Payment Protection Insurance, or PPI, is a type of insurance consumers can obtain to safeguard the repayment of a loan. It is also referred to as income protection insurance. PPI claims can be made if you have lost your job due to redundancy, had an accident or become disabled. It will cover your loan payment for you for a specified time.
There is a predetermined period of time you must be out of work or disabled, usually one to six months, before the policy will begin paying for you. It then makes your payments for up to a year.
PPI is offered when you obtain revolving credit or mortgages. Some lenders hint that you must take out the insurance to get the loan, but this is not the case. It is an optional type of insurance that you are not required to purchase. Some lenders will only offer low interest rates if you choose to buy it.
Consumers have found that the costs for PPI have been included in the cost of the loan, something they did not agree to. Know what you are paying for and ask to see the loan repayment plan. Compare it with and without PPI so you will know exactly what the costs for the PPI are. If it is worked into the loan, you will end up paying interest on the PPI costs.
One of the more controversial aspects of this type of insurance is that, since agents receive commissions for policies, they use hard-sell or deceptive tactics to encourage applicants to purchase it. In many cases the policy has no real value for the customer.
They do not cover all types of unemployment, usually only if you lose your job for redundancy. Self-employed people gain no benefits from this type of policy, and can actually be required to obtain a part-time job. Medical conditions deemed pre-existing are not covered. Those families with dual incomes or substantial savings may not need this type of program at all.
There are some products worth looking into. Stand-alone insurance that can be tailored to meet your specific needs may be more affordable and actually provide coverage that is worthwhile.
There are some concerns that consumers have been mislead by lenders. If you believe you have purchased insurance that you did not want or were not aware of, there is recourse for you. You may be able to recoup what you have paid in under false pretenses. When refinancing a loan, check to see whether the costs for PPI from the first loan are included in the costs of the refinanced loan. This is called churning, and is illegal.
When obtaining PPI, read the fine print to make sure you know what you are buying. If you wait until you submit PPI claims, you may find that one of the exclusions keeps you from receiving the benefits you believed you paid for. Look at your whole financial status before you decide to buy PPI.
Do you feel that you’ve been misled by your lender? Get comprehensive info on Mis Sold PPI claims now in our super guide to everything you need to know about how to use PPI Claims Calculator