Unemployment Insurance News

Archive for January, 2008


Mortgage protection insurance cover could save your home

If you are in full time work and have the commitment of paying a monthly mortgage then you will no doubt have at sometime or another had the odd day off work. And while the odd day doesn’t make such a huge difference to your income having a month or more off could have a serious financial impact and could seriously affect your ability to meet your monthly mortgage repayments. If you were to be out of work for a few months then this could mean that you stand the risk of having your home repossessed if you cannot keep up with the mortgage repayments, however mortgage protection insurance cover could save your home.

Mortgage protection insurance cover is one member of a family of payment protection insurance (PPI) policies that can, when purchased correctly, ensure that you would have a monthly income to cover your mortgage repayments and associated costs if you should become out of work due to having an accident, suffering an illness or becoming unemployed through such as redundancy.

The cover is sometimes called ASU which is stands for accident, sickness and unemployment, and a policy can be taken out to safeguard against accident and sickness only; unemployment only; or accident, sickness and unemployment together.

Quotes for the mortgage protection insurance cover are given on the amount that you wish to protect each month and if you shop around for the cover and get your quote from a standalone provider then you can be sure of obtaining the cheapest quotes for the premiums. If you take the mortgage protection insurance cover that is offered alongside the mortgage from the high street lender, then the premiums could be sky high over the term of your mortgage. Also, historically, high street banks and lenders often fail to provide pertinent information regarding the key facts and exclusions within a policy. In a nutshell, this could mean that you buy a product that doesn’t even cover you.

Some of the most common exclusions within mortgage protection insurance cover are if you are self-employed, if you are retired or only work part time. If you should become unable to work due to a pre-existing medical condition then this too would be excluded and you wouldn’t be able to claim for it. There are also many exclusions among common problems that keep people out of work such as back problems and stress related illness, so it is worth checking out the exclusions to ensure that a policy would suit your requirements.

Mortgage protection insurance cover could help you save your home as if you were to be out of work, typically for 30 days or more, a good policy would kick in and be backdated to day one. It would then continue to provide you with a tax free income for up to 12 months - in some cases for up to 24 months with some providers. It isn’t, however, suitable for everyone and only you or a specialist provider can determine if it is. The majority of standalone providers will offer all the information that you need to ensure you are able to make the right choice before committing yourself to a policy. However, be aware that the high street lenders often do not and you must ask about them about the key facts and any exclusions outright.

Shop around for mortgage payment protection insurance premiums

When it comes to getting the cheapest possible mortgage payment protection insurance premiums then it is essential that you shop around for several quotes with standalone providers. The premiums for mortgage insurance do vary considerably depending on where you choose to take the policy; the high street lender will often charge way over the odds for the cover when compared to a standalone provider.

Mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) is one of a family of protection insurance policies that cover your monthly mortgage repayments. In the case of mortgage payment protection insurance, the repayments it provides cover for are your mortgage. This essentially means that if you were to come out of work after suffering an accident, being ill or through unemployment of no fault of your own, you wouldn’t have to worry about losing the roof over your head.

Mortgage cover isn’t suitable for everyone though and you have to ensure that you would be able to make a claim on a policy if you should need too. A good policy would start to pay you a monthly tax free income each and every month for up to 12 months - in some cases 24 months - once you have been out of work for a pre-defined period of time – usually 30 days. Good policies will pay your claim back to day one.

Getting the lowest mortgage payment protection insurance premiums shouldn’t be your only concern when it comes to the product. Getting a quality product along with the advice needed in order for you to make a decision regarding the policy’s suitability is also imperative.

There are many exclusions within policies which could mean that you wouldn’t be able to claim. If you have a pre existing medical condition and were to come out of work due to this then you wouldn’t be able to claim on your policy. Those who are retired, self employed or only work part time would be ineligible to claim and many common medical problems are also excluded from a policy. While mortgage payment protection insurance can be a lifeline it isn’t suitable for all circumstances and you have to ensure it is suitable for yours.

Mortgage payment protection insurance premiums have been a cause for concern during a recent and still ongoing investigation by the Financial Services Authority, along with the lack of information given to the consumer at the time of purchase. Poor selling practises have led to several well known companies being fined by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) after it was found they didn’t give the necessary information to the consumer or ensured that the consumer would be eligible to claim on their policy. The sector is currently under review by the Competition Commission and their findings are expected to be made public early 2009.

