According to the insurer Aviva, more people have mobile phone insurance than critical illness cover, and more people have a satellite TV package than have life insurance

Terminal illness cover is a benefit that’s included in many life insurance and critical illness insurance.  It’s something you hope you’ll never have to claim on, but if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness it could pay out a lump sum

Income protection insurance is designed to pay out if you can’t work due to illness, but not all policies are the same

If you have a PPI (payment protection insurance) you’re likely to have been mis-sold

Not everyone needs a life insurance policy but if you have young children (or older ones who are financially dependent on you) or have joint debts with someone else — such as a mortgage — you should take out life insurance

Medical treatment of HIV has made huge advances in recent years, but it’s still the case that if you’ve tested positive it’s much harder to get some types of insurance and impossible to get others

If you’ve decided to take out a critical illness insurance policy, you’re in the minority

Depression is often misunderstood but it can be a serious illness, affecting twice as many women as men

Women are more likely to suffer from a serious illness than men and a serious or life-threatening illness can have can have devastating consequences on your finances

I’m not a big fan of buying endless insurance policies ‘just in case’, but income protection insurance is one that’s near the top of my list

For some people, private medical insurance is a luxury (and one that they’re happy to do without), for others, it’s a priority