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Between 4 and 12 million customers could soon be receiving letters from their banks about the mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) that they were sold.

The banks claim that they ‘systematically mis-sold’ PPI to a number of their customers and the Financial Services Authority (FSA) have now ordered the banks to write the letters in plain English and that they should let the customers know that they may have been mis-sold PPI, how they can go about trying to reclaim it and that there’s no need for the customer to use a claims management company to reclaim what they are owed.

All of these letters are said to be being sent out the customers in stages so as not to miss anyone out and to be a little more precise in ensuring everyone receives a letter.

It has also recently been revealed that an astonishing £1.9bn has been paid out in 2011 due to the mis-selling of PPI. According to reports though, there could still be a quite astronomical amount of £6bn to still be paid out to customers that have been mis-sold the insurance in previous years.

One reason banks are saying that their customers don’t need to get a claims Management Company involved is because of how lucrative a business it’s been for them.
All in all, there’s been around £50m claimed by these claims companies who have managed to get this figure back for their client’s claims.

If however, you don’t fancy trying to claim your money back through the bank then you should definitely pay a visit to a company who will be able to help you get back what you’re owed.

When pets get ill, the bills can run into the hundreds or thousands of pounds. There is no government safety net for dogs and vets can be expensive. So how do you prepare yourself for these eventualities and cover yourself against the cost of a sick pet?

The most popular method is pet insurance, but it can be costly if you don’t shop around and you could find yourself without cover, without realising it if you are not careful. So how do you pick the best pet insurance for your pet and get the best deal on insurance for your pet?

Firstly, you need to decide how many pets you want to insure. If you have a number of pets, then insurance can start to add up significantly. If you own a pedigree pet then you can expect your insurance costs to be higher due to risk of theft and the fact that many pedigrees have congenital problems. You also need to look at any pre-existing conditions as they may not be covered by the insurance you are going to take out.

A good start for finding the cheapest pet insurance are the price comparison websites. There are a number out there that will compare insurance policies for you, but you have to do a little bit of extra digging to ensure that you are comparing like with like. For example, what is the third party cover of the policy? What are the excesses? Whilst you could find you are saving money on your monthly premiums, you may find yourself seriously out of pocket when it comes to making a claim.

Most insurance policies will insist your pet receives any annual injections they require. Failure to get this injections could leave you without cover in the case of a claim.

Also check whether the policy requires you to pay up front for any treatment and then claim from your insurance policy. This can make a difference to whether or not a policy is suitable for you.

There are even different levels of cover, ranging from basic cover with treatment per condition with a time limit on treatment length, to a mid range cover which has no time limit through to the lifetime cover for multiple conditions.

Depending on the health of your pet you need to choose the one that is appropriate. If your pet suffers from a condition like diabetes or arthritis and needs regular treatment then the more
expensive policy could be best. Otherwise one of the cheaper policies could be good enough for you.

Remember that not all insurers appear on the comparison sites. Sometimes you can get a better deal by approaching an insurer directly or you may find the special offers run by certain insurers provide a better deal. Nectarcard, Clubcard or other store run points schemes can offer a good deal, but make sure you are not missing out on the cover that you want for your pet.

Getting the cheapest pet insurance can be a concern for many people, but you need to make sure that you don’t compromise the cover for your pet for the sake of a few pounds.

The first quarter of 2012 brought grim news from the Office of National Statistics, which reported an unemployment figure of 2.6 million. A third of this figure is made up of people who have been out of work for a year or more and are therefore classed as long-term unemployed.

With such high levels of unemployment, many workers are considering more seriously the consequences of job loss. In addition to familiarising themselves with their employer’s redundancy terms and looking for areas where they can tighten their belts, many people are investigating income-protection cover as a way of providing some additional security.

What is Income-Protection Cover?

Income-protection cover pays a regular tax-free sum when you experience a loss of income due to illness or injury, with some policies also covering unemployment and redundancy. There are a number of policies available, all offering varying periods and levels of cover.

Points to Consider

It’s important to make sure you understand the full terms and conditions of a policy you are considering taking out to ensure that it is the right fit for your own circumstances. For example, some policies may only pay out for a set period of time, while others may defer payment for a few months after a claim is made.

This delay may be fine if your employer has a generous compensation plan or you have savings, but if your employment contract only covers you for the statutory minimum you may wish to seek out a policy that either pays out right away or backdates payments to the date of a claim.

Similarly, different providers will have different exclusion criteria and rules around how long a policy has to be in effect before a claim could be made. Check if there are any special rules covering self-employment or certain medical conditions in the policy you are considering.

Income protection will pay a regular sum based on a percentage of your total monthly income. This is different to other forms of insurance, such as payment-protection insurance, which only covers the repayment costs of one particular debt or purchase.

If you are made redundant and have payment-protection insurance for your mortgage you would still need to cover the rest of your living expenses either with personal savings or an income-protection policy.

A critical-illness policy will provide you with a tax-free sum if you are diagnosed with a listed illness. However, it does not pay out for every illness in the way that an income protection policy does. Consequently, if illness or health issues are of particular concern to you and your family it may be worth spending some time researching the various income-protection policies available.

Do I Need Income-Protection Cover?

