Secret insurance - the top 10 hidden benefits
Insurance offers much more in the fine print than many people realise, and those in the know can receive superb hidden benefits.
While you might know your car insurance policy pays out in an accident, or your home insurance pays for items lost in a fire, that is only the beginning in many cases.
For example does your car include breakdown cover? What about when you are driving abroad?
Or home insurance - does this cover your iPod on the Tube, or pay for a new carpet if you spill red wine on it?
And in an effort to get to the bottom of the insurance world - protection specialist LifeSearch has highlighted what it believes are the ten best policy features which are missed by most consumers.
"There are many excellent and unique benefits available to customers that deserve to be more widely known," said Matt Morris, LifeSearch policy adviser.
"It's important that price is not the only consideration when buying protection. These policy features could really make a difference to people's lives and hopefully more customers will start to take advantage of them in the future."
Top ten hidden benefits (in no particular order)
Carers benefit on income protection: This pays a lump sum of four times the gross monthly income protection benefit to parents who want to take time out from work to care for a seriously ill child. Offered by Royal Liver.
Grey claims panel: is an independent panel that examine all claims on all products where the decision is not clear-cut to ensure a fair conclusion is reached. Offered by Scottish Widows.
SmoothMove: A free rescue service for those taking out mortgage policies. This protects in case of emergency when a client is moving home, such as providing a removal van if the one hired does not arrive or breaks down. If the previous owner of a new home has not moved out when the client needs to move in, the policy can ensure they are put up in a hotel and take care of kennelling any pets. SmoothMove will also cover for up to three months for domestic emergency repairs and legal advice after moving in to a new home. Offered by Legal & General.
Helping hand service: This comes at no extra cost and offers a broad range of help throughout the term of the plan to clients and their families. It includes access to a specialist nurse, therapist and counsellor, a range of helplines as well as discounts and deals on a range of health and lifestyle products and services. Offered by Bright Grey.
Children's income benefit: This is designed to let parents reduce their hours or stop work to care for their critically ill child. Up to £5,000-a-year will be paid for up to five years. It continues to be paid even if the child recovers. Offered by Scottish Provident.
Back to work initiatives: As part of an income protection policy, this funds appointments and investigations privately, where appropriate, when there are long NHS waiting lists. Also, if a claimant is unable to resume their own occupation, funding for college courses, and vocational training is considered. Offered by Pioneer.
Healthy steps: This is an interactive online service providing a personalised profile of a customer's health, including their risk of suffering from heart disease and common cancers. It gives advice on how to improve health and wellbeing and a plan to improve or manage any problems. Offered by Liverpool Victoria.
Best doctors: This gives people making claims on critical illness cover 24-hour access to an independent service that locates and contacts specialists worldwide who are qualified to treat the condition for which the claim has been made. Offered by Bupa.
Extra care: This is aimed at improving the living situation for critical illness customers. After their claim is complete, customers have the option of receiving oncology, cardiology or neurology care, therapy, physio, counselling etc. Extra care also provides customers with the option of a follow-up from a personal nurse, with ongoing help available by phone and through support groups. Offered by Liverpool Victoria.
Skandia protect: This is the only plan to cover angioplasty, low-grade prostate cancer and mastectomy due to ductal carcinoma in the same plan. Also there is the option to continue provision of life and critical illness cover protection after a claim without further underwriting through the replacement cover option. Offered by Skandia.
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