Have you just bought a new boat and are clueless as to what to name it? It may take you a while but eventually you will find the most suitable name!! You may decide to name it after a celebrity, a family member or plainly something creative. Various individuals have been known to name their boats after towns, villages, countries and even planets. At the end of the day you will have personalized your boat the way you like, it is a way to add more personality and character.

In 2010 some of the most popular boat names were:

Aquaholic

Destiny

Happy-Hours

Summer Daze

License to Chill

Freedom

Midlife Crisis

Fantasea

Are you still not liking what you see? That’s okay, keep thinking and sure enough you will find a name that’s perfect. It is important to choose carefully as it will be visible for many years to come. There are two options for printing your name, you may prefer an artist to paint it on or get computer fabricated boat lettering.

If you are considering buying a new boat, our friendly consultants would be more that happy to guide you in the correct path. See www.natloans.com.au for more information on what we can do for you, this could be your chance to get creative with a new boat.

Technorati Tags: boat loans

Queensland’s flood disaster has made residents all the more aware of what exactly their insurance policy consists of. Although it is stated in most policies that you will be covered for flood damage that is, flash flooding, storm water and rain water various insurers exclude riverine and inland flooding. This factor has affected many Queensland residences as they are now left with vehicles that are severely damaged and their insurers do not cover them. Many other residents weren’t even covered in the first place and as brutal as it may sound insurer’s are going by the notion of “no insurance, no payout”.

Suncorp is one of Queensland’s largest insurance companies that have flood insurance incorporated into their policy. There will be no issue in paying out clients whose cars, bikes or boats were damaged in the disaster.

This event has left Australians devastated and aware with exactly what their insurers are covering them for. When updating your insurance next be sure to read the policy thoroughly, even the fine print! It is vital to be covered in the event of any natural disaster. If you are not covered the consequences aren’t too pleasant, leaving you with no car to make your way around. Not only will you have to be relying on public transport, but also you will have to start saving for another car or seek for finance.

Let this disaster be a lesson to all, if you weren’t aware of your cover contact your insurer to find out what you are eligible for and seek for a product that does cover you.

Technorati Tags: Car Finance, First time buyers, insurance

Natloans have been helping Australians source low cost boat loans for 10 years.  It doesn’t matter what type of boat you want to purchase, we have the expertise to get you sailing sooner and save you both time and money.

Most Natloans clients come to us looking for a pre-approval.  This is a good approach.  By seeing whether you are able to get the finance, then you can go boat shopping.  Since the global financial crisis in 2008, boat dealers are finding it very difficult to move their stock.  We have seen dealers and boat brokers give massive discounts off the price of their stock.  This is  more evident at the top end or 100K+ boat price range.

Although this may appear to be good news for boat buyers on the surface, lenders are being extremely cautious with their money on boat loans.  Boats are considered to be ‘luxury’ items, therefore like in any economic downturn, such assets are deemed as being ‘big risks to the loan book’.  It’s more important than ever to have a skilled broker do the leg work for you.  A skilled broker will know how to best structure the loan for you so you end up with not only a great approval, but a loan product which suits your needs.

The benefit of applying for a boat loan with Natloans is our buying power and reputation. Because we write large volumes of business with many finance companies, we have excellent deals only available to our clients and we pass on the benefits to you.

Before you apply for boat finance you should first speak to Natloans, so you can be sure that you are getting the low interest rate that you deserve.

Technorati Tags: boat loans, low cost boat loans, pre-approval boat loans

Have you bought your boat, but can’t take it for a cruise yet due to not having a license? There are different regulations in each state, this factor will depend on who needs to have a license and most importantly which type of license! There are various types of licenses; in most cases any individual over the age of 16 who will be operating a boat will need a license.

