Payment Protection

Payment protection insurance (PPI), which is a form of short term income protection, ensures you can meet the cost of any outstanding loans, or other regular commitments if you lost your job or became too unwell to work.

The insurer will agree to help you meet your monthly repayments, or to pay a percentage of them, for a set period once you’re unable to work.

Because of mis-selling in the past, there has been a lot of negative publicity surrounding PPI. However, if the policy is right for you then it can provide real peace of mind. PPI providers have now agreed to a minimum set of standards that they will adhere to, giving you peace of mind.

You may be offered PPI when you apply for credit, but it’s worth comparing the wider market and not just accepting your lender’s policy. You may well find cheaper or more inclusive protection elsewhere, so don’t feel under pressure to buy cover from your lender.

Most PPI policies will only start covering repayments after a certain waiting period and continue these for a set period of time, so it’s sensible to have some savings in place too.