Regulatory Disclosure Wording
The Financial Services Authority is the independent watchdog that regulates financial services in the UK .
Direct Life & Pension Services is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Our FSA number is 155312.
Direct Life & Pension Services Limited's permitted business is advising on and arranging regulated mortgages and non-investment insurance contracts.
You can check this on the FSA's Register by visiting the FSA's website www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the FSA on 0845 606 1234.
What to do if you have a complaint
If you wish to register a complaint, please contact us:
Write to: Direct Life & Pension Services Limited, Metro House, Northgate, CHICHESTER, West Sussex , PO19 1BE
Or telephone: 01243 817900
Or email: complaints@directlife.co.uk
If you cannot settle your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.
Are we covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)?
We are covered by the FSCS. You may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. This depends on the type of business and the circumstances of the claim.
Insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the first £2000 and 90% of the remainder of the claim, without upper limit.
Further information about compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCS, http://www.fscs.org.uk/.
04 August 2008 17:16:01
Northern Trust hospitals have recorded eight more deaths in July linked to the C Difficile bug, the BBC reported.
Whilst there were 19 new cases identified last month compared with four in June, there has been an increase in relapses, according to Dr Peter Flanagan.
Dr Flanagan explained: "This is a reflection of the nature of the illness that can reoccur in some patients for several months depending on the patient's primary condition and whether there is a need to prescribe further antibiotic treatment."
The doctor also said that the number of people who have developed symptoms within 48 hours of being admitted to hospital has increased.
Those without life insurance policies may be concerned to hear that he said this indicated that they were infected before entering the hospital.
Following a review into C Diff deaths, the government issued an interim report which recommended that hospitals provided single rooms to isolate those that were infected.
Elderly people without UK life insurance may be concerned that over 80 per cent of C Diff cases occur in the over 65 age group.
31 August 2007 15:06:43
With recent research revealing that there can be huge disparities between life insurance premiums available to British consumers, you would imagine that most people would take the time to find the best deal available.
But according to an adviser with Libra Financial Planning, many are failing to take advantage of the great prices on offer, as well as the wealth of advice available in the industry.
The Sainsbury's Bank Life Insurance Index found that life insurance premiums can vary in cost by as much as 66.2 per cent.
But, as the adviser confirmed, "A lot of [customers] just go straight to their bank and get their bank to insure them".
He added: "And the banks are usually more expensive than if they shopped around. There are websites available where they can get the cheapest quotes… I don't think they do shop around."
With personal debt levels rising and a pensions crisis looming, the importance of securing your financial future has never been greater.
Taking the time to do some research, work out your needs and find the best deal might be time-consuming, but would ultimately be worth it, the Libra adviser explained.
"If somebody knows in their mind what they want," he said, "they can then do the research for themselves and find the cheapest and best provider. They can do all of that online, it just takes maybe a bit longer than going to see an adviser."
"It's more important for somebody to have some sort of cover in place, especially if they've got children or a big loan, than to not get anything."
However, applicants should always be careful to pore over the details of their policy, he added.
Though the Association of British Insurers recently issued clarity guidelines to reduce the amount of claims rejected due to non-disclosure, it remains crucial to fully appreciate the extent of your life cover.
"People don't really understand what they're getting because it maybe hasn't been explained to them well enough," the adviser stated. "Especially if somebody's buying it directly from a supermarket or online, they may not read all the small print.
"That can be for anything: credit cards, loans. A lot of people don't read the small print and get caught out in the future. But hopefully if they're seeing an adviser - whether that adviser works for a bank, or is an IFA, or whatever - that adviser will explain to them exactly what cover that insurance will provide."
Customers should appreciate the differences between life insurance and life assurance, he explained.
While the former provides cover for possible occurrences, such as an accident or illness, the latter will pay out for definite events, like retirement and death.
08 August 2007 17:41:14
Medics may have found a new means of reducing blood pressure in the elderly.
An international trial which used hypertension drugs to lower blood pressure was ended early as the results were so conclusive.
The research, which was led by Imperial College London, found that drugs significantly reduced the number of critical illnesses such as heart disease or strokes.
The news, which spells good tidings for life insurance holders, were derived from 3,845 participating patients.
Lead researcher Professor Chris Bulpitt said: "It was not clear prior to our study whether the over-80s would benefit from blood pressure lowering medication in the same way as younger people.
"Our results are great news for people in this age group because they suggest that where they have high blood pressure, such treatment can cut their chances of dying as well as stroke."
The Hypertension in the Very Elderly Trial (HYVET) was the largest of its type.
Over 50,000 strokes a year could be prevented if the findings can be verified and implemented, it is thought.
