Frugal Finance » Insurance http://www.frugalfinance.co.uk Personal Finance Blog Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:07:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 What Does Critical Illness Insurance Cover /what-does-critical-illness-insurance-cover/ /what-does-critical-illness-insurance-cover/#comments Sun, 31 Mar 2013 15:07:42 +0000 admin /?p=876 Critical Illness Insurance is a type of policy that covers you if you are diagnosed with a critical illness. The policy will pay a lump sum that can be used to pay for treatments, lost income, lifestyle changes and items to help you recover. There are several illnesses that qualify for coverage by Critical Illness Insurance but some have stipulations.

Types of Critical Illness Insurance There are several different types of Critical Illness Insurance plans that you can choose from. You can purchase affordable individual plans that offer lower amounts of coverage for a lower premium. The policy can be written by individual insurance providers and usually don’t require very many health questions. You can purchase higher value individual coverage as well. The higher coverage plans require more health questions and carry a higher premium. The third type of policy is available as a rider on your life insurance policy. When purchasing life insurance you can ask your insurance company if they offer Critical Illness Insurance to be added for an additional fee. This type of policy doesn’t require any additional health information than you fill out for the life insurance plan and usually doesn’t cost more than your original premium.

What is Covered There are several terminal illnesses that are covered including Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, Parkinson’s disease and HIV/AIDS. In the case of HIV/AIDS, it could only be contracted through an operation or blood transfusion not through any fault of your own. You can also make claims for things such as loss of vision or hearing, paralysis of a limb and a major organ transplant. Although those illnesses are not life threatening they can cause you to be unable to work. In the UK there are over forty covered illnesses as well as some that are partially covered such as early stage prostate cancer. The list of covered illnesses is constantly changing with advances in medicine and treatments. Items that were on the approved list a decade ago may not be covered today because they are no longer incurable. The same goes for what is currently on the list, there is no guarantee these illnesses will be covered ten years from now. In some cases Critical Illness Insurance will directly pay the hospitals and doctors to keep the insured from having to deal with bills.

Tips for Buying Coverage When looking at critical illness insurance policies, there are a few rules to follow for your own peace of mind. The first is don’t buy more insurance than you can easily afford. The best way to calculate how much coverage you should purchase is to multiply your mortgage payment by twenty four months. The second rule is to work with a professional that has access to quotes from several different underwriters. They will help you to choose the policy that best suits your needs and budget

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Shopping Around For Car Insurance /shopping-around-for-car-insurance/ /shopping-around-for-car-insurance/#comments Tue, 12 Feb 2013 23:58:49 +0000 admin /?p=847 There are a number of ways that a serious gambler can enhance his or her game. Whatever your game of choice there are tips that can turn your hobby into something more. Some of the advice is more personal and will only work for the individual in question, some of it is more general and can apply to a whole host of people. There is one particular piece of advice that will apply to everyone and can mean the difference between being able to spend your leisure time playing the game of your choice, and having no leisure time whatsoever.

It is imperative, above all else, that you set a limit on how much you can comfortably spend per week without getting yourself into financial difficulty. You could do this by separating your gambling money from your ‘real life’ money or you could set a budget and see what you have left to play with after everything else is taken care. If you’re having a great week, there’s no reason why you can’t take some of your winnings and treat yourself, but on no account should you take the real life money to the poker table.

This one simple piece of advice will ensure that you don’t do anything you regret at any point. With online casino poker on the rise in the popularity stakes, it’s common to see people putting everything that they have into the game, only to lose it all. Don’t let this happen to you. Once you’re out of poker money for the week, just walk away from the table. There’s nothing worse than not being in control in a game of poker, particularly when there’s real money riding on it. This one piece of advice will make sure that you are able to enjoy the game for many years to come.

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Car Insurance Explained /car-insurance-explained/ /car-insurance-explained/#comments Sun, 25 Nov 2012 22:36:49 +0000 admin /?p=791 Since the 1930s it has been a legal requirement in the UK for drivers to have car insurance when using the public roads. Not every individual needs their own policy, so long as they have adequate cover. This could mean that they are a named driver on a partner’s policy, for instance, or part of a fleet policy if they use a company vehicle. Insurance policies vary greatly and individual insurers have some things that they cover that others do not. Nevertheless, the policy basics are the same.

