Your ultimate insurance guide


Choosing life insurance and home insurance can be daunting

As one of life's essential financial productsinsurance.
for consumers, insurance - whether it's home
insurance, travel insurance or life insuranceHome insurance is another crucial part of
- can be overwhelming. After all, in today'smaking sure your life is adequately
diverse financial market there is a vastprotected. Whether you choose to take out
variety of insurance products for consumersbuildings insurance, contents insurance or
to choose from. However, before you make yourboth, home insurance can make a vital
choice, it's vital to be aware of the optionsdifference to your peace of mind. Over the
that face you and to shop around for thewinter months in particular, home insurance
insurance  that  best  suits  you.is especially important. For example, only
last month, Halifax Home Insurance suggested
Perhaps the two most essential types ofthat homeowners might be threatened by the
insurance are life insurance and homepossibility of burst pipes during the recent
insurance. Choosing life insurance can be acold  snap  experiences  across  Britain.
particularly overwhelming experience, so it's
important to equip yourself with theAccording to Vicky Emmott, a spokesperson for
available knowledge before making a decision.Halifax Home insurance: "Water from a burst
For instance, you need to choose whetherpipe within a loft space can very quickly
you're going to invest in "protection-only"cause damage to plaster ceilings, wall
life insurance or "investment-type" lifeplaster, kitchen units, electrical wiring and
insurance.decoration..."
Protection-only life insurance will cover youWith many home insurance companies and high
over a specified amount of time; however, ifstreet banks, including Barclays, offering a
your death occurs after this designated24-hour claims helpline and add-ons, such as
period has passed, then your family won'tlegal expenses and home emergency cover,
receive  any  payment.there's no reason for consumers not to take
out home insurance to cover any possible
Conversely, investment-type life insurance -damage  to  their  home  or  home  contents.
also known as whole of life policies or
endowment policies - will not only pay out inBut whatever type of insurance you're hoping
the event of your death, but will alsoto buy, make sure you consider all your
accumulate in value during your lifetime.options carefully before making your final
Hence, the younger you are when you choose todecision. This way, you'll be sure that your
take out investment-type life insurance, theinsurance covers aspects of your life that
greater the value it will accrue during yourneed the most attention, and your long-term
life. Many personal pension schemes,benefit will be maximised. Andrew Regan
including stakeholder schemes, may come underis an online, freelance journalist.
the umbrella of investment-type life



1 A B C D 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111