do they look genuine? Does the VIN number on the registration tally with that on the vehicle? Motor dealers usually offer an HPI check but if buying privately, think carefully about having one carried out. This will reveal any questionable history.

Using the above and a little care, you’ll be able to make an informed purchase. Then, all you need do is inform a good minibus insurance provider of your purchase.

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance look no further than The Minibus Club. Why not visit their website to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance.

There’s a distressingly easy way to turn an asset into a liability. All you need to do is neglect it. This is especially relevant now we are about to enjoy the benefits of Spring. Yes, the season officially begins on the 20th March. You may have ‘bomb-proof ‘minibus insurance, and your minibus may seem to be perfectly fit for its allotted task. However, when we look a little more closely, you will begin to see why that asset – your minibus – might need some attention to stop it from becoming a liability.

The central issue here is that machines object to two things – idleness and neglect. If your minibus has had a restful time over the winter, it could prove sulky when you put it back into service. Equally, if it has served you frequently through the ravages of winter, it may require some tender loving care so it can continue to serve you for the rest of the year. Think of your caring for the vehicle as a form of minibus insurance, in that you will be insuring against breakdowns and/or mechanical failures.

The first step is to think of what your minibus has just been through, even if it was little used. Repeated or enduring spells of freezing or near-freezing temperatures take their toll on any machine. Your minibus’s battery and electrical system will have suffered from increased loads, and its mechanical and structural parts will have paid a price.

Matters are worse still if your minibus has been in use throughout the winter. The local authority will certainly have kept the roads (or most of them) open for you. To do this, they’ll have used an aggressive mix of chemicals on the roads’ surfaces. This melts the ice but it also accelerates corrosion, as you might expect compounds such as Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Chloride and Calcium Chloride – or a mixture of all three – to do. These materials, and of course, ice and snow, can also give your windscreen wipers a hard time. Moreover, the minibus’s electrical components will have worked much harder. Why? How often did you use your lights, rear windscreen heater, cab heater and so on?

The practical overture to this kind of minibus insurance is a really thorough wash. It makes sense to use a jet wash, if there is one available; some offer hot water, which is a bonus. Give your minibus a comprehensive external spring clean with one of these devices. It’s best to pay for two washing sessions, rather than just one. Use one to clean the bodywork, wheels and windows with soap and water, as usual. Them use wash number two for your minibus’s wheel arches and underside. Road salt sometimes has a sugary compound added to help it stick to tarmac, so it sticks to vehicles as well.

Similar practices apply to the inside of your minibus, particularly if it has been used through the winter months. The compounds mentioned above will have been trodden into your vehicle, to the detriment of its floor coverings and trim. Should your minibus have had little use recently, a comprehensive Hoovering may do the trick, with washing and polishing of the hard plastic trim. If the vehicle has been heavily used, it may be wise to pay for a professional valeting.

The next stage might be called a Spring service. That is another story and such treatment is best left until it’s reasonably certain that the snow and ice have gone for the year.

To answer questions about specific minibus insurance policies, you need to speak to a specialist insurance provider. However, since forewarned and forearmed are one and the same thing, knowing the basics will allow you ask intelligent questions about the minibus insurance you are seeking.

Three Levels

Minibus insurance, like just about any other kind of vehicle insurance comes in one of three levels. Let’s look at them in order.

Third Party Only cover is the minimum level of minibus insurance you can buy. It is often called ‘T.P.O.’ and it covers you against damaging other peoples’ property or injuring somebody with your minibus.

The next level up the scale is called Third Party, Fire and Theft insurance. This, called ‘T. P. F. & T.’, offers the same level of protection as the above type of minibus insurance. In addition, it covers your minibus if it is stolen or is damaged as a result of fire.

Comprehensive minibus insurance, sometimes called ‘Fully Comprehensive’ insurance is the top of the range, as it were. Comprehensive policies generally guard against most risks; many include a consideration against legal fees.

It’s usually possible to enhance your minibus insurance with additional elements tailored to your needs. A good specialist provider will be able to provide you with information about all the relevant options.

Staying Legal

UK law stipulates that the abovementioned Third Party Only insurance is the legal minimum type of minibus insurance. Should you wish to use your minibus as a taxi, your insurance needs additional elements. One of these is insurance, ‘for the carriage of persons for hire or reward’. Public liability insurance will probably have to be added too, so that you comply with local government regulations. Moreover, anyone operating a taxi service using a minibus must have an indemnity limit of at least five million pounds.

Type of Insurance

There are five types of minibus insurance and it’s important to know which you need. They are as follows…

MPV – This type of insurance is the one chosen by commercial concerns such as educational establishments and nursing homes. Larger firms operating more than one vehicle tend to plump for fleet insurance.