The entry level insurance policy you can purchase to make you legal is called third party. As the name implies, it covers a driver for any accidental damage they cause to a third party, that is, somebody else. Third party insurance covers the cost of damage to another vehicle and any injuries sustained by its occupants, which may include medical bills. It does not cover damage to your own car, nor your own medical or legal costs. It is also worth knowing that this policy type does not cover damage from fire or the theft of the car.

A step up from the cheapest form of insurance is third part, fire and theft. Again, it will not cover the costs of repairing your own car in the event of an accident. It does, however, pay out should your car be stolen or damaged by accidental fire.

Comprehensive car insurance is a policy type that all insurers offer and covers everything listed above. It also includes cover for damage to your own vehicle if you accidentally cause damage to it. If you have a crash, it will cover reasonable medical bills and many policies also include some legal assistance. Many insurers add value to their comprehensive cover by including extras, like roadside assistance or international cover.

Most insurers will compete on the price of the policy they offer, so it is worth checking which sort of insurance is being sold when you ask for a quotation. Prices tend to vary based upon your age, gender and driving experience. If you have not claimed under any car insurance policy in previous years this can bring the cost of your policy down. The industry refers to this as a ‘no-claims bonus’. Some policies pay out only after the driver has covered the initial part of the costs of an accident. This is called the excess and a larger one will usually mean a cheaper policy.

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How to get the cheapest life insurance: tricks of the trade /how-to-get-the-cheapest-life-insurance-tricks-of-the-trade/ /how-to-get-the-cheapest-life-insurance-tricks-of-the-trade/#comments Wed, 10 Oct 2012 22:49:02 +0000 admin /?p=764 When buying life insurance, it’s important that you invest in the right policy for you and your dependents – here are a few quick and dirty tips on how you can do that…

Shop around

It’s not only insurance companies, banks and building societies that you can buy life insurance from – these days, we can buy life insurance from your local supermarket and high street retailers, as well as online via price comparison sites and insurance brokers and financial advisers.

The price you’ll pay for a policy will vary depending where you buy it, even when the policy itself may be from the same insurer and identical in every way.

Price comparison sites

One of the quickest, easiest and most fruitful ways to compare different life insurance policies is to use a price comparison website. Comparison sites like lifeinsurance.org.uk are fantastic for searching for the cheapest deal without having to bother with a broker.

Cashback websites

With these sites, you’re not buying the insurance policy from the cashback site itself, but instead accessing the insurer’s own website through the cashback site. The way it works (i.e. why you get cashback) is because the cashback site you’re on will award you a portion of the commission it receives from the sale of the policy.

But beware – using a voucher or cashback site instead of a price comparison site can be misleading, because the deals on these sites only really work in if the initial quote itself is at or near the top of the table.

For example, a policy charging a premium of £40/month over 10 years and offering £150 cashback will still see you paying a lot more over the term of the policy than a similar policy costing £30/month over 10 years without a cashback deal.

So all in all, comparison sites are the highest-recommended means of finding the cheapest life insurance deal, but there are a number of avenues you can explore.

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10 Reasons to Question your PMI Policy /10-reasons-to-question-your-pmi-policy/ /10-reasons-to-question-your-pmi-policy/#comments Mon, 08 Oct 2012 19:32:10 +0000 admin /?p=759 Private Medical Insurance can prove a significant expense for any household. This guide will help explain how to get the cover that matches your needs for the best possible price.

1. Use Comparison Sites

Comparison sites for PMI policies are increasingly sophisticated these days and can quickly help you identify if another company is providing cover to the same level you already have but for a lower price. This is especially true if you have held your policy for some time. To complete an online comparison will only take a matter of minutes, but it could save you up to 30% on the cost of your cover.

2. Check What Benefits You Get At Work

Many employment contracts include some level of PMI cover so it is important to check your benefits carefully to make sure you are not paying another company for cover your employer already provides for you. Even if this is not included as a standard benefit, many employers offer access to low cost PMI policies which can work out much cheaper than standard rates.

3. Make Sure You Are Getting The Most From Your Policy

Many people tend to forget some of the smaller benefits offered by their PMI policy such as an annual eye test, telephone support lines or a one off payment on the birth of a child. Going back to check the small print will ensure that you are getting the most from your premiums and not paying for things that are already covered.

