Insurance World

Payment protection insurance (PPI) has taken a bashing recently. PPI is a type of insurance designed to protect repayments on financial products if borrowers find that they are in financial difficulty.

PPI has been examined by the Financial Services Authority, criticised by Which? and is now under investigation by the Office of Fair Trading. Most of these organisations are concerned about protecting consumers’ rights. They are worried about:

· whether consumers are sufficiently well informed at point of sale to make decisions about whether to have PPI
· the wide variation in the cost of PPI policies
· the huge profits made by lenders offering PPI because of the relatively few claims made by borrowers
· and the lack of PPI providers who are not linked to banks or other lenders.

Given these concerns, it’s a good time to find out more about whether PPI is really the right choice for borrowers.

Why Have PPI?

It’s difficult for borrowers to know how their financial circumstances are going to change. When they are taking out a mortgage, loan, credit card, store card or other financial product, the sales person often offers PPI. The reasons why it might be a good idea are:

· if someone becomes unemployed or is made redundant
· if a long term illness prevents someone from working
· if someone is injured and is unable to work

All of these circumstances mean that borrowers might not be able to meet the repayments on the mortgage, loan, credit card or store card. This could result in arrears, defaults, County Court Judgements (CCJs) and, depending on the type of loan product, the loss of their home. Payment protection insurance is designed to make sure that repayments are met, avoiding this sticky financial situation.

Inside PPI

PPI is available to most people aged 18 to 65 who are employed for at least 16 hours a week or have been self-employed for a long period. Once borrowers have signed up for the insurance, they have to wait a certain period before making a claim. This is usually 60 to 120 days. Once they do make a claim and have it accepted, their payments can be covered for a period of 12 months or more, depending on the policy.

One key thing that borrowers should be aware of is that the sellers of some financial products add the cost of the PPI policy to the credit being offered. This means that borrowers can end up paying interest on the insurance policy. This is one of the many reasons that PPI selling has been criticised. Borrowers should also look into the cost of the insurance, as this varies widely.

Beyond PPI

Many borrowers do not realise that they do not have to take out PPI at the time of buying a financial product and the people who are selling PPI often do not make this clear. There are some stand alone PPI providers who may provide a better choice. Borrowers who repay loans from earnings should also consider an income protection policy, which will protect most of their income rather than individual financial products.

Insurance is one of the most essential financial tools you will need in all aspects of your life, yet it is a topic that many people overlook. Insurance can be boring as well as confusing, but it is important that you get the basics right so that you don’t get caught out.

Always need more

When you are looking at which types of insurance you need, it is easy to overlook some things that you need insuring. If you can afford to insure something or be protected against something then it pays to do so. You usually need more insurance than you think, both in terms of types of insurance and levels of cover.

Don’t pay too much

Although insurance is necessary, you don’t want to pay too much for it. Insurance is only worth it at the right price. Paying too much for insurance will outweigh the advantages that it gives you. Always shop around for your insurance, and consult independent financial advice if you are unsure about which insurance package is right for you.

Look online

If you want information about insurance terms, prices, or lenders then the best place to look is online. Some of the best insurance deals can be had online, and using one website to compare prices is much more convenient than walking round your high street talking to different lenders. If you want to save time then look online for your insurance first.

What insurance do you need?

Obviously the type and amount of insurance you need really depends on your lifestyle and individual needs. However, there are a number of types of insurance that most people should
have or at least consider having. These include:

·
Life insurance
·
Vehicle insurance
·
Property insurance
·
Liability insurance
·
Travel insurance
·
Medical insurance

Obviously there are many other types of insurance, and if you have something that you want to protect then you will probably be able to get insurance for it.

Is insurance worth it?

Many people think that insurance is a waste of time because it costs them money and they never claim. This is a good thing, because you really don’t want to have to claim on your insurance. Good insurance is essential, because it protects the things that we value most. If anything should happen to these items then we know we will be compensated for it or be able to replace it.

Insurance to avoid

As well as good insurance there are plenty of types of insurance that you should avoid. Never pay too much for your insurance or more than you think it is worth, because this defeats the point of the insurance policy. Also, don’t sign anything that has strict limits on what you can claim for, making the policy almost worthless. Try and get a good level of cover at the right price, and before agreeing to anything check that the lender is reputable and that if you need to claim they will be able to compensate you.