While getting the cheapest mortgage payment protection insurance premiums is desirable they mean nothing if you wouldn’t be able to make a successful claim on your policy. When it comes to protecting the roof over your head a mortgage payment protection plan can do this, but only if you are sure that you meet the criteria defined in the policy before purchasing it.

The importance of getting several mortgage payment protection insurance quotes

It is vital that you get several mortgage payment protection insurance quotes if you are to get the best quote for your policy premiums. The cheapest quotes will be found with the standalone provider and the dearest end of the scale is with the high street lender, so shopping around could end up saving you thousands in total for the advantage of having peace of mind and security when it comes to your mortgage repayments.

Mortgage payment protection insurance (MPPI) is considered to be a lifeline that could make the difference between you losing the roof over your head and comfortably managing to carry on making your monthly mortgage repayments. Providing your lifestyle fits the policy then it would start to pay out after you had been out of work for 30 days or more due to having an accident, suffering an illness or through unemployment such as redundancy. A policy will generally continue to provide you with a tax free income for up to 12 months (in some cases for up to 24 months) which is more than enough time for you to get back on your feet.

While getting the cheapest mortgage payment protection insurance quotes is essential this isn’t the only reason for shopping around and going with a standalone provider for the protection. High street lenders have come under fire in the past for not giving out the essential information regarding policies and the exclusions within them. An investigation into the sector materialised after a super compliant by the Citizens Advice to the Office of Fair Trading. Following this, several high profile companies were fined. They were fined for not giving out essential information and ensuring that a policy was in the consumer’s best interest.

The sector is still under the watchful eye of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) and also the Competition Commission, who hope to have their review completed by February 2009.

The mis-selling of policies have been wide spread and it is hoped that many changes for the better will be the result of the ongoing investigation and review. One recent change has been the way that mortgage payment protection insurance is sold online. Until recently companies relied on pre ticked boxes as a way of including the insurance with a mortgage. However some consumers didn’t realise they had to un tick the box if they didn’t want the cover which resulted in them buying policies that they didn’t want and wouldn’t have been able to claim on. While this is a step for the better there are plenty of more factors that need resolving and one of them is the fact that the majority of consumers don’t even realise they can shop around for the cover and buy it independently.

Consumers do have the option of shopping around and this is essential, not only can you get the cheapest mortgage payment protection insurance quotes but you are also provided with the essential information that you need to make the decision over whether a policy is in your best interests.

A mortgage payment protection insurance UK policy could be your lifeline

If you have taken any notice of the negative side of taking out a mortgage payment protection insurance UK policy then you might think twice about purchasing the cover. However, mortgage payment protection insurance as a product can be a lifeline if you have made sure that a policy is suitable for your needs and you fit the criteria outlined.

Mortgage payment protection insurance UK policies are taken out if you have a mortgage and are worried that either through accident, sickness or unemployment you might be out of work and therefore suffering from a lost income. A policy could provide you with a tax free sum of money each month - typically after you have been off work for 31 days - and continue to pay for up to 12 months, and in some cases, up to 24 months. However it isn’t a lifeline for those that are ineligible for claim as, with all insurance, there are exclusions within all mortgage payment protection insurance UK policies.

Finding this valuable information so that you can ensure a policy is suitable for your needs can be harder than it sounds unless you know where you look to get it. Buying your policy alongside your mortgage from the high street lender is not the way to go as they give very little information at the time of purchase. In fact, high street lenders are notorious for making huge profits on the sales of all payment protection policies, of which mortgage payment protection insurance is just one. Due to this they monopolise the sector and sometimes do not give out essential advice but often mislead the consumer into believing the cover has to be taken with them at the time of purchasing a mortgage.

Certainly, some companies have been fined for the lack of information the give and not ensuring that a policy is in the best interests of the consumer. This was highlighted by a super complaint by the Citizens Advice which sparked an investigation into the sector by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). Following this investigation several companies were for not having the consumer’s best interest at heart.

There are alternative ways of buying a mortgage payment protection insurance UK policy if you want a financial lifeline. The best way to ensure you get a quality product is to shop around for the cover and get several quotes from standalone providers. A standalone provider will be more ethical than his high street counterparts and will ensure that you have access to the vital information needed to make a decision. One of the main causes of mis selling was due to the many exclusions within mortgage payment protection insurance UK policies. For example, if you don’t work full time are retired or self employed then a policy is a waste of money. However, mortgage payment protection insurance UK policies have been sold to people such as this because they weren’t aware of the exclusions. If you want mortgage payment protection insurance in the UK to give you a financial safety net, then shop around, learn as much as possible about the key facts and exclusions in a policy and buy your cover with the certainty that you could claim should you need to.

