Allianz Your Cover Advises that the Public Must Exercise Caution During Fuel Shortage

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Apr 02, 2012, 04:00 ET

GUILDFORD, England, April 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

The UK government has called for motorists to make sensible provision for their vehicle fuel supplies amid concerns over industrial action that could disrupt supply. Allianz Your Cover is urging households to take every precaution in the handling of Petrol and Diesel and avoid dangerous stockpiling.

If motorists wish to take extra precautions against the possibility of fuel supply disruption, the safest and simplest way is to fill their vehicle's tank to a high level at their regular visit to a filling station. Substantial supplies of fuel should not be kept outside of a vehicle's fuel tank.

Storage of fuel at home can be dangerous and is restricted by law. Improper or excessive storage of fuel could invalidate your home insurance. The fire service advises that:

Only two types of container are legally allowed for the storage of fuel; the 5 litre plastic or 10 litre metal approved containers, both must be labelled 'highly flammable'
Petrol and diesel fuel should be stored in no more than two 10 litre containers or two 5 litre containers
Fuel must not be stored and should not be handled in living accommodation of any kind, this includes bathrooms, kitchens, living rooms, bedrooms or under staircases. Any storage place should be well away from living areas and properly secured.

Andy James from Allianz Your Cover said: "We recommend that any household storage of fuel should remain in only very limited quantity and be securely locked in a location well away from living areas, for example in a shed or garage."

Motorists should not in normal circumstances store any fuel in their vehicles external to the fuel tank i.e. in the boot or on the back seat. The law gives police officers the right to judge whether you are carrying 'a dangerous load or hazard' and you could be prosecuted.

Allianz Your Cover also advises that any fuel stored in a vehicle external to the vehicle's tank should be of limited quantity and carried only temporarily to be securely stored elsewhere.

Notes to Editors:

1. Your Cover is a new breed of insurance product, offering cover that customers select to precisely match their own lifestyle and circumstances. Using an easy to use 'Quote and Buy' website, Your Cover makes it simple to design and, obtain a quote, and manage your insurance online. The result of two years' research involving thousands of insurance buyers, Your Cover is a product from Allianz Insurance plc, which is a part of the global Allianz Group.

2. Your Cover is a part of Allianz Retail, which provides a wide range of personal lines products distributed through brokers, retailers, affinity partners, veterinary practices and direct marketing. For more information please visit to http://www.allianzretail.co.uk.