No one likes having debts, especially if the borrowed amount is huge. Even so, there are circumstances that will force people to apply for loans because of circumstances in their lives. Since those who borrow money are usually those who are already in financial problems, they want to take steps in order to see to it that their debts will be repaid on time, and one way to ensure this is to purchase payment protection insurance.
Payment protection insurance, otherwise known as PPI, is a type of insurance policy designed to provide coverage for a persons debt repayments, in the event of unemployment, illness, injury, or death. There are three kinds of PPI: income protection, mortgage protection, and loan protection.
Income payment protection insurance is a monthly payment that is made to support income deficiencies due to unforeseen circumstances, particularly job loss. The amount provided for by insurance companies for income payment protection insurance is usually 50% of the policyholders monthly income. These policies are usually designed for short-term benefits, compared to income protection insurance which are long-term and can extend up to retirement.
Mortgage payment protection insurance supports the mortgage loans made by the policyholder. Purchasing of MPPI will guarantee the insured that the property he or she has bought using the mortgage loan will not be foreclosed even if he or she is unable to make the monthly repayments. The coverage is usually 75% of the monthly income of the policyholder.
Loan payment protection insurance has the broadest coverage out of all the three different kinds of PPI. It can cover as much as 100% of the debt obligations of the policyholder, with an additional 25% of the monthly income of the insured for any other expenses he or she might have incurred.
All of these payment protection insurance policies are short-term in nature. The premiums are paid on a monthly basis, but the timeframe may depend on what is stipulated in the insurance policy. All of these policies also cover the same circumstances: illnesses, accidents, involuntary redundancy, and death. The three different kinds of PPI also have the same exclusions and requirements. For example, those who are unemployed, retired, or self-employed at the time they took out the loan may not be protected by PPI. Pregnant women and those who have pre-existing conditions may also be excluded based on the stipulations of the insurance policy.
There is no question that PPI offers a lot of benefits to consumers. Unfortunately, this has been used to take advantage of buyers who dont know any better. In fact, payment protection insurance is actually the most commonly mis-sold type of insurance policy today. Several moneylenders offer PPI to their clients not because they need the coverage, but because the lending institutions actually get more money from the PPI than from the interest of the loaned money. Others would suggest or imply that borrowers need to get the insurance in order to have their loan approved, which isnt actually true. Some even sell policies to people who are obviously not covered by the policy due to the exclusionary clauses. Even with the involvement of the Financial Services Authority (FSA), there remain cases of people who bought PPI without being covered by it or who actually bought the policy without their knowledge.
In spite of these problems, PPI remains to be a helpful tool, especially for individuals who are concerned about making debt repayments. Possessing this type of insurance policy might even spell the difference between keeping your home or losing it as a result of your mortgage loan repayment issues. Even so, try to check all the details involved in your PPI so you can be sure that it actually provides coverage for your unique needs.