RECORD Money: Pick a Policy to Suit Your Needs ; CASE STUDY...

TO GIVE any claim you make the best chance of success when you choose critical illness insurance, don't buy on the basis of price alone.

David Thomson, of Bestdealinsurance.co.uk, says: "You shouldn't choose the cheapest policy - buy the best contract you can afford.

"The biggest differences between policies are with the illnesses covered. If you pick the wrong one, it's like the difference between buying fully comprehensive and third-party car insurance."

To get truly impartial advice, go to a broker or independent financial adviser, rather than your bank or building society.

Read the small print carefully and make sure you are clear on what is and is not covered.

Take time over the paperwork. Never be tempted to lie - even about something apparently trivial like your weight, whether you smoke or how much you drink.

And don't miss out anything about your medical history - even if it seems insignificant - as an insurer could use it as a reason to avoid paying out.

(c) 2007 Daily Record; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.