When deciding whether income protection cover is the right choice for you and your family, it may be useful to look into the terms of your employer’s redundancy cover and whether your employer will pay a percentage of your salary if you are off sick indefinitely.

Look at any other insurance policies you may have and make a note of what you would be covered for and how long you would be covered if you lost your job unexpectedly. Are there any gaps and how would you fill these gaps?

Most importantly, take time to consider the various policies available, ensure your chosen policy is right for you and your family and make sure you fully understand the terms and conditions before purchasing any insurance plan.

Frequenting our television screens on a daily basis, we are all familiar with the scenes of the reconstructed fall followed by an presenter telling us about the sizeable cheque that the injured party received on a ‘no win no fee basis’. Said informant then encourages us to ring the number that appears on screen if we have been affected by a similar accident.

The advertisements make the process seem so simple and risk-free that it is no surprise that many people are left wondering what the catch is. It’s important to realise that if you have been injured as a result of an accident which was not your fault then you could be eligible for compensation.

However it is fundamental to appreciate that the process is unlikely to be as simple as ringing a phone number and consequently receiving a cheque in the post. With rising claims of ‘ambulance chasing’ salesmen approaching injured parties in hospitals making proposals of accident compensation claims, it is increasingly important that you make the right choices regarding your personal injury claim.

How do I know if my injury firm at legitimate?

In order to ensure that you receive the best support possible, it is important to ensure that the legal firm you choose to deal with are professional and experienced in dealing with personal injury claims.

Choosing the right solicitor can be a difficult task however it is an important one. A good solicitor should not be looking for quick sales instead they should be focussed on fully understanding your situation and working to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve, both financially and medically.

Ensure that you are dealing with a qualified solicitor from a reputable legal firm who have a strong background in successful personal injury claims. Good personal injury firms tend to offer initial advice free on a no obligation basis to ascertain whether you have a potential claim. This could prove a good opportunity for you to raise any queries which you have.

Be wary if you are approached directly by salesmen after your injury. Do not feel obliged to discuss your situation with them. They may quote large sums that you could be rewarded however with personal injury claims, there is no way of telling exactly how much compensation that you could receive until a full investigation has been completed and liability has been accepted.

Who should I turn to for personal injury advice?

The few ‘claims cowboys’ out there should not be associated with the legitimate personal injury firms who have years of experience in offering claimants an honest and dedicated end-to-end service to help them get all the compensation that they deserve.

You should not feel pressured or rushed into anything that you do not want to do. Your personal injury solicitor should help ensure that you are informed and consulted every step of the process.

If you have recently suffered an injury while at work, on holiday or on the roads, you may be thinking about making a compensation claim. Ensuring that you have enlisted the help of the best personal injury solicitor should be your main priority. Yet such is the wide range of compensation claim solicitors available, it can be difficult to determine the best solicitor for your needs. Here are the top 5 things to consider when making a personal accident compensation claim:

1. Free Accident Claim Advice

Before you choose an accident claim solicitor, you may want to use a free accident claim calculator to compare your entitlements. This will help you to ascertain your rights. Many accident claim solicitors also offer no obligation accident claim advice free of charge. Solicitors are expensive so, aside from providing the details of your case in a free accident claim advice session, you must determine what would happen if you pursued your case and lost it. Many solicitors work on a no win, no fee basis so you may wish to ask your solicitor whether they are willing to insure your compensation claim against the chance that you may lose your case.

2. Specialist Solicitors

When seeking a reputable solicitor to handle your case, it is essential to ensure that your chosen solicitor specialises in the particular area of law in which you wish to pursue your claim. If you have experienced an accident in the workplace and wish to submit a workplace accident compensation claim, you will require a solicitor who specialises in this area of law. In the event that your chosen solicitor fails to specialise in a particular area of law, you could end up losing money.

3. Testimonials

Your chosen solicitor should provide you with testimonials from previous clients and you should also consider carrying out your own independent research by searching for reviews of your chosen solicitor on the Internet. Where possible, you should aim to enlist the help of a solicitor who has been recommended to you by trusted relatives or friends. However, it is essential to be comfortable with your chosen solicitor as you will need to frankly discuss the details of your accident case with them.

4. Solicitor’s Agreements

When you sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA) with your chosen solicitor, you will wish to ensure that the solicitor will claim for their fees and expenses from the opposing party – not from the accident compensation that you receive. The majority of personal injury solicitors include a clause in the CFA that states that you will be responsible for any out-of-pocket expenses incurred. Out-of-pocket expenses may include the cost of medical treatment that you are advised to receive by your accident compensation solicitor and any overtime incurred by the solicitor’s own staff. Your solicitor should be responsible for recouping the money for meeting these costs from the opposing party.

5. Out-Of-Court Settlement vs. Court Proceeding

Some accident claim solicitors fail to listen to the desires of their clients and instead instigate full court proceedings. If you wish to settle your compensation claim as opposed to taking your claim through the courts, you should ensure that your chosen accident claim solicitor does not have any objection to you doing this. Conversely, if your solicitor is advising you to settle your claim out of the courts yet you wish to take your claim through the courts, you should discuss with your solicitor the disadvantages of taking your accident compensation claim through the courts.