Mortgage payment protection UK policies explained

When it comes to almost any type of insurance then policies that come with the cover are filled with technical jargon that only those in the financial sector can understand. When it comes to mortgage payment protection UK policies then this is no exception and is one of the main reasons why the sector has been and still is under investigation and review.

After the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) received a Super Complaint from the Citizens Advice, the Financial Services Authority began an investigation into the sector as well as the OFT. Eventually it was referred to the Competition Commission whose findings are expected in early 2009. Although payment protection insurance policies are the main focus of the Competition Commission review, mortgage payment protection UK policies are also being included, too.

Several well known names in the financial arena have been fined by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), the main reasons that essential facts regarding a policy and the exclusions within it were not always highlighted to the consumer.

Mortgage payment protection UK policies, sold correctly, are invaluable to any homeowner who qualifies for the cover. It is a financial lifeline for those who find themselves out of work after suffering from an accident, a sickness or through unemployment such as redundancy. Providing a policy is suitable for the individual’s circumstances it will provide a monthly tax free income which would ensure that the policyholder will be able to meet their mortgage repayments each month, with the cover paying out for up to 12 months and in some cases 24 months.

A mortgage payment protection UK policy takes up where the State fails when it comes to providing a homeowner with help to keep the roof over their head. The State gives very little financial help when it comes to mortgage repayments should an individual find themselves out of work this way.

However, mortgage payment protection insurance has never been the easiest product to understand even if you are presented with the facts unless they have been clearly explained in plain English. In the past many people who have bought the cover online have purchased the cover without even realising they have done so. This was due to the many proof-hungry lenders using a pre ticked check box which the consumer has to un tick if they didn’t want the cover.

Thankfully due to the investigation by the Financial Services Authority this has now been changed and it is hoped that by the time the Competition Commission’s review and investigation is completed mortgage payment protection in the UK will be explained much more clearly allowing the consumer to fully understand the product they are buying and to know the product is right for their needs.

Mortgage payment protection UK policies could mean the difference between you losing your home and keeping it, but only if the product is suitable for an individual’s circumstances. By shopping around with standalone providers and taking advantage of the information an ethical provider will give, you can ensure that it is right for you before committing yourself. You do have a choice when it comes to buying mortgage payment protection in the UK and you need to exercise that right and use it to your advantage.

Mortgage protection: a lifeline or noose?

If you have purchased or are considering purchasing mortgage protection from a high street lender then think again, for unless you are really careful you could be placing a noose around your neck. Much has been made of how the high street banks and lenders have, in the past, ripped off their unsuspecting customers by selling over priced, often unsuitable cover. However, if you shop around for the cover and take the option of going with a standalone protection specialist then you would probably buy the lifeline a mortgage protection policy should be.

Ideally mortgage protection is taken out to provide those who have to keep up with their mortgage repayments with a monthly income if they should become unable to work after having an accident, an illness or being made redundant. Policies continue to pay out for up to 12 months and in some cases 24 months, which can indeed be a lifeline in protecting the roof over your head and stopping repossession due to not being able to afford your mortgage repayments.

However, as with all insurance, there are exclusions in a mortgage protection policy and this means the product isn’t suitable for everyone. There is a thin line when it comes to determining if mortgage protection is a lifeline or noose and it all basically boils down to the fact of whether you understand a policy or not. The majority of people don’t understand a policy - how could they be expected to when they are filled with what only can be described as technical jargon. Luckily there are lenders in the sector that realise this and campaign for the cover to be explained clearer while doing their bit and giving you the information you need to ensure you don’t hang yourself with an unsuitable policy.

Many high street lenders at the other end of the scale would gladly help you place the noose there and pull it tighter by selling you a policy that is filled with exclusions which of course they haven’t explained to you at the time of selling the policy. They will also charge you an extortionate premium for a policy which could essentially be worthless to you. This has been the number one reason for the fines handed out by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) during their investigation spanning two years and which is still underway while the sector has also been referred to the Competition Commission (CC) by the office of Fair Trading.

In early 2007, several well known financial companies were fined by the Financial Services Authority due to not ensuring mortgage protection was right for consumers. However, with the FSA and the CC looking at the payment protection sector as a whole, positive changes will be made in the industry and cover will be made more transparent for the consumer. Mortgage protection is supposed to be a lifeline, this is what it was designed for and is what it should do and by the time the CC and the FSA have completed their respective review and investigation hopefully mis-selling will be a thing of the past and mortgage protection will have a better future, as will the consumer.

