Getting insurance quotes
The insurance market changes all the time and shopping around for the best quote can save you money and ensure that you get the right level of cover for your needs. Non-life insurances, like home, car, health and general liability …
Making an insurance claim
This section has information to help you if you need to make an insurance claim. Step-by-step procedures The first thing you need to do is check your full policy (not just the summary) to see whether you are covered. Remember, …
Types of life insurance
Types of general insurance
Term life insurance
Term life insurance policies pay a lump sum to a person you name (for example, your spouse or dependants) if you die during the term of the policy
Car insurance
If you drive a motor vehicle, by law you must have motor insurance. It is a criminal offence to drive without motor insurance. If caught you may have to pay fines, get penalty points and be disqualified from driving.
Whole of life insurance
Some insurers offer life policies that insure you for your whole life, or for as long as you want to keep paying premiums. The cost of these policies is higher than with basic term life insurance and can increase at …
Home insurance
You are not legally obliged to take out home insurance but if you have a mortgage, your lender can insist that you have buildings insurance so that you can afford to rebuild your home if it is destroyed.
Serious illness insurance
Serious illness insurance pays you a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of the specific illnesses or disabilities that your policy covers. It is also sometimes called ‘critical illness cover’. It is often sold as an extra …
Travel insurance
If you are travelling, you should consider getting travel insurance. It can cover you against losses such as: damaged or delayed luggage cancelled flights delayed or missed departure loss or theft of money or passport illness or injury Many policies also include …
Income protection insurance
Income protection insurance pays out a regular cash payment that replaces part of your lost income if you can’t work due to a medium to long-term illness, injury or disability. It can also be called ‘permanent health insurance’ (PHI) – …
Health insurance
Health insurance covers medical or hospital expenses if you get sick, have an accident or need an operation.
Mortgage protection insurance
Mortgage protection insurance is a life insurance policy that pays off your mortgage if you or your partner die during the term of the mortgage. It runs for the same length of time as your mortgage.
Pet insurance
For many people, pets are part of the family. Taking care of your pet may involve bringing them to the vet from time to time. This could be for a check-up, or a routine procedure like a vaccination. But there …
Payment protection insurance
Payment protection insurance (PPI) is insurance that will pay out a sum of money to help you cover your monthly repayments on mortgages, loans, credit/store cards or catalogue payments if you are unable to work. This may be as a …
Gadget insurance
If you buy a new phone, camera or laptop, you may want to take out gadget insurance to cover the cost of replacing it.