People should avoid “pitfalls” when writing a will, says provider
August 3, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Banking
Everyone should not only write a will, but must write it out carefully and properly, according to Willcraft Services.
The online will-making company also said that hiring professionals to do the job could be worth the customer’s while in the long run.
Colin Chapman, managing director at Willcraft, said that “I would say anyone over the age of 18 should make a will to ensure that everything goes where they want it to go. But, being more realistic, the first trigger point is either a child or a property purchase.”
He added that many clients “should really get professionals in to do the job properly because there are so many pitfalls” in the will-making process.
Those who had written a will years previously might well be in need of updating it, Mr Chapman said: “Circumstances have changed and certainly asset values have changed”, he said.
Recent research from Barclays Wealth shows that around two in three Britons have not written a will.
The statistic – 63 per cent of those polled – matches exactly a similar survey conducted the previous year, showing that the importance of writing a will has yet to be fully realised by the British public.
Smokers lose money on insurance premiums
July 5, 2007 by admin
Filed under News, News-Insurance
Most smokers realize that by kicking the habit they could save a fortune each year, with many smokers spending thousands of pounds each year on cigarettes.
However, many forget that in addition to saving money on the cost of cigarettes, which can then be used for anything from luxury holidays to investments for the future, they can also save money in areas, one of which is insurance.
There are many different types of insurance cover, and the main ones on which smokers can save money include medical or health insurance cover, life insurance cover, and home insurance cover.
Smokers are classed as an increased risk when it comes to these types of insurance cover, and as a result of this increased risk most smokers pay considerably larger premiums than non-smokers, which adds to the overall cost of being a smoker.
When it comes to medical and health insurance, smokers are more likely to make a claim because of the health risks and illnesses associated with smoking, and therefore have to pay higher premiums. With life insurance, smokers are more likely to contract a terminal illness such as cancer due to smoking, and again as a result of this the cost of premiums are pushed up.
And in terms of home insurance, smokers are classed as an increased risk when it comes to fires in the home, and this also pushes up the cost of insurance premiums.
It is also thought that the number of people in the UK smoking in their homes, and therefore being classed as an increased fire risk, will increase, as the smoking ban in public places has now come into force in the UK.
Although many smokers now aim to give up altogether, which could boost their finances in many areas, many others will resort to staying in and smoking in the home rather than going out to pubs and clubs where they can no longer smoke.
Tom Smith
5th July 2007
