Equity release may be beneficial for asset rich, cash poor borrowers - Published:05/12/07
Bankruptcy is "becoming more and more palatable" to those in serious debt, according to Thomas CharlesThree-quarters of populace in the UK do not understand how a one per cent dissimilarity in mortgage tax would affect their loan, according to new researchMoneyExpertcom - Equity release may be beneficial for benefit rich, cash deprived borrowers - 10/04/2007Homeowners that are "asset rich but cash deprived" can benefit from utilising so-called equity release schemes, a structure society has advisedSuch schemes take the form of a secured loan against the proprietor's property and can in effect be a second mortgageA Norwich Union spokeswoman said that captivating part in an equity release scheme can have "considerable crash in allowing people to access cash they would be unlikely to get any other way"Sarah Horner additional that equity let go can also allow people who need money "to stay in their homes instead of having to slim down or move"And she explained: "People who've bought their house 20-25 years before, the amount of equity tied up in it is so much more than they would have paid for it - so that obviously does have an impact"In related information, it was revealed today by Halifax land Agents that the majority of house hunters are looking for a property "in shut proximity to the scenery"A quarter of respondents to the poll conducted by the body supposed this was a key criteria.
Read More:
Equity Release May Be Beneficial For Asset Rich, Cash Poor Borrowers >>
Q&A: Endowment time bars - Published:01/11/06
The timepiece is ticking if you believe you were mis-sold an endowment policy If you do not act, you may find your complaint has been "time-barred" BBC information explains the rulesThe bars are based on rules put out in the Limitation Act 1980 and the monetary Services and Markets Act 2000An approximate 700,000 of the UK's 85 million endowment policyholders' complaints may already be time-barred, according to the monetary Services Authority (FSA),Insurers do not want the endowment subject to dog them for decades to come, so it is not surprising they want to draw a line under the issuepersons have either six years after being sold their policies in which to complain or three years from the receipt of their first "red" warning letter in which to complain The afterwards date appliesThe "red" correspondence informs policyholders if there is a "far above the ground risk" that their endowment policy is unlikely to pay off your mortgageThe FSA and the monetary Ombudsman Service (FOS) have ruled that this is when the three-year period should startThese new system apply from 1 June and could mean rule holders have more time to make a complaintThe first re-projection mail were sent by firms between April 2000 and June 2001, which means some persons may now be time barredThe occasion rules for endowment complaints are dictated by the Limitation Act 1980 and the Financial military and Markets Act 2000Policyholders that take delivery of red letters after June should then take delivery of another correspondence six months before their right to complain expiresIn other words, these complaints can only be rejected for being too late if the policyholder has been advised of a final day for making a complaint by the firmIf the company you bought the rule from has rejected your endowment complaint, you can then complain to the Financial Ombudsman overhaul ( FOS), an independent complaints system, within six months of receiving the negative response letterThe ombudsman is a free service and the customer does not bear costs even if the ombudsman finds in the corporation's favourNorwich Union, the UK's largest life insurer, recently announced it will introduce a time boundary on mis-selling complaints for its 11 million endowment policyholdersHowever, it will give customers at least 12 months' caution, twice the level prescribed by the FSA, before the time saloon is imposedIn contrast, Legal & universal and the Prudential, two other big insurance companies, speak they have no plans to begin time barringIndividual companies' policies vary extensively and policyholders are advised not to wait around - particularly as insurers are within their rights to alter their policiesHowever, this could mean that even when an insurance company is not impressive a time bar, you may still miss the deadline because your IFA has decided to enforce one"If you are not happy and you think that the definite is unfair or wrong in applying occasion bars, you can still go to the ombudsman," says the ombudsman's David CresswellIn particular, a policyholder may differ with when the definite started the three-year countdownIf you make a complaint to the ombudsman, it is up to the firm to inform the ombudsman within 21 existence that the complaint is subject to a time bar and is therefore not within the ombudsman's jurisdictionThe material is for universal information only and does not constitute investment, duty, legal or other form of advice You should not rely on this information to make (or refrain from creation any decisions Always obtain independent, professional advice for your own particular state of affairsWatchdog replies FOS replies 1 CA replies Pre-1988 sales 1 FOS replies 2 Shortfalls duty Pre-1988 sales 2Region East AngliaEast MidlandsGreater LondonNorthNorthern IrelandNorth WestScotlandSouth.
Read More:
Q&A: Endowment Time Bars >>
insurance costs 'rising' - Published:30/10/06
The rising price of insurance claims may entail insurers raising the cost of cover premiumsThe Association of British Insurers (ABI's) comments follows the decision by Norwich Union to increase its railway wagon insurance premiums by an average of 16 per cent, with charges for some youthful male drivers increasing by as much as 40 per centSpeaking on BBC Radio Five Live, cut Starling, director of general insurance at the ABI, said that he could not predict what other insurers were going to do, since the market was so diverse and competitiveHe explained that costs were mostly rising in two areas – personal injury expenses and uninsured drivingSpeaking about the expenses, Mr Starling said: "In the last ten years claims expenses have gone up by something similar to 70 per cent Companies want to remain competitive and they try to keep expenses low for as long as they can, but sometimes they have to increase premiums as appears to be the container here"Terms of use Advertising Resources manufactured goods guides Press releases.
Read More:
Insurance Costs 'Rising' >>