Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) Frequently asked questions
Do you think I have good grounds to complain?
We can't tell you whether or not your complaint will be successful, but we can tell you if you have a good reason to believe that your PPI was mis-sold. Have a look at our PPI mis-selling checklist - if you fit into any of these categories then we think you have good reason to believe that your PPI was mis-sold.
My provider isn't listed on your tool
We've listed the most common PPI providers on the drop down menu of our tool. Unfortunately, due to the sheer number of companies providing the insurance, we can't include them all. If your provider isn't listed, just choose 'other' from the drop-down box. You'll be prompted to fill in your provider details on the following page.
I do not have my account number/PPI reference number
If you don't have these numbers to hand, or have lost the original documents, you can get hold of these details by contacting your loan or credit card provider - the company who sold you the PPI policy. Just give them a call or drop them an email and they should be able to give you this information.
If they don't have a PPI reference number but you think that they may have sold you PPI, ask them to provide details for whoever is/was the underwriter for their PPI products. You may then need to contact the underwriter directly so that you can check whether they have a PPI policy reference number for you.
I have more than one complaint to submit
You can submit as many complaints as you like through the tool, but because of the way it processes requests, you are limited to one complaint per email address per day. This means that if you have two claims you will need to either submit the two on different days, or use a different email address for each submission.
Should I post my letter, or do you send it automatically?
Some of the providers have agreed that complaints can be sent automatically, so for these providers your complaint will be emailed directly to them. However, others require you to post the letter to them yourself. Once you've filled in your details the tool will confirm if your complaint will be emailed or if you need to post the letter yourself. If it's the latter, you'll be sent an email with a PDF attachment to print and post.
If you have submitted your complaint through the tool but you're unsure as to whether it has been sent, email us at ppi@which.co.uk confirming the name of your PPI provider, and we'll check for you.
I have received the confirmation email from you but there is no letter attached
If you have not received the confirmation email it may be that your spam filter has caught it. Have a look in your spam folder and if it is not there, get in touch with us and we can resend the email on your behalf.
I have received the letter, but there's something I want to change
That's not a problem. If you spot mistakes or changes before you print and post your letter, you can copy/paste the text into a text editing programme, such as Microsoft Word, and edit before sending on.
I haven't heard back from my bank. What do I do next?
Banks have a limited time in which to respond to PPI complaints, usually eight weeks. However, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) has agreed a temporary extension for some banks who are dealing with large volumes of complaints. Those with extensions have up to 16 weeks to respond.
Check how long your provider has to respond to your PPI complaint by checking its website or calling their customer service number.
If they have not responded in time then you need to take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS).
My provider has rejected my complaint - can I appeal?
It is worthwhile pursuing your complaint through the FOS if you are unhappy with the response from your provider. The FOS currently uphold around 74% of complaints initially rejected by PPI providers in favour of the consumer.
How much money will I get back?
If your complaint is upheld, then the firm should do its best to put you back into the position you'd have been in if you had never taken out the PPI.
Regular premium policy
If you have a regular premium policy, such as those attached to mortgages and credit cards, then you should receive a refund of any PPI premiums paid by you and, if applicable, a refund of any additional interest charged to you because of the PPI.
Single premium policy
If you have a single premium policy, such as those often attached to personal loans or finance agreements, then the compensation you receive will depend on whether your loan is still in force or not.
If your loan is still in force - your lender should calculate what your loan repayments would have been had PPI not been added to the loan, and how much should have been repaid so far. Any overpayments you have made will therefore be applied to your outstanding loan - reducing the amount of capital you owe.
If your loan or finance agreement is no longer in force - you should still get back any PPI payments you made, plus the difference between the redemption figure you paid and what it would have been had you never taken out the PPI policy.
Statutory compensation for mis-sold PPI
You may also be entitled to statutory compensation, which is usually set at 8% of the money refunded. This is to make up for the fact that you haven't been able to use the money during the time you held the PPI – after all, you might have saved or spent it elsewhere.