Is your financial future guaranteed with mortgage protection cover?

Sadly some consumers who took out mortgage protection cover found that their policy didn’t in fact cover them when they came out of work - the worst affected by this revelation may even have lost the roof over their head due to not being able to claim and not being able to afford to meet their monthly mortgage repayments when they came out of work. Fortunately the majority who thought they were covered and who had been mis sold their policy found out in time, so the question every homeowner who has the insurance should be asking themselves is, is your financial future guaranteed with your mortgage protection cover?

If the exclusions that are contained within all mortgage protection cover policies were clearly explained to you or the information was given enabling you to decide for yourself if the protection was right for you then your policy will probably cover you in case you should come out of work due to an accident, sickness or through unemployment.

If this was the case then you probably shopped around for the cover yourself and chose to purchase it independently from a standalone provider. If you bought your policy this way then it should start to pay out once you have been out of work for typically 30 days or more and will continue to provide you with a tax free sum of money each month so you can make your mortgage repayments. If you bought your mortgage protection cover this way then you are one of the lucky ones and have the peace of mind that a policy such as this can give.

If you bought your mortgage protection cover alongside your mortgage from the high street lender then, historically, this could leave you unprotected and you should seriously ask yourself if the cover is suitable for your needs. If it isn’t and the exclusions such as being retired, being self employed, only in part time employment or not being made aware of the many common illnesses and problems that are excluded from the policy, then you unfortunately have probably been mis-sold your policy and need to take action.

The mis-selling of mortgage protection cover and payment protection insurance policies was found to be wide spread after a super complaint to the Office of Fair Trading by the Citizens Advice. Following an investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) several firms were fined for the mis-selling including several well-known financial names. The biggest problem uncovered was the lack of information regarding the key facts and exclusions of policies which left the policyholders unable to make a successful claim, as well as putting them in danger of losing the roof over their head if they came out of work and lost their income.

The review and investigation into the sector is still continuing and it is hoped that by the time they reach conclusion many changes for the better will have been made to the protection insurance industry and in particular the way that mortgage protection cover is sold. The product has to be made clearer to understand and the key facts must be explained at the time the consumer buys the product if they are to have a hope of understanding it.

Mortgage protection cover UK policies can work

A mortgage protection cover UK policy can work and can do the job that its supposed to do but it is down to the consumer themselves to ensure that they do everything they possibly can to understand the ins and out of the cover and to realise that it isn’t suitable cover for everyone, as there are exclusions which could stop you from claiming.

A mortgage protection cover UK policy is an invaluable product, despite the bad reputation it has earned for itself during the last few years. However, in all fairness, you should understand that the product itself isn’t to blame but rather those that sell the protection. The majority of problems have stemmed from policies that have been sold alongside loans and mortgages at the time of taking out the mortgage; with the high street lender this has been a lack of information on the part of those selling the product. On the internet one of the biggest problems recently highlighted has been the use of pre ticked boxes which the consumer didn’t realise they had to un tick if they didn’t want the cover. This led to them unwittingly buying a policy that they may not have needed or may have been ineligible to claim on.

After an investigation by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) many online sellers of mortgage protection cover UK policies agreed to change the way they sell the insurance. Investigations in to the protection insurance industry began in 2005 after a Super Complaint by the Citizens Advice to the Office of Fair Trading. Subsequently, many well known financial organisations were fined for their sloppy sales practices and for not having the consumer’s best interests at heart.

A mortgage protection cover UK policy is a type of insurance that is taken out to safeguard against the possibility that you might become out of work after suffering from an accident, an illness or unemployment. Providing your circumstances are in line with the policy then it would pay out a fixed income each month which is tax free after you have been out of work, usually for 30 days or more. It would continue to provide you with this income to ensure that you wouldn’t be struggling to make your monthly mortgage repayments and so wouldn’t have to worry about losing your home due to repossession. The cover would continue to provide you with this income for up to 12 months and some providers give 24 months on their policies.

It is essential that you shop around as mortgage protection cover UK policies do vary greatly in the premiums that are charged as well as the quality of cover offered. Historically, the high street banks and lenders charge way over the odds for the cover with premiums often adding thousands more than they need to onto the total cost of the mortgage. The cheapest premiums can be found by going with a standalone provider. The standalone provider not only offers the cheapest premiums which saves you money but also will provide you with the essential information and key facts of the mortgage protection cover UK policy which ensures that you are able to make an informed decision before buying.

