by Manitoba Historical Maps

How to shop around for general insurance?

Types of general insuranceGeneral insurance only pays out when an insured event occurs. It includes:home insurance (contents and/or buildings)car insurancetravel insuranceprivate medical insurancepet insuranceaccident, sickness or unemployment insurance to protect your income, mortgage or loan payments (also called ‘Payment protection insurance’)critical illness insurancelong-term care insurance

How to shop around for general insuranceWith so many insurance deals on the market it’s worth shopping around. Key points to compare include:suitability for your particular needscostflexibility: what happens if you miss a payment or wish to cancel or switch?terms: when does the policy pay out/are there restrictions?’Keyfacts’ documents to help you shop aroundWhen you contact an insurance provider, they will give you details of the service they offer. This can normally be found in the ‘about our service document’.Once you’ve discussed what you need and answered all the questions about yourself and what you want to insure, the intermediary, insurance company or the firm selling you the insurance will give you key policy information. This sets out the essential facts.

1. Buying insurance – learn more on Moneymadeclear from the FSA:
Getting helpYou can buy insurance yourself or with the help of a broker, but either way you’ll get key policy information about the insurance and what it covers.Generally, firms selling insurance and those providing insurance cover (underwriting the risk) have to be regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA), the UK’s financial services regulator, or be the agent of a regulated firm. There are some exceptions, for example the sale of extended warranties on non-motor goods (such as on electrical goods) where the person selling the insurance is also providing the goods.Regulated firms and their agents are put on the FSA Register and have to meet certain standards. Always make sure that the firm you use is on the FSA Register before handing over your money. If they aren’t regulated by the FSA, you won’t have access to complaints and compensation procedures if things go wrong – see If things go wrong. To find out if a firm is on the FSA Register, see Check the FSA Register.Your friends or family may recommend an insurance broker or insurance company or you can find one along your high street.

Alternatively there are organisations that can help you – see Useful links. But remember, always check that the firm you use is on the FSA Register.If the firm is not on the FSA Register, or if you have been contacted by or dealt with an unauthorised insurance firm or broker, it would help the FSA if you would provide some information on your dealings with that firm or individual. See its list of Unauthorised firms/individuals and report any dealings using its Unauthorised firms reporting form.Buying without adviceYou don’t have to get advice before you take out an insurance policy, and UK firms that sell insurance without advice still have to follow the FSA’s rules. But it is up to you to decide whether the policy is suitable for you. You may have less grounds for complaint if the product turns out to be unsuitable.Comparison websitesComparison websites will ask you several questions and then provide you with quotes from various brokers and insurers. None of the websites cover the entire market, and some larger insurers are not represented on any of the websites, so you may wish to contact them directly. The comparison website should contain a list of the brokers and insurers they search.Some insurance comparison websites may ask you fewer questions to speed up the process, and instead make a number of assumptions about you. Always check the assumptions made about you and correct them where necessary.Most comparison websites will automatically pass your information on to a broker or insurer.

Although this means you don’t have to provide them again, you should check that the correct information has been provided to the broker or insurer. If anything is incorrect you should either change the information on the broker or insurer’s website, or contact them and ask them to change it.The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has a voluntary good practice guide for insurers, brokers, software houses and insurance comparison websites when providing online price comparison quotes for insurance.This will mean that you’ll get information to help you understand more about the policy you’re being offered. It also says that insurers who are unable to provide a quote to a customer (for example due to age or health) should refer them to another provider who may be able to offer them cover.When using a comparison website make sure:adverts about the site don’t make misleading claims about their market coverage – none of them covers the whole market, so if they claim to, this is unlikely to be true;you fully understand what savings you can make if the firm is advertising what looks like an attractive rate;the assumptions made about you are accurate and the same as the ones on the insurer’s quote; andyou understand what excesses you might have to pay.See our Shopping around guide for more information.What information will you get?When you contact an insurance broker they will give you:details of the service they are offering you – see Step 1; andinformation about the insurance policy being offered to you – see Step 2.Step 1 – Getting the KeyfactsWhen you contact an insurance provider, they will give you details of the service they offer. It may be in a  about our service document, but doesn’t have to be.

They will tell you:whether they’re offering you advice or just information about the product;whose insurance policies they offer – it may be from one company or many; andhow much you’ll have to pay for the service.Use this document, or information to shop around to get the service you want at the price you’re happy with.Step 2Once you’ve discussed what you need and answered all the questions about yourself and what you want to insure, the intermediary, insurance company or the firm selling you the insurance will give you key policy information. This sets out the essential facts. Ask questions if you don’t understand anything as misunderstandings could lead to the insurance company refusing to pay out when you claim.The policy information will set out:what the insurance policy actually covers;what it doesn’t cover;any limits or restrictions; andother important features you need to know before you make up your mind.Make sure you get this and that you read and understand it. Ask the provider or insurance company to explain anything you don’t understand.Use this document to shop around and compare like with like. Another policy may be cheaper but does it offer the same cover?
2. How to check if a firm is FSA authorisedYou can check whether a firm or individual is FSA authorised by using the FSA online ‘Check our Register’ service.Find out how to use the FSA Register and what to consider when looking for a firm or individual.
Firms are put on our Register once we have given them permission to carry out a particular activity. Firms that work as ‘agents’ for other firms are also on our Register and are also known as ‘Appointed representatives’ or ‘Tied agents’. After that we monitor that they follow our set standards, known as being ‘regulated’.
Always make sure that the firm you use is on our Register before handing over your money. If they aren’t regulated by us and things go wrong, you won’t have access to complaints procedures and compensation schemes, for example the Financial Ombudsman Service and Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS). Some payment services firms do not have to be on the FSA register until May 2011, but you can still take complaints against them to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
3. The difference between information and adviceYou can buy insurance after getting advice, or based on information after shopping around. Read our related article to understand the difference between buying with or without advice and the relative pros and cons.
The difference between advice and informationWhen you get insurance advice, the broker or adviser looks at your individual circumstances and needs and recommends a policy to meet them. This often involves a face-to-face meeting, but you can get advice in other ways, for example by telephone, email, or through the post. Under FSA rules, if the advice turns out to be unsuitable you have the right to complain and, in some circumstances, may be able to claim compensation.Buying without adviceUK firms that sell insurance without advice still have to follow FSA rules, for example by providing you with certain information about their service and products (see next section). But if you buy this way it’s for you to decide whether or not you think the policy is suitable for you. If things go wrong it may be harder to complain.Information the insurance broker must give youFSA authorised firms must follow certain rules and standards when dealing with you, including giving you certain information.Information about a broker’s serviceWhen you contact an insurance provider, they will give you details of the service they offer. It may be in an ‘about our service document’, but doesn’t have to be.They will tell you:whether they’re offering you advice or just information about the productwhose insurance policies they offer – it may be from one company or manyhow much you’ll have to pay for the serviceUse this document, or information, to shop around to get the service you want at the price you’re happy with.Information about the insurance policyOnce you’ve discussed what you need and answered all the questions about yourself and what you want to insure, the intermediary, insurance company or the firm selling you the insurance will give you key policy information. This sets out the essential facts.For investment-type insurance they must give you a more detailed key features document which includes an illustration of how your investment might perform over time.