Recent research has shown that insurance across the board has risen over recent years. The primary cause is widely accepted to be an increase in the number of fraudulent insurance claims, but relatively high inflation has also meant that insurers are having to pay more for any claims that are made, and these costs get passed on to the customer.

Nonetheless, there are loads of good deals around to be found on everything from travel insurance  to home insurance if you know where to look, and there’s actually quite a lot of competition in the UK insurance market with big banks like Santander (a relative newcomer with Santander travel insurance) competing against smaller independent brokers.

Next year, early indicators suggest that travel insurance costs could rise by as much as 40%. In addition to the rise in fraudulent costs, the relatively weak pound is also having an impact, as insurers generally have to pay more, whilst a rise in the amount of tax on insurance premiums that was originally put in place in January continues to have an impact.

One possible way of finding cheaper deals is to use comparison websites, these sites allegedly give the best deals available, but there are a few problems, primarily that they don’t cover the whole market – nor do they include deals that are available only to existing customers (if the insurer happens to be a bank).

Nonetheless, comparison websites can be a good place to start when it comes to looking for insurance, because they can give you a benchmark for how much you should be looking to spend.

Another point to consider is that single trip insurance policies are not always the best idea, if you’re going away several times throughout the year, then an annual policy may actually end up being significantly cheaper. So keep an eye out for good deals on annual cover.

The best way of getting a good deal on insurance remains to being to actually go and talk to someone. If you have bank accounts or mortgages with a certain back, go in and see if they can do you a good deal on travel insurance, you’ll often find you save a lot of money.

The only way of saving pennies on insurance, particularly when premiums are rising, is not to settle for second best, a little research and a little legwork can go a long way.

Brussels is a city that for many people is off their travel radar with more people choosing to flock to more well known European cities like Prague and Budapest. But the truth is Brussels goes beyond simply being a city of bureaucrats, it’s alive with history, culture, shopping and food to die for which makes it a city that you cannot afford to miss.

About Brussels

Brussels is made up of 19 municipalities and is divided into the City of Brussels (the constitutional capital of Belgium), the French Community of Belgium, and Flanders and the Flemish Community. It is Belgium’s largest metropolitan area with a population of approximately 1.8 million people. Both French and Dutch are official languages.

Things to see and do

Brussels’ main hub is the Grand Place, once called “Europe’s most beautiful square”, which has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988. Visitors enjoy admiring the beautiful buildings that have remained long after Archduchess Isabella in 1599 said, “Never have I seen something so beautiful and exquisite as the town square of the city where the town hall rises up into the sky. The decoration of the houses is most remarkable”. There are many unique shops and stalls to explore; and many musical, historical, flower and other events are presented there.

The Royal Palace is the Belgium’s kings’ home and also has exhibits of 18th century painting and architecture. Cultural activities are popular in Brussels including theatres, opera houses, and concert halls.

There are over 80 museums, and one that is extremely interesting is the Belgian Comics Museum. This is devoted solely to comic strips from more than 650 artists. Included is the world’s largest library of comic strips and three-dimensional recreations. In different parts of this city you will also find large motifs of comic book characters painted on the walls.

Autoworld has 450 cars on display from industrialist Ghislain Mahy’s collection, which includes a limousine which was owned by John F. Kennedy. Also featured is a collection of carriages and other items.

The Kindermuseum has two-hour tours that are amazing for not only children aged four to twelve but also for their parents. Discovery rooms have daily life themes that change every three years.

Food and Drink

Belgian beers including the famous Iambic and Kriek (cherry beer) are only brewed in and around Brussels. There is a Brewery Museum in the basement of the Brewers’ House on Grand Place. A small but interesting exhibition on the evolution of brewing beer is in the only building where descendents of the original owners going back to the 15th century still live.

In addition to being famous for the Belgian Waffle and Brussels sprouts, the cuisine is appreciated by connoisseurs and is offered in about 1,800 restaurants, high quality bars, cafes and bistros.

One must not forget that Belgian chocolates (including Godiva) are world renowned. Demonstrations and workshops are popular with visitors, some of which offer hands-on opportunities to make their own chocolate as apprentices.