4. Be Prepared to Haggle

Whether you want to stay with the same provider at renewal time or are planning to change companies, you do not have to accept their first quote. Asking if they can offer you a better deal will often secure discounts as companies wish to secure your business.

5. Check Your Policy Carefully

Before you sign any PMI agreement, make sure you check the policy carefully and always read the small print as it is important to be certain you have exactly the right level of cover to meet your needs and also to know that you are not paying for any additional extras that are not relevant.

6. Update Your Insurer

If you have made any significant lifestyle changes, it is important to let your insurer know about these as they can have a real impact on the cost of your policy. For instance, if you have stopped smoking, or lost a significant amount of weight, your PMI premiums can fall by between 30%-50%. You should also let your insurer know about any developments in your overall health to ensure you are covered for any related illnesses.

7. Don’t Just Look at the Cost of Premiums

Whilst the monthly cost of premiums are an important consideration, other factors can be just as relevant. Questions to ask include; is there a limit on the amount you can claim, what treatments are excluded, what hospitals are covered by your policy, are in and out patient treatments covered and do you need a fully comprehensive plan or not?

8. Access Any Discounts You Are Entitled To

Many PMI companies offer certain discounts if, for instance, you pay your instalments as an upfront annual sum or if you agree to a voluntary excess for each claim. Some policies may offer no claim bonuses if you think you are unlikely to make claims on your cover. You will need to check with the company or your broker to find out what discounts are available to you.

9. Is a Joint Policy the Best Value?

Surprisingly, opting for a joint policy as opposed to two single policies is not always the more cost effective option. So when comparing prices, look at the cost for two single policies as well as a joint policy for a couple. Also, you may want to look at having different levels of cover for each individual rather than a standard policy for both people.

10. Consider the Lifetime Implications of a Policy

Many people are tempted by moratorium policies as the monthly premiums can be significantly cheaper. However, any medical condition which occurs during the moratorium period will not be covered. If this is the case, then you can be hit with significantly higher costs in the future.

Bio –

This article was written on behalf of Experts in Money, the online personal finance people, by Ed Beardsell. Ed writes consumer advice, guidance and information for a wide ranges of different personal finance products such as private medical insurance and life insurance.

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Importance of Public Liability Insurance for Painter and Decorator /importance-of-public-liability-insurance-for-painter-and-decorator/ /importance-of-public-liability-insurance-for-painter-and-decorator/#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2012 22:39:54 +0000 admin /?p=719 Public Liability InsuranceAs human beings we love colour and naturally beautiful places are likely to make a person comfortable and that is why we decorate the places we are in. If it is a house, office or any other place, it is painted and decorated the way it has to be. We can design the place as we wish with vibrant and soft colours where needed. The people who make our lives so colourful and beautiful by beautifying the places where we live in are painters and decorators. The very same people can also damage many of our things accidentally when they are at work. To cover the loss of the damages made they take out Self Employed Public Liability Insurance for painter and decorator.

Why should you get public liability insurance for painter and decorator?

The nature of work of the painter keeps them in their clientís place most of the time. This is the biggest reason that the painters have to get public liability insurance for them. Not only the painter and his co-workers are at another personís place all the time but also their tools and other things needed for painting and decorating are lying around the clientís place. If somebody trips over the tools or a tool goes missing, insurance will replace the tool or compensate for the cost. This can be got as an add-on to the cover.

If your act puts another person at loss and you compensate immediately for it, your goodwill increases. Goodwill is what will take you to heights whatever the market conditions may be.

What does public liability insurance for painter and decorator cover?

Public liability insurance covers loss and damages that the public has to face due to the negligent act of the painter and decorator. The costs are compensated to the affected party on claiming. Loss may be of any property damage or bodily injury to the third party for which compensation is paid.

Tools and equipment cover

The tools and all other things used for professional work are carried along by the painter always. Public Liability Insurance Quote for painter and decorator does not cover the tools of the insured. This is an add-on cover that can be got.

Income protection insurance

In times when you are injured and are not able to work for a long period or your business is closed down temporarily, this add-on cover will compensate for a particular amount every month.

