Anyone who is finding times getting tighter due to financial pressures often turns to reviewing their regular outgoings as a way of seeing what they might be able to make do without. Many families could be surprised by the high percentage of their cash which goes on their mortgage, if they have one. A home loan is a big commitment, and failing to repay it can end in a repossession order. However, there are some financial measures available which can help guard against this, such as mortgage payment insurance.
This is a type of cover which is designed to give someone a helping hand if they suddenly find difficulty in meeting their repayments. It should not be confused with ‘mortgage life insurance’ or a ‘decreasing assurance policy’. This is a form of cover which will meet the balance of the outstanding mortgage if someone dies before it is paid off.
Mortgage payment insurance will pay out, subject to a successful claim, after someone has lost their income through illness, injury following an accident, or involuntary redundancy. Sickness and redundancy packages may be inadequate or last for too short a length of time and a policy of this type is designed to fill the gap until someone gets back into work.
Because no one can predict what the future will hold, this type of cover provides peace of mind for those who think they would severely struggle should they suddenly lose their income for the above reasons. A mortgage payment policy usually pays out a monthly amount which will be a percentage of someone’s regular income before it was taken away from them. A typical amount is 75 per cent up to a limit of about £3,000.
Payments will continue for 12 to 24 months depending on the insurer, and the first instalment often arrives between 90 and 30 days after someone makes a claim, although a lot of companies will backdate payments to the first day someone lost their income. Cash arrives tax-free until someone is back in work and can be used not just for repayments, but to cover interest on the home loan and other outgoings like utilities and insurance. Some extra dimensions to cover which may be offered include carer cover, for people who might need to leave their job to look after someone full-time. Policies are also available which just guard against either sickness or injury or redundancy, so they can be tailored towards someone’s exact needs.
Mortgage payment insurance is available from independent payment protection provider British Insurance. It is also available from lenders themselves and from more high street type insurance companies. However, firms like British Insurance may be able to provide someone with a better deal and have been known to save consumers as much as 40 per cent on this type of policy.
For many years I have been a staunch campaigner against the major names in finance who, I believe, rip-off their customers by selling over priced, often unsuitable payment protection insurance (PPI) cover.