Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) product normally comes integrated into various financial products such as car loans, home loans, and credit card debts among others. PPI is basically a legal agreement that is structured to pay off a loan in case a borrower is unable due to different reasons such to sicknesses or unemployment.
PPI is very common with lenders who disburse funds to borrowers. However, recently there have been grave concerns with PPI refunds because policyholders find it absolutely difficult to claim any payments. This situation is as a result of lenders who are unable to payback as previously agreed in the contract document. Such an occurrence is referred to as mis-sold PPI refunds.
In such a scenario there are various procedures that need to be followed. To begin with, an individual embarks on the process by ensuring that they have a policy in place. A policy holder is advised to check on the paperwork if the cost of PPI is included in the statements. This PPI can also be indicated as payment cover, account cover, Accident Sickness and unemployment cover (ASU), loan re-payment insurance, credit insurance, or loan protection. In case you are still unsure whether you own a PPI you may proceed and inquire from the financial institution.
The second stage when claiming for PPI refunds is to check if the PPI refund was mis-sold. There are various events that could have led to mis-sold PPI and these include;
• As a client you were pressured into taking out the PPI
• It was not very clear that the PPI was optional
• You were mislead that acquiring a PPI would boost your chances of the loan being approved
• This particular policy was added to your loan without your knowledge
• It was not clear that you would be responsible for the PPI interest if it was not added to your loan
The third step entails making the PPI refunds claim personally. There are various companies that purport to offer to submit claims for mis-sold PPI. These companies generally come disguised with different names such as claims management, claims firms, or claim handlers. However, the entire process of making a claim is free and straightforward that can easily accomplished by ordinary individuals.
You are required to begin by making the claim to the organization that sold you the insurance. It is also advisable to indicate all the various reasons as to why you believe that you have been mis-sold the PPI. In case you have not been provided with a fair refund, you should again write an official letter citing your grievances with a demand that the issue be resolved within 14 days.
In case the above has not been successful. Then proceed and lodge a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Services.
