Loan protection insurance came under fire in 2005 when the Financial Services Authority began an investigation into the sector following a super complaint made to the Office of Fair Trading by the Citizens Advice. It was revealed that many changes needed to be made to the way the product was sold and although some positive changes have been made a recent review by the Financial Services Authority has revealed that firms are still not making the product easy for the consumer to understand and is still being sold incorrectly.

Loan protection insurance can give you a tax free income each month if you become out of and unable to work due to suffering from an accident, long term sickness or through unemployment such as redundancy. After you had been out of work for a set period of time which can be anywhere between one to three months’ after the event, the insurance would provide you a tax free income for up to 12 months and with some policies for up to 24 months.

Do note that there can be exclusions which could mean that the product isn’t suitable for all circumstances so it is essential that these are pointed out at the time of buying. Some typical reasons include being of retirement age, self-employed, only in part time work or if you have an ongoing illness at the time of taking out the policy.

One of the many problems associated with the mis-selling of loan protection insurance and which led to several firms receiving fines from the Financial Services Authority early 2007 for was not making the product clear at the time of selling, poor selling techniques led to the product being mis-sold and people holding policies they couldn’t claim against. The majority of policies are bought alongside the loan at the time the loan is taken out with the high street lender but buying the cover this way can add hundreds more onto the cost than it needs too. Loan protection insurance can be bought independently of the loan and this is the best way to make huge savings on the premiums for what could be essential cover and give great peace of mind.

The standalone specialist provider of loan protection insurance will always make sure that the consumer has access to the vital information and key facts that is needed to be able to make an informed decision regarding the products suitability. One of the biggest changes for the better is to come in March 2008 with the introduction of comparison charts, comparison charts will make purchasing the correct product easier for consumers as they will answer a series of questions which will then lead the to the correct payment protection product. Along with this the charts will show how much in total the cover will cost, point out the exclusions within them and help the consumer to get the best deal.

It is important to remember that it isn’t the product itself that is to blame for the problems surrounding payment protection but those who have poor selling techniques such as the high street lenders. A standalone specialist will know their products inside out and as such be able to give you the essential advice needed for you to make the right choice regarding the suitability of loan protection insurance.

Everyone likes to save money! That fact is not a secret to anyone. When trying to save money on car insurance, a question that should be considered is, “What will be the cost to me for “saving” money?” This question is meant to help people realize that there is a difference between “price” and “cost”. While Company “A” may offer slightly lower or even much lower premiums than Company “B”, Company “B” may offer some services that you prefer, i.e. a local agent, 24 hour service, online service etc. These services may be worth the extra price to some people, and not for others. Thus, it is shown that services received may out-weigh the price paid.

Another factor to take into consideration is the quality of service you receive from an insurance company. While all auto insurance companies want you to believe that they are as good, or even better than the next company; that is simply not true. There are drastic differences in overall service, claim handling, and personality of individual companies. One company may offer exceptional claim’s service, but perhaps it is very difficult to actually get in touch with the company’s claim’s department; while another company may have terrible claim’s service, but their claim department is easy to reach.

One must ask themselves, “Is it worth paying lower premiums to receive a lower quality of service, or am I willing to pay a bit more to ensure that my service is exceptional?” Don’t misunderstand. Just because a company offers lower premiums, does not necessarily mean that company’s level of service will be lacking. Great service can come at any price.

The most important item to remember while searching for lower premiums is to do your homework. Talk to your family, friends, and co-workers. Ask them where they are insured, and if they are pleased with their insurance company. Remember, not all insurance companies are created equally, for instance, a company that runs completely over the phone or internet will have different costs than a company that employs fulltime agents. That is because the cost of doing business is different for each of those companies. This brings the question again, “What services do I value in my insurance company? Do I want the package Company “A” offers or that of Company “B”?”

Low rate car insurance is in the eye of the beholder. Simply put, different services are worth different amounts to different people. So find the company with the services you desire and let the games begin.