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Why do I need professional liability insurance? /why-do-i-need-professional-liability-insurance/ /why-do-i-need-professional-liability-insurance/#comments Wed, 04 Jul 2012 20:24:40 +0000 admin /?p=683 If you are in the business of providing professional services, advice and products there are many good business reasons for having a professional indemnity (PI) insurance policy in place. One important reason is for the image it sends out to potential and current clients. Perception is pivotal in today’s business world, and it only takes a few pointers to form an impression. Having PI insurance gives your clients and prospects confidence that you will be able to compensate them should things go wrong, and gives you a solid, professional image. Many professional bodies, including solicitors, accountants and financial advisors must have PI insurance cover in place in order to practice. If you are not sure if this applies to your area, contact your own professional body. If your profession does not require you have this, there are still many other benefits.

Even with the best possible skills and working practices, there is a risk that something may go wrong due to an error or mistake being made, or by simply giving the wrong advice to your clients. If this happens and the client suffers ‘business damage’ and financial loss as a result, they may make a claim against you to recover these lost funds. The purpose of PI insurance is to provide your business with financial support to cover the cost of any claims like these and any legal costs incurred in responding to the claim. Without PI insurance, all costs will have to be met from the assets of the business, which may potentially put considerable strain on cash-flow and savings. It makes good business sense to have PI insurance in place; whether you are a personal trainer with personal trainer insurance or a consultant with consultants insurance, it gives both you and your clients confidence that if something does go wrong, your business will be in a position to resolve the issue as quickly and expertly as possible.

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Income Protection /income-protection/ /income-protection/#comments Thu, 14 Jun 2012 16:47:45 +0000 mike /?p=647 There are many frequently asked questions when it comes to income protection, here are the main ones answered.

Firstly what is income protection insurance? This is known under a number of terms, PHI, Permanent Health Insurance, Income insurance or Income Replacement and it provides a tax free income if you are unable to work due to illness or disability for as long as it takes for you to recover enough to return to work or until your retirement age, usually between 50 and 70, if you are unable to return to work.

How long will income protection insurance payout is often questioned, these policies will continue to payout until your selected retirement age no matter how young you are when you become unable to work.

It is often questioned how much income protection insurance is needed. The vast majority of insurance companies will pay a maximum of between 50 to 65% of your annual salary as a tax free sum. It is important to work out how much cover you will need before taking out a policy. To do this it is worth deciding how much money you will need per month to cover your outgoings, for example your mortgage repayments, bills and food, this will be your starting point for insurance levels. Many people insure around 50% of their income but some people only decide to cover their mortgage repayments or their rent and bills. The level of cover you choose depends entirely upon your circumstances.

Another common question is how much should an income protection policy cost? The price of these policies can vary between companies and can depend upon your circumstances. The cost of premiums are calculated on a number of things including the level of cover you require, your current  state of health as well as your occupation, your age, if you are a smoker and the length of cover you require.

If you are wanting to find out any more information on income protection insurance visit http://www.endsleigh.co.uk there is a depth of information for your perusal and friendly and welcoming staff if you have any questions.

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Why mortgage insurance might be your lifeline /why-mortgage-insurance-might-be-your-lifeline/ /why-mortgage-insurance-might-be-your-lifeline/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 20:58:06 +0000 Jason /?p=591 Housing is perhaps one of the most basic human needs. It is little wonder, therefore, that the security of having somewhere to live may feature so high on the list of so many people’s worries and concerns. Whilst there may be ample evidence for such fears to be well-founded, there is also hope and reassurance provided by some of the measures that may help safeguard your needs:

The evidence

  • you probably don’t have to be that avid a reader of the financial pages of the newspapers to guess that the UK’s housing market is in the doldrums;
  • whether you are a seller or a buyer, popular sentiment seems to advise against entering the housing market in recent years;
  • official, government statistics seem to back up such impressions;
  • figures released by the Department for Communities and Local Government, for example, show a house price index that has remained more or less stagnant in recent years;
  • yet the same government department records that in 2010 (the most recent year for which statistics are available) national average mortgage repayments accounted for more than 16% of the average household’s income;
  • for those individuals wanting to buy, moreover, the statistics suggest an all-time high in mortgage lenders’ demands for deposits of an average of 35% of the purchase price of the home;
  • together with widespread economic difficulties in other sectors of the economy, actions for the repossession of residential properties by both mortgage lenders and landlords reached some 142,088 in 2011, according to the Department for Communities and Local Government;

