The simple question worth £176,000.

By Mike LeGassick, Independent Financial Adviser, Manning and Company

When it comes to critical illness, we so often think, “It’ll never happen to me”.  But it did happen to two of my clients.  With their consent, let me tell you their stories.

Matt’s story

During a meeting with some clients in January, I casually asked after their son Matt, who was also a client of mine.  It was an innocent question; but when their response was that he was “bearing up” I was somewhat confused.  

It turned out that Matt had discovered a lump just a month before.  He had it investigated, and it resulted in the immediate removal of a testicle as it was an invasive seminoma.  

The Life and Health Insurance Policies that Love your Virtuous Living

By Paul Northmore, Managing Director, Manning and Company

Is it right that insurance companies are rewarding some of their clients for living a virtuous lifestyle? It’s true – and we think it’s a great idea, especially after all that obligatory seasonal excess!
 
Certain insurers are now offering clients more than just financial cover with their life or health insurance.  There are added perks for those who commit to living a healthy lifestyle – for example, half-priced gym membership, or discounted spa days, or even a new bicycle.

What’s worth more: you or your car?

by Mike LeGassick, Independent Financial Adviser, Manning and Company

Benjamin Franklin said, “But in this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.”

So how much life insurance would you take out to protect your family if you knew you were going to die in 6 months’ time? Would you invest in some critical illness cover if you knew you were going to have a heart attack, stroke or other critical illness, and survive it? Chances are you would get as much as you could and as quickly as you could.

So why is it then that only a fraction of the UK has any type of life or critical illness cover?

Buildings & Contents Insurance - Are You Leaving Yourself Exposed?

by Sophie Pomeroy, Building & Contents Administrator, Manning and Company

Buildings & Contents insurance is like anything in life - you get what you pay for!

In these times of economic hardship, people are looking for ways to reduce the cost of living, and Buildings & Contents insurance can be one area under scrutiny.  It may be tempting to cut your level of cover, or even cancel it altogether – perhaps thinking it’s worth the risk, given how infrequently you may have made a claim in the past.

But under-insuring your property is a false economy and leaves you over-exposed to risk.  What’s more, failing to have Buildings insurance could be in breach of the terms of your mortgage.