If, in the last decade you have bought a personal loan, credit or any other form of financial product it is almost certain that, unless you confirmed otherwise, you were sold some form of payment protection insurance from your lender. The idea of PPI is to act as a back up if you lose your ability to repay your debt by finding yourself in difficult circumstances such as injured or unemployed. But lenders have found a series of loopholes and have been selling PPI to customers who were not eligible for the cover or who did not fit the particulars of the PPI they were sold.

Simply by their definition, some people are ineligible for PPI and have still been paying for it, anyone over the age of 65 would not be able to utilise PPI as they are above the age of retirement so anyone who has paid for PPI over this age is legally entitled to a full refund.

You may have a previously documented medical condition, even small but you will be considered a high risk customer and as you are more likely to take time off work on medical grounds you would not be able to claim the insurance. However the banks will tag it on to a service you may buy even if they have a medical record and are fully aware you will have no chance of using the cover.

Self employed individuals are technically considered a higher financial risk customer than someone in full time employment so they are not entitled to PPI but Banks have no problem adding it on to a service with no intention of paying out if it is needed.

Anyone who has been mis-sold PPI like this or in any other fashion is more thank likely to be entitled to a refund, although you will have to chase the banks for this and it is often easier to enlist a legal professional to do it for you. Even if you have been eligible for PPI, if you need to claim, the chances are that you will have to wait months before your paperwork is even looked at and in most circumstances lenders will put of payments where possible.

There are many solicitors that can handle your PPI claims as due to government legislation it is easier than ever to claim back the money you paid for loan protection.

Borrowers should be covered for their debt repayments if they have PPI cover and something unexpected happens, but an increasing number of people are realising that it is one big con. It has been sold to people who are uninformed and who can’t afford it and often people who want it but don’t know they are ineligible.

Most banks cunningly tag on PPI to any loan or credit and bank employees are often forced to sell useless policies in order to keep their jobs. The theory of PPI is great for borrowers, particularly in the recent economic hard times, where people are losing their jobs left right and centre, it should mean that 3 months unemployed doesn’t mean going hungry because of mortgage repayments. But the reality is quite the opposite; there have been almost no cases where PPI has actually helped someone struggling to make repayments.

Luckily, lenders who have illegally sold PPI can be held accountable by the general consumer. There are thousands of lawyers who focus on financial law and some even specify in PPI reclaiming.

Many people don’t realise the variety of circumstances in which the sale of PPI can be considered illegal, if you were unemployed, self-employed or simply over 65, your PPI payments were void and you can reclaim all the money. If you weren’t explained all the terms, you can claim it back and if you were told you had to buy PPI from your lender, ask for it back!

It is your own responsibility to reclaim PPI payments but now the Financial Services Authority and the Competition Commission have cracked down on the industry’s dodgy tactics. They will now fine any organisation who has broken rules on PPI selling.

Companies are now obliged to accurately sell PPI to customers guaranteeing they are not overpriced, customers can chose to opt out at any time and they are completely covered after a 2009 watchdog ruling.

If you feel you have been miss sold PPI, then see why Dons LLP can help you with your PPI claim.