Columnist

Trade unionists could qualify for cheaper home insurance

Since 1980, Trade Union members have halved in this country, with only 5.98 million
workers now members of TUC-affiliated unions

This fall is largely down to job cuts in the public sector, which came into force during
Margeret Thatcher’s tenure as Prime minister; one that tightened union legislation and
also lead to traditional manufacturing industries declining.

Trade union numbers were at their peak during the post-war years. Hitting a high at
the end of the 1970s when over 12 million workers were part of a union.

According to TUC figures, membership peaked in 1980 at 12.2million, with a steady
decline ever since.

The drop carried on after the Conservatives lost power to New Labour, although the
fall rate was not as high.

The financial crisis in 2008 was also a key factor, with membership declining by more
than half a million since then.

But trade union members could still now benefit from cheaper home insurance. More
often than not, this is a cost that is paid out every year without a single claim being
made, so although it’s a necessity by most people, there’s no real reason to spend
more than you need to on home insurance.

Of course, there are lots of good deals out there – if you’re prepared to hunt around
for them. But one thing you may not be aware of is that some insurers offer better
prices and discounts for people who are trade union members.

UIA is a mutual insurance company that offers preferential rates for trade union
members. It has specifically designed policies for members of Unite, Unison,
NASUWT and RMT to name but a few trade unions.

For example, Unite house insurance is currently available at a discounted rate of 12
months for the price of 10 for its members when taking out their policy with UIA.
And there are further discounts to take advantage of, such as a 5% discount if you
take out a combined buildings and contents policy. You can also reduce premiums by
opting to pay a higher voluntary excess amount before making a claim.

As with any other insurer, you can customise the cover to suit your own
circumstances, adding in optional extras like home emergency cover and accidental
damage cover if you wish.

UIA has a history of providing insurance for more than a hundred years. Originally,
it provided insurance for only trade union members, then it branched out to include
employees of not for profit organisations. Now it’s also possible for members of the
public to get their insurance policies through UIA, but many of the policyholders are
still trade union members.

As a mutual insurance company, UIA is owned by its members and exists to benefit
the whole community of UIA members – in a similar way to the way a trade union
operates. If you’re a trade union member, it’s definitely worth checking out the UIA
website to see what deal you can get on your home insurance.

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