In Victoria it is necessary for individuals in between the age of 12 and 16, will need to have the following license:

-          Restricted boat operator license

OR

-          Restricted boat operator license with PWC endorsement

If you are over the age of 16, you will need one of the following:

-          General boat operator license

OR

-          General boat operator license with PWC endorsement

These licenses are valid for 1-5 years, depending on which option you want. The pricing vary from $14.60 – $17.10 for young adults and are roughly $30-$35 for adults.

If you are caught with no license, you will be fined! These fines begin at $200! Is it really worth not obeying the law?

How do you get a boat license?

In Victoria it is as simple as booking your car license. All you have to do is pass two tests.

1. The boat operator knowledge test
2. An eyesight test

If you have studied the necessary material, you have nothing to worry about! If you do happen to fail, nothing is stopping you in attempting again. Your boat isn’t going away any time soon! Note that there will be a fee for both of the above tests, however this is a one off payment.

Technorati Tags: boat, license

Are you thinking of making a new purchase but unsure about the type of loan you should be looking at? Before making the choice be sure to get some insight on what each option offers and will fulfill your needs best, there are two main loans – secured and unsecured.

Technorati Tags: secured loans, unsecured loans

Buying a boat can be an exciting experience. However, before you hit those Boat Dealerships, you need to make some careful consideration on how you will finance it.

Natloans has been financing boats for their clients for nearly 10 years.  A vast majority of our savvy buyers arrange Pre-Approval of the money first before they commit to a boat purchase. That way, they have peace of mind that they can obtain the finance and concentrate on negotiating price with the dealers.  Since the Global Financial Crisis, the marine industry was hit hard.  There are many opportunities to pick up bargains as dealers are desperate to move stock.

According to Mary Nebotakis from Natloans, the main product used for financing a boat is a Personal Secured Loan.  This means the boat is used as security against the loan.

Following are some of the features of a Secured Boat Loan:

• Finance terms – range from 1 year to 5 years.
• Fixed repayments allow for your budgeting needs and protect you against interest rate fluctuations.
• A deposit is generally not required but is desirable as this minimizes the lenders exposure to the asset. A condition of approval could be up to 25% deposit, so make sure you have some savings behind you.
• If your boat is to be used for business purposes you may qualify to claim part of the interest and depreciation as a tax deduction.
• Equity in your marine purchase can be increased, by making additional payments without penalty.
• Direct debiting of your monthly repayments can be arranged.
• “Low Doc” Secured Boat Loans are available for Self Employed clients

Natloans will take the work out of applying for a loan. You may apply directly to us either over the phone on 1300 955 791 or online at www.natloans.com.au. Natloans can also assist in insurance needs for boats as well.

Technorati Tags: boat finance, boat loans, secured boat loans

If you are looking a purchasing a new boat make sure you have done thorough research in order to make sure you get exactly what you want. Start by make a list of likes and dislikes of boat activities, this will eliminate various models and help you in narrowing down to the ideal product. Keep in mind the manufacturers recommendations, specifically the number of occupants and the maximum weight. You don’t want to be making a purchase then realizing that it’s not the right one for you.

Are you a first time buyer?

It is a good idea to buy a used boat just in case you realize boating isn’t what you enjoy. You can still find a decent boat that has been well maintained and serviced for a great deal. Remember, majority of people use their boats in their spare time, so most of the time boats sit.

When reviewing a boat, go by your first impression. If the boat looks well maintained it is highly likely the owner has been looking after it. Don’t hesitate to lift any objects on the boat; you would be surprised what you’d fine. If there’s any sign of discoloration or rust it is highly likely the boat has been uncared for.

Before contacting the seller think of questions you can ask like: Is their anything that needs to be repaired now?  Has the boat ever been in an accident? What accessories are included? Review numerous boats, asking the same questions, once you have a fairly good idea of which boat is the one for you determine a reasonable price and negotiate with the seller!

To obtain a boat loan contact natloans on 1300 628 562 for all your boating finance needs.

Technorati Tags: boat buying tips, boat loans, first time boat buyer