Mortgage protection insurance confuses many consumers

The very product that is supposed to help the consumer in their time of need can be confusing and hard to understand which means that many times an individual ends up buying a product that they cannot possibly hope to claim and which should never have been sold to them in the first place. The simple fact is that mortgage protection insurance, sold incorrectly, confuses some homeowners.

There are many reasons why mortgage protection insurance can be confusing, the first is the high street lender will push the cover alongside the mortgage while at the same time not always giving out vital information regarding what the cover entails and also without making the consumer aware of the total amount they will be paying for their cover over the term of the mortgage. Mortgage protection insurance when bought this way can add thousands onto the cost of the mortgage over its lifetime and could leave the policyholder open to the risk of losing the roof over their head if they should become out of work.

Sold correctly, mortgage protection insurance provides invaluable cover against the fact that you could find yourself without an income if you were to come out of work through having an accident, suffering an illness or through unemployment through no fault of your own.

Providing you have been informed of the exclusions then a mortgage protection insurance policy would pay out after you have been out of work for 30 days or more and would ensure that you had a tax free income each month to pay your mortgage each month. This income would last for 12 months and in some cases up to 24 months, which would be ample time for you to get back on your feet again and back to work while keeping the roof over your head. A policy can be bought to guard against becoming out of work through accident and sickness only; unemployment only; or accident, sickness and unemployment. The cover is sometimes called ASU which is accident, sickness and unemployment cover.

The biggest factor that has led to several well-known financial companies being fined by the Financial Services Authority earlier in 2007 after a super complaint by the Citizens Advice to the Office of Fair Trading, was that the consumer is unaware of the many exclusions. These include being self employed, retired, or only working part time.

Many policies were sold without ensuring that the homeowner was aware of these conditions which meant that they couldn’t hope to claim on them. The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has fined many leading names for failing to ensure that a policy was suitable for the consumer when it came to the terms and conditions. The investigation and review by the Competition Commission is still underway and should reach its conclusion by February 2009 when it is hoped that changes for the consumers best interests will be made, for at the present, for some homeowners, mortgage protection insurance is just too confusing.

Take out unemployment cover the right way

While unemployment cover isn’t suitable for everyone, for those who do qualify and purchase a product it can mean the difference between struggling to find the money each month for your essential outgoings if you lost your income and knowing that if you came out of work, you would receive an income from your unemployment cover.

When unemployment cover is bought correctly and care has been taken to ensure that you fit the criteria outlined in a policy, it can be a very valuable product if through accident, sickness or unemployment you were to lose your monthly income. A good quality unemployment cover product should start to pay out from the 31st day you have been out of work and would give you a tax free income to ensure that you wouldn’t be left struggling to meet your financial commitments each month. The majority of providers offer policies which pay out for up to 12 months and in some cases a provider will offer a policy that lasts for up to 24 months.

Unemployment cover is divided into three different main types of policy; these are loan payment protection, mortgage payment protection and income protection insurance. All policies can be taken out to just safeguard against the possibility that due to unforeseen circumstances you should become unemployed, through such as being made redundant, or they can be taken out to include being out of work due to an accident or sickness.

While unemployment cover can be a great product it has to be understood in order to make sure that you would be able to claim on your policy, there are exclusions within all policies that mean you might not be eligible to claim, some of the most common include being retired, only working part time and claiming for an illness that was ongoing at the time you took out the policy. High street lenders are very reluctant when it comes to giving out information and policies have been sold by them which couldn’t possibly be claimed on due to the exclusions.

This led to a huge investigation into the sector and products by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) after a Super Complaint to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) by the Citizens Advice. The Financial Services Authority fined many high street names for mis-selling the unemployment cover protection. The OFT recently referred the sector to the Competition Commission who is conducting an in-depth inquiry into the sector of which should be completed by February 2009.

There are some issues that need addressing in the unemployment insurance sector but unemployment cover is still a valuable product to have when purchased correctly. For the best advice and information regarding unemployment insurance look around and get several quotes from standalone providers for the cover and don’t be tempted to take the cover that is offered alongside loans, credit cards and mortgages. Taking the cover offered by the high street lender often means you won’t get the information needed to make an informed decision regarding the product and you will pay more for the insurance quote than you would have if you had gone a standalone specialist.