Taxi – the need for this type of insurance is obvious. ‘Staying Legal’ (above) described a specific, essential part of it.

Charity – this is the type of minibus insurance selected by charitable organisations. Sometimes, the price is more competitive for operators such as these.

Family – some owners choose a minibus to use as a family car. This can be more than convenient but as a minibus isn’t a car, the insurance requirements can differ. A good specialist insurance provider will offer attractive family minibus insurance packages.

Fleet – often, it makes economic sense to use fleet minibus insurance when more than one vehicle is involved.

Whatever use your vehicle is put to, it is sensible to ensure you have the right level and kind of minibus insurance. This means that, apart from meeting legal requirements, you have the security offered by a good insurance policy. You therefore enjoy peace of mind, which is always worth having.

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance look no further than The Minibus Club. Why not visit their website to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance.

When we get down to basics, a minibus is just like any other machine. Machines don’t like to lie idle and they don’t appreciate neglect. At best, an untended machine will cease to function. At worst, it can damage itself or someone in or near to it. These unfortunate outcomes are reason enough to keep a regular weather eye on a minibus’s health. Check it on a weekly basis and especially when a long trip is upcoming. It makes sense to start with the grubby bits, as they work the hardest and therefore need more attention. So, pop the bonnet, eyes down and look in.

The first item to use in the dark recesses of the underbonnet is the oil dipstick. Check the oil with the engine cold. The oil should be clean and at the correct level. If it is filthy, black and sticky, it’s time for a change. If it’s low, add some more. Consulting the handbook will reveal how much oil is needed, but don’t overfill the engine. The oil should be at the correct level and the engine will thank you for this, by running reliably.

Your minibus’s underbonnet has five more levels to be checked. Plain water is old hat these days, an engine’s cooling system will be full of coolant. You can see if it’s full by consulting the translucent header tank. If the coolant level is low, rectify this by adding the correct mixture of water and antifreeze/anticorrosive agent. Remember that you can only carry out this check on a cold engine. In fact, you can carry it out once on a hot engine. If you do, be nice to the staff in the burns unit - suddenly releasing the pressure in a hot cooling system can unleash a startlingly potent geyser.

Next up, under the bonnet of a modern minibus, are two fluids. Brake fluid works really well, provided it’s there and it’s wise to ensure the level is correct. Like the coolant header tank, the brake master cylinder has a see-though reservoir. You may also need to top up the clutch master cylinder, if you minibus has one, rather than a cable-operated clutch. The second fluid is that serving the power steering. This is often checked using a tiny dipstick that lives under the cap of the power steering reservoir. Finally, you may need to check the level of the electrolyte in the battery. Or you may not, as some batteries need no maintenance. The handbook will tell you which kind of battery is involved. Finish off your engine bay tasks by checking the screen wash fluid reservoir.

The remaining checks can be carried out in better-illuminated areas, starting with those other hardworking items, the tyres. Checking that these are at the right pressure is as easy as it is worthwhile. However, it pays to look closely at the rubberware. You can find out about any odd wear patterns, cuts, cracks or other tyre misdemeanors while the vehicle is stationary. Or you can find out something’s awry the hard way, at speed on a dual carriageway or motorway. This choice stands as the ultimate no-brainer!

Finally, a touch of glass. Cleaning all the minibus’s glassware is an obvious requirement, as is giving the lights and indicators a wipe. Moreover, with the help of an assistant, you can check that every bulb on board is in prime order.

There, that wasn’t difficult, was it? Now you can carry on, feeling virtuous at having done your duty. You’ve protected your vehicle, yourself, your passengers and perhaps innocent bystanders. What more could be asked of anyone?

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance, look no further than The Minibus Club. Request a FREE quote now by calling our hotline on 0845 609 0323 or visit our website at www.minibusclub.co.uk.

If you’re a car driver and you find yourself piloting a minibus, you’re bound to experience mixed feelings. There’s a great deal about the hot seat that will be familiar, what with there being a steering wheel, a handbrake, a gear lever or selector and some pedals. On the other hand, the driver’s seat in a minibus will feel a long way from the ground. Equally, the unparalleled vista given by the big windows and screen will highlight the sheer bulk of the vehicle. However, fear not. The only real differences between a minibus and a car can be expressed in two words: size and weight. Allowing for these differences is easy enough and after some practise, you’ll be driving the minibus like a professional.

Where do drivers new to minibuses go wrong? They tend to forget about the scale of things as regards the minibus. Once this is accommodated on an active basis, matters become far easier.