The safeguards

  • with statistics such as these, you may not want to be thrown on the mercies of the present housing market;
  • if you already have a mortgage, therefore, you might welcome any help at all in ensuring that you keep your repayment instalments fully up to date, whatever other life’s misfortunes might lie in store;
  • in other words, you might welcome the safeguards which products such as Drewberry mortgage insurance might bring;
  • just as the name suggests, this is insurance that helps you to meet your mortgage repayments at those times when you might otherwise be facing a seemingly impossible struggle;
  • mortgage life insurance, for example, works on the simple and straight forward principle of insuring your life – if you die at any time within the insurance term, the policy pays out a guaranteed, lump sum benefit, typically intended to pay off the mortgage for the benefit of your surviving loved ones;
  • mortgage payment protection insurance, on the other hand, may help to ensure that your mortgage continues to be paid (for up to a maximum of 12 or 24 months, depending on the cover you choose), if you are unable to work because of an accident, sickness or involuntary redundancy.

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141272.xls

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/141299.xls

http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/housing/xls/table1301.xls

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Problems With Saving on Car Insurance /problems-with-saving-on-car-insurance/ /problems-with-saving-on-car-insurance/#comments Fri, 23 Mar 2012 19:41:15 +0000 admin /?p=553 Most drivers today would jump at the chance to save money on their car insurance expense. Car insurance, like filling up your car with gas and making necessary repairs to your car from time to time, is a required cost of driving a vehicle today. It is an expense that you pay for regularly by paying premiums, but when you have an accident, your insurance cover can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses for medical bills and repairs to your vehicle. If you could find a way to save on your car insurance, it may make sense to do so on the surface. However, there may be a few problems with saving on car insurance that you have not yet considered.

Car Insurance

The Quality of Car Insurance

If you get an insurance quote from two companies that offer the same level of car insurance cover as well as the same deductible, you may immediately opt for the insurance with the lower rate. However, consider for a minute the experience of working with the two companies. Many drivers have filed claims on their insurance in the past only to realize that their insurance company has poor customer service and haggles over every cost associated with their claim.

When a company refuses to pay promptly on a claim, you are without the use of your car for a longer period of time. Further, if your insurance company refuses to pay, you can either file a lawsuit against them or pay the costs out-of-pocket. Both options are less than desirable for most people. Taking time to review the quality of the experience a car insurance company provides in addition to doing a rate comparison can help you to find a dependable car insurance company you can count on.

Savings Through Your Current Policy

Many insurance policies today are established with incentives for drivers to renew their policies and to retain those policies for the long-term. For instance, some insurance companies provide drivers with savings and discounts when a full calendar year passes without a claim on the policy. Others offer a discount by simply renewing the policy.

Some savings are offered with a discount to the premium, and others are offered through a reduction in the deductible. Another rate quote may be more affordable now, but if you qualify for these savings soon with your existing policy, the better option may be to stay with your current insurance company.

The Danger of Reducing Cover or Increasing Deductibles

Your insurance rate is a component of the level of cover you have as well as the amount of your deductible. Insurance premiums can be lowered by lowering cover or by increasing your deductible. Increasing your deductible is perhaps the safer of the two options.

However, you do want to ensure you have money on hand to pay the deductible. Nobody wants to have an accident and not be able to afford to pay their deductible. Lowering cover can also reduce your premium, but it leaves you open to financial liability if you have an expensive accident. Any costs related to your accident that are not covered by your insurance are yours to pay.

There are several different ways you may be able to save on your car insurance expense today. You may opt to shop around for quotes to see if another company may offer you a lower rate, or you may adjust your insurance cover or deductible as well. In some cases, it does make sense to change insurance cover limits, your deductible, or even your insurance provider. These may save you money without creating unnecessary risk to you. However, you should consider the risks associated with these options and explore possible savings available to you if you continue to stay with your current insurance provider.

Gathered from following sources:
https://www.moneysmart.gov.au/managing-my-money/insurance/car-insurance
http://www.dfs.ny.gov/insurance/auto/2011/auto1109.htm
http://www.atg.wa.gov/teenconsumer/transportation/how_to_save_on_auto_insurance.htm

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