Loan Payment Protection

The Basics Of Loan Payment Protection
by: Simon Burgess
Not understanding loan payment protection is the number one fault associated with mis-selling. Providing cover is suitable then taking out a policy to cover your loan repayments can save you from getting into debt and give you peace of mind and the security of an income each month. This income is used to cover your loan or credit card repayments and is tax free. Loan insurance premiums can vary a lot and the cheapest way to take out a policy is to go with a standalone specialist provider. By choosing to buy cover after taking out the loan you will not feel as though you are getting pushed into the cover and you will be able to take your time going over the terms and conditions. An independent provider will always make this information available. A policy could start to pay out if the policy holder was out of work due to an accident or illness, or through unemployment such as redundancy. The policy holder waits a period of time before receiving a payout, which usually comes 30 to 90 days after being out of work continually. The policy pays out a tax-free income for up to 12 months, or for up to 24 months with some providers, which is usually enough time to recover and get back to work. You do have to make sure that a policy would be suitable for your circumstances before you buy. This is due to there being terms and conditions that can stop you from claiming. The exclusions most regularly found include being retired or self-employed, suffering an illness or only working on a part-time basis. But these exclusions are not set in stone; for example, providing the illness has not occurred within the last two years then cover might be suitable. Beware of borrowing online and if you do pay attention to whether loan protection cover is already included. Online lenders have in the past included loan protection as standard unless a box is un-ticked. While the majority of lenders have now put an end to this to avoid confusion, it is worthwhile double checking. The same goes when taking out a loan with the high street lenders, because they have also been known to add in the cover and then add interest onto the total amount. This, of course, can almost double the cost of what was a cheap loan and is the most expensive way of purchasing peace of mind. When buying a protection policy for your loan make sure you know whether you will pay a single premium or regular one. If you pay a single premium then lenders will charge around three years’ premiums upfront, which you are expected to pay in one lump sum. You also need to pay attention to any clauses relating to early repayment of the loan. Always check to make sure what you would be able to claim back if you should take the loan out then find out you can afford to repay it early. While loan payment protection can work and give you a much needed income it does only pay out for a maximum amount of time. While in the majority of cases the individual will return to work within this period, occasionally they remain unable to work for a longer period. Therefore, you must consider how you would be able to maintain the repayments if you should remain off work once the cover stopped providing an income.


Ensure Loan Payment Protection Insurance Is Not Included With The Loan
by: Simon Burgess
While you should certainly consider taking out loan payment protection insurance, because it can be a valuable asset, be careful to avoid taking out a policy with the same company that provides your loan. Sometimes high street lenders add on the protection policy without asking the individual if they want or need the cover. Taking a policy this way not only adds enormous expense to the cost of the loan, but can result in you wasting money on a useless policy that would not pay out should you claim. High street lenders are known to charge premiums that can almost double the cost of a cheap loan. As well as adding the total cost of a policy onto the amount you are borrowing, they then top it off and add interest onto the total amount. Those lenders who try to persuade the borrower that the loan relies on taking out loan payment insurance protection are not being truthful. Some might ask that you do protect the amount you are borrowing, but you do not have to take the payment insurance with the loan provider. You can choose to shop around with a specialist provider and compare cheaper quotes. An independent provider could save you up to 80% in comparison with a high street lender. At the same time a standalone provider can offer all the advice you need to make sure you know the product is suitable for your circumstances. For example, you have to watch out for exclusions such as being of retirement age, suffering from an ongoing illness, only being in part-time work or being self-employed. These are common exclusions but there are exceptions. For instance, those who are self-employed could still be eligible to take out a policy if they have to cease trading through no fault of their own. And if you have a pre-existing medical condition but it has not resurfaced within the last two years then a policy could be suitable. Loan protection cover would begin to provide the policy holder with a tax-free income once they have been out of work for a defined period of time. The exact time period depends on the provider but is usually between day 30 to 90 of being continually unable to work. You would then have peace of mind for between 12 to 24 months, as indicated in the key facts of the cover. You also have to be very wary when taking out a loan online. Loan payment protection insurance can also be added in this way. A recent survey by a popular watchdog revealed that out of 41 quotes for loans, 24 of these had included the insurance. The majority of them also gave separate quotes for both with and without insurance. When applying for your quote online very often you have to un-tick a box yourself or click to a different place if you do not want insurance along with the loan, which is often confusing. However, some lenders have now agreed to change the pre-ticked box method. Always make sure you read the FAQs page when applying for a loan online so that you know whether protection is being included in the cost of the loan.


Loan Protection Explained
by: Simon Burgess
Mis-selling of loan protection has occurred in the past and one of the biggest factors that contributed to this is poor information given when the policy was sold. The main culprits have been high street lenders that have poor selling techniques, with little or no training when it comes to selling. While the high street lender can give a good deal on a loan, they cannot give the cheapest quotes for protection. It has been revealed that they make £4 billion in profits when selling high cost insurance alongside a cheap loan. Many individuals are under the impression that they have to take out protection insurance offered by the lender in order to be able to borrow. This is not true; all individuals can shop around for a policy. In fact, this is the cheapest way to take out what could be valuable protection. It is also one of the safest ways when it comes to getting the information needed to determine whether a policy would be suitable. There are exclusions which mean that loan payment protection is not suitable for all. Being of retirement age, working for yourself, having an ongoing illness or not being in full-time work could all mean a policy would not be suitable. You do have to go over the wording of the terms and conditions carefully. Those who are self-employed could still benefit from taking out a policy if they were to cease trading altogether due to reasons which were no fault of their own. In addition, if the pre-existing medical condition had not resurfaced within the past two years then those suffering an illness could benefit from a policy. Providers can also add in other conditions and these can vary from provider to provider, so along with comparing the cost of the insurance you should also compare the small print. Providing protection for a loan is suitable and you have checked it out thoroughly then getting the cheapest policy is the next step. It is important to remember that by shopping around and getting several quotes you can save as much as 80% on the premiums. A specialist offers the cheapest premiums, which are based on the amount you wish to cover each month and your age. Loan cover will be offered when borrowing and while it might be the easiest option just to have cover added on, it can also be very expensive. In some cases lenders have been known to work out the full cost of the insurance for the term of the loan. They then add this onto the cost of the borrowing and then calculate the interest with loan cover on top. When combined this way your protection policy could almost double the cost of what was once a cheap loan. Loan protection polices do vary when it comes to paying out. The majority of policies will begin to provide the policy holder with a tax-free income once they have been unable to work for between 30 to 90 days. If you were to remain incapacitated then the income would continue for between 12 to 24 months, depending on the terms and conditions of the provider. However, this payment of course depends on the policy being suitable for your circumstances in the first place.