Let’s begin with the first of the differences. Compared to a car, a minibus is wide, long and tall, and realising this by clipping an obstacle, either on the road or during parking, is a realisation too late. Moreover, it’s both embarrassing and expensive. So, start learning minibus-driving skills in a suitable place. There are plenty of large car parks to be found, at out of town shopping centres for example. Finding one and using it will allow you to become accustomed to the size of the vehicle, as well as the way it responds to its controls. It’s worth taking an assistant at this stage, as well as a few empty cardboard boxes. Why? Put it this way, would you rather nudge a cardboard box or someone’s car or a bollard when practicing parking and manoeuvering? Enough said.

Minibus tyros often forget about the height of their new charge. Car park height barriers are the obvious danger but overhanging trees and other roadside foliage won’t do the vehicle’s paint much good. It’s easy to allow for these obstructions. However, some minibus learner drivers take the trouble to add a label to the minibus’s dash or windscreen. Having a clearly visible note of the vehicle’s height, width and length near the eye line is good practice. With this, the driver can start thinking of the minibus as a mobile box, with dimensions as noted. This could save you a small fortune in minor damage claims.

The second aspect is the weight of the minibus. Power steering and brakes, good sound insulation and car-like interiors are all very well but they can seduce drivers into thinking a minibus is lighter than it is in reality. This doesn’t mean that it will fall through a hole in the road but it does mean that the minibus will be slower to accelerate, less accomplished in bends and take longer to stop than a car. Allowing for this extra weight is important: remember that with a full load of fuel and passengers, the minibus will weigh still more.

The final aspect to consider is the minibus’s ‘footprint’ on the road. No, this has nothing to do with carbon, we’re talking about the physical presence of the vehicle. Everyone knows how imposing an articulated lorry is, as compared to a car. At perhaps twice the size of car and three times its weight, a minibus can bully small cars, and especially cyclists and pedestrians. The driver must therefore be aware of what he or she is driving, and drive accordingly. This means avoiding tailgating, not making unclear signals and not making either excessive or vague inputs to the controls. In general, the driver should be aware of the responsibilities associated with driving a bigger vehicle, and drive like a professional, in keeping with these responsibilities.

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance look no further than The Minibus Club. Why not visit their website to receive a free online quote for minibus insurance.

EU legislation has opened the roads of Europe to all manner of vehicles. Anyone can take their vehicle aboard a ferry or through the Eurotunnel with a minimum of fuss and emerge across the water, ready to drive merrily away on the ‘wrong’ side of the road. However, when taking a minibus to Europe, there are some more legal requirements to meet, as well as specific items to acquire. Let’s take a look at what’s needed.

The first requirement is essential for any vehicle with more than eight passenger seats. A minibus travelling for a profit-making organisation must carry a waybill. Which is - what? A waybill is a document that comes in one of two forms. An EU Journey Form covers travelling in EU member states. The alternative, an ASOR waybill, is for use outside the EU and must be accompanied by a set of translated versions.

What if the minibus is being run for a non profit-making organisation? It still needs a ‘control document’ but here, the waybill’s place is taken by an ‘Own Account Certificate’, a.k.a an OAC. This costs nothing and will allow a minibus to be used in the EU for up to five years. These control documents can be sourced from the International Road Freight Office (tel. 0191 2014090).

Now for - more documents. The minibus driver will also need an insurance certificate, a European accident form, the vehicle’’s registration document and his or her full passport and driving licence. In addition, unless the registered keeper of the vehicle, he or she will need a formal ‘permission to drive’ letter from the vehicle’s owner. It’s also worth taking a Green Card, which the minibus insurance provider can supply. Nowadays, an International Driving Permit, or IDP, isn’t necessary in EU and EEA countries. However, travelling beyond the member states makes one a necessity.

Minibus documents done? Not quite but the final ‘document’ is a little unusual. International journeys that begin in the UK must be monitored by a tachograph and the card on which the ’spy in the cab’ records constitutes the last of the necessary documents. It also shows that the driver is complying with EU driver’s hours regulations.

Now for the more tangible additions to the minibus itself. UK minibuses can wear their GB sticker or EU-style GB number plates with pride, and they must. A reflective warning triangle and waistcoat or jacket are legal requirements; the latter must be carried in the cab. Finally, most European countries insist on a spare set of vehicle bulbs being carried on board.

Apart from the obvious matters of making sure that the minibus has been serviced, has good tyres and is fighting fit to travel far, the above is what’s needed to venture onto foreign soil. All that remains is to add an imprecation - remember to drive on the right - and say ‘Bon Voyage’. The latter is easy to achieve and as for the former, getting used to the European Southpaw routine is much easier than it sounds!

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If you’d like to save money on your minibus insurance, look no further than The Minibus Club. Request a FREE quote now by calling our hotline on 0845 609 0323 or visit our website at www.minibusclub.co.uk.