Mis-sold Ppi
I can remember going to my bank in the late 1990s to enquire about a loan for a new car. I`d fell in love with this slinky, silver sports car and being a single male at the time, with plenty of disposable income, I thought I`d treat myself to this flashy kind of motor. The bank eventually approved my loan but I was forced into taking out payment protection insurance at the same time. I`m not sure why I took it out to be honest. I think I felt pressured into taking out the policy because the person whom I spoke at the bank said it strengthen my initial loan application if PPI was in place. Nothing was explained to me about the PPI and how it would cover sickness payments or payments for the loan if I was made redundant. In fact, I think I was Mis-sold Ppi by the bank and had it not been so long ago I would put a claim in against the bank in question. Over the years countless customers have been Mis-sold Ppi policies through the banks. Huge profits could be made out of PPIs so you can see why banks would push them onto their customers. Today people are fighting back. Anyone who thinks they might have been Mis-sold Ppi polices in the past can speak to claims management firms who will take their case on and try to recover as many payments as possible.

You and your landlord share a common goal: You both want to ensure the protection of your interests. Obtaining a security deposit from you -- usually ranging from $100 to a full month`s rent, and averaging $250 -- is how your landlord obtains a degree of insurance from you. The deposit covers your landlord should you cause any damage to your apartment while you are a tenant. Your landlord, in turn, may keep the deposit if you fail to pay your rent or you leave before the end of your lease. However, if, as a tenant, you keep your end of the bargain -- following the terms of your lease and leaving your apartment in good condition when you leave -- the deposit is refundable.

So how do you protect your own interests as a tenant? Renters` insurance. If you`re an apartment-dweller, you`re probably accustomed to brochures dangling from your door that advertise various renters` insurance policies. And if you`re like many renters, you probably disregard them. But you may want to consider taking out insurance. Before you say, "But I`m not going to cause any damage to my apartment," remember that renters don`t always cause damage themselves. Mother nature, or other tenants with little regard for your property, could prove to be the source of your problems later.

According to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, policies typically provide coverage for the following renters` pitfalls:

Damage to personal property from fire or wind
Theft
Personal liability in the event you are sued over accidental injury to others who are in your apartment
Accidental damage to property of others in your care
Living expenses if you are forced to live elsewhere while your apartment is being repaired

This list doesn`t begin to elaborate on the multitude of other possibilities for disaster: An electrical surge fries your computer, television, and/or stereo; while visiting your neighbor, you tip over his barbecue and start a fire; or you accidentally cause injury to someone away from your apartment; and the list goes on and on. And of course, as we`ve all discovered, we can never discount such crazy-sounding possibilities -- because they can and do happen if and only if we`re not prepared (or covered) for them.

Note that renters` insurance policies may differ according to the insurance company in question, as well as the laws in your state. An insurance representative will be able to determine what type of policy best meets your needs. If you`ve thrown away all of those brochures dangling from your door handle, the Internet is a good place to do your homework -- specifically apartment-search sites. Links to renters` insurance information will fill you in on the details, and you may apply online.