What is Paymentcare Credit Card Protector?

A policy that allows you to cover the outstanding balances on as many of your credit cards up to a limit of £5000 to help meet your monthly repayments for up to 12 months per claim, if you become unable to work as a result of disability or unemployment. This policy provides a lump sum payment in the event of your death or diagnosis of a terminal illness.

What are the features and benefits of Paymentcare Credit Card Protector?

This policy provides the following type of cover:
Life, Terminal Illness, Unemployment & Accident, Sickness (Disability)
The minimum insured amount that you can protect is £1000. The maximum insured amount is £5000.
Your monthly benefit must not exceed 50% of your average monthly salary.

See section 6 of the policy document for limitations on monthly benefit.

How the policy works

Choose the level of cover that's closest to your average monthly outstanding credit card balance(s) between £1000 and £5000.

If you are unable to work subject to the expiry of the waiting periods as stated below and within your policy, we will backdate the payment of your monthly benefit to the first day that you were unable to work.

Thereafter, we will pay 1/30th of your monthly benefit for every day you are unable to work monthly in arrears.

We will continue to pay monthly benefits for up to ten months per claim period.

10% of your selected insured amount will be paid per month as your monthly benefit.
Your monthly premium is refunded to you whilst you are in a claim period.
One months benefit payable after 30 days for Unemployment and thereafter on a daily basis, monthly in arrears.
One months benefit payable after 14 days for Accident or Sickness (Disability) and thereafter on a daily basis, monthly in arrears.
One months benefit payable after 7 days for hospitalisation and thereafter on a daily basis, monthly in arrears.
Two months Carer benefit paid after 60 days and thereafter on a daily basis, monthly in arrears.
If you are diagnosed with a terminal illness or die we will pay the Insured Amount & Life Benefit as stated on your certificate of insurance.
There is a 3 month re-qualification period after each claim.

What must I do to qualify for cover?

You can apply for cover if:
You are 18 years of age or over and below the statutory age of retirement.
You are working in the UK for at least 16 hours each week.
You have been in continuous employment for at least 6 months prior to the start date

See section 1 of the policy document for full details of eligibility.

If you are in casual, temporary or seasonal employment, you cannot be covered under this policy.
If you are self employed, your business must have completely ceased trading for you to claim unemployment        benefit.
If you are a contract worker you can be covered under this policy provided you are on a renewable contract of 13        weeks or more.
If you are a director with more than a 10% share in the business you work in, the business must have been                        wound up for you to claim unemployment benefit.

WARNING - Cover for the self employed, company directors and contract workers is limited -
See sections 10 and 11 of the policy document for full details.

What am I NOT covered for under Paymentcare Credit Card Protector?

There are some things that you are not covered for. These are generally anything you already knew about when applying for the policy or anything that is caused by deliberate or illegal acts on your part.

The most significant exclusions of the policy are set out here but for full details of the terms and exclusions please refer to sections 9, 11, 15 and 19 of the policy. There may be other exclusions that are relevant to you therefore you must check the policy document carefully for full details.

You will not be covered if:
You claim for unemployment within the first 150 days of the policy start date.
When taking out the policy, you knew that you were likely to become unemployed, disabled or a carer.
Your terminal illness is diagnosed within the first 90 days of your policy start date.
You have been to see a doctor or consultant in the last 12 months about anything that you may claim for in the future, unless you have completed a continuous two year period symptom, treatment and consultation free, prior to a claim.
Your disability is due to stress, depression, anxiety or back related problems unless a consultant confirms the condition solely prevents you from working.

How long does my Paymentcare Credit Card Protector policy run for?

Cover starts on the date we agree with you and the cover will continue monthly until the earliest of the following:
1. You die; or
2. You retire or reach statutory retirement age, whichever is earlier; or
3. You stop living or working in the UK; or
4. Your premium is more than 30 days overdue; or
5. You or the insurer cancel your policy.

The policy is designed to cover your credit card outstanding balance which may change from time to time. You must review your cover regularly to ensure it is adequate for your needs. Please call us on 0845 408 0270 if you need to increase or decrease your monthly benefit.

Your premiums are paid monthly.

Please see sections 4 and 5 of the policy document for details of premium payments and the term of this policy.

What happens if I take out cover and then change my mind?

We hope that you are happy with the cover this policy provides. If however you are unhappy or you change your mind about this policy, you have a right to cancel within 30 days of the policy start date and get back any premiums you may have paid, as long as you have not made a claim under this policy.

Thereafter, you can cancel this policy at any time by writing to the administrator.

How do I make a claim under my Paymentcare Credit Card Protector policy?

Please telephone the administrator on 0845 408 0270 and state that you wish to make a claim. Please ensure that you have the policy number to hand, this can be found on your certificate of insurance.

How do I make a complaint about my Paymentcare Credit Card Protector policy?

If you have any cause to complain, or you feel that we have not kept our promise, please follow the procedures below.

1. For complaints relating to the administration or claims handling of this insurance, except life or terminal illness, please write to the administrator, Adminicle Limited, Callidus House, Cirencester Business Park, Love Lane, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, GL7 1XD. Telephone: 0845 408 0270. When you do this quote your policy number, which is on your certificate of insurance.

If after this action you are still not satisfied with the way a complaint has been dealt with, for disability or unemployment you should contact Customer Relations at Brit Insurance, 55 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 3AS. Telephone: 0207 984 8789; or

2. For complaints concerning life or terminal illness cover you should contact the customer services manager at Sterling Life Limited, Ambassador House, Paradise Road, Richmond upon Thames, Surrey, TW9 1SQ. Telephone: 08702 242 390.

If you still remain dissatisfied after following the above procedures in full, you can ask the Financial Ombudsman Service to review your case. Their address is Financial Ombudsman Service, South Quay Plaza, 183 Marsh Wall, London E14 9SR, Telephone 0845 080 1800.

Would I receive compensation if Brit Insurance Limited or Sterling Life Limited were unable to meet their obligations?

If we are unable to meet our obligations under this insurance, you may be entitled to compensation from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, depending on the type of insurance and circumstances of claim. The first £2,000 of an insurance claim or policy is covered in full through the FSCS, plus 90% of the balance. Further information can be obtained from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme at 7th Floor Chambers, Portsoken Street, London, E1 8BN. Telephone 0207 892 7300.

Other Useful Information For complaints relating to the selling of this insurance please contact the sales agent from which this insurance was purchased. When you do this quote your policy number, which is on your certificate of insurance.
We aim to provide a first-class service, to that end the following timescales apply to any complaints we may receive from you:

1. We will send you an initial acknowledgement within 5 business days of receiving a complaint.

2. We will send you a letter within four weeks of receiving a complaint; advising when the investigation into the complaint will be completed.

3. Within eight weeks of receiving a complaint we will send you a letter with our final response or a letter explaining why there is a delay and giving you the option to refer your complaint to the Ombudsman.
The Financial Ombudsman Service cannot consider your complaint if it is:

a) less than eight weeks after receipt of the complaint by the sales agent, administrator or us; or

b) more than six months after the date on which the sales agent, administrator or we provided our final response advising that you may refer your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service; or

c) more than six years after the event complained of or more than three years from the date on which you became aware that you had cause for complaint unless you have already referred the complaint to the sales agent, administrator or us.

4. A copy of both Sterling Life and Brit Insurance's complaints procedures are available on request from the insurers on their contact address.