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You would surprised as to how many people would answer no to this question. I suppose when you think about it we tend to get abit of overkill when it comes to these matters; you seem to need insurance policies for everything these days but of course there are things that too important not to insure and one of them is your own life, especially if you have a family or a business.

If you are not aware of how it works then here is a very brief description; life insurance is simply a cash payout – a tax free one - when someone dies. As most of us tend not to leave anything in the way of a huge estate behind (unless you’re very wealthy) taking out a life insurance policy can be just as effective in ensuring that your family, or business, will not be left struggling after you are gone. I wonder if you have been put off by the process, like the need for a medical…? these days you can actually get a no medical exam life insurance policy.  No need to make medical appointments or submit blood samples or anything like that but you will need to answer some basic questions.

What are the other benefits?…

You will find there are several which will appeal to you if you are considering this. EQuote have recognised that in offering the choice of no medical life insurance more people will take the important step of insuring their lives and securing the future for their family. Taking the medical aspect out of the equation makes the process all that less intimidating and far less clinical. You also benefit from…

* 100% tax-free benefits

* the all-important ten-day ‘cooling off’ period which gives you time to make up your mind.

* Refund of all you have spent if you take advantage of the above

* immediate cover from receipt of your very first premium

Do I have any other options?…

Yes you do. You can always consider no medical term life insurance if you prefer the benefits of a policy that matures at the end of a certain length of time. This is actually a very popular form of insurance as many people look at it as a way of saving money for the future; some even gift their payout to a child later on for a 21st birthday for example.

Would it suit me?…

It would suit just about anybody. If you have a mortgage with some years left on the term; a business loan or other form of mortgage/finance, this form of insurance sells particularly well due to the fact that it allows people to plan for the future. If you are looking at which term would be best for you consider that most people opt for 20/30 year terms…use that as a guide and then of course adapt it to what your needs are.

Popularity: 17% [?]

Chaos is not a word that just applies to what is happening at Heathow’s Terminal 5; there is a fair amount of chaos spread around the UK right now as the honeymoon period for many people’s fixed mortgage deals comes to an end. The situation is such that some, which I suspect will become many, are even putting their homes on the market rather than go to the wall.

This is so sad but do you know that with a certain amount of planning you can find a way around the situation? if you are staring down the barrel of what the banks are pointing at you then make it a point to act at least three months prior to the end of your term. I don’t advise you approach your bank/building society as what they will do is most certainly try and sign you up to another costly mortgage that will be just as difficult to afford.

As I said, three months beforehand, visit a mortgage broker, and get him/her to get to work and find you a new deal that will see you hang onto your house and with a fairly secure grip. But don’t leave it until the last minute…act as soon as you can.

Deadline for Isa’s…

You have about a week left to get your spare cash into a tax-free savings account or investment. At the very least if you have cash in a standard savings account you should consider this week opening a cash Isa account. It’s the same as the standard one but you’ll get paid more interest. It’s money for nothing when you think about it. But remember, if you don’t take advantage of this year’s tax-free benefits you will lose them for ever, and that’s a long time! however, it means that from next week you should make a point to start planning your Isa savings and investments so you don’t leave it to the last minute again next year.

Popularity: 13% [?]

This goes without saying; it is safe to say that all business today involves computers and the internet and there is always room for improvement. Just a few weeks ago I suggested taking a short course in effective email handling skills in order to stay on top of this part of your working life.

Now what about your computer skills as a whole? maybe you started out in your job learning as you go along…there might some areas where you could/should focus on such as excel training. This would especially come in handy if you are considering a change in career or are looking to climb the ladder and take on more challenging areas in your job.

As well as taking refresher courses you could also consider developing your leadership skills and this all ties in with the previous; it certainly helps to stay on top of all the latest advances in the IT industry rather than  remain static which can easily happen if you have been in one position for a certain length of time. How about pmp training too…?

See? these are just a few suggestions to maybe plant some seeds of thought…I know it is a bit late to make new years resolutions now but it is never too late to renovate!

Popularity: 11% [?]