Will your insurer pay out? Should you buy that house? Check out the Personal Finance section this week

City Press’s Personal Finance section is edited by one of the best in the business – Maya Fisher-French. In Sunday’s edition she tackles everything from loan sharks to that burning Momentum issue – will your insurer pay out when you need it to?

Other headlines are:

From bond costs to loan sharks

Plan carefully before you buy a house – remember, there are many hidden expenses such as bond registration fees to consider

Money is energy – be careful how you spend it

Whether we like it or not, money is the basis of everything we do, so when things are not going well financially, it affects the rest of our lives, creating a negative cycle.

We open our credit card statement, feel depressed and go and eat some chocolate or have a drink.

We feel bad about ourselves, so we unconsciously punish ourselves by not doing the things we enjoy.

So much of our headspace is taken up with money worries that we have no space left for other people or endeavors that may help us move forward.

Can an insurer refuse to pay out?

Insurance group Momentum recently came under fire for rejecting a life insurance claim after a man was shot and killed in Durban.

The insurer rejected the R2.4 million payout because it said Nathan Ganas had not disclosed the fact that he suffered from high blood sugar.

What is interesting about this case is that, just over a year ago, Old Mutual faced the same public outcry when it refused to pay out the death benefit of a murdered policyholder because he had not disclosed that he was diabetic.

Pets are for life, not just for Xmas

There are so many financial considerations to take into account when buying a pet. It’s not just upfront costs but the long-term financial commitment that you need to factor in too.

Christmas is exactly one month away and, if your family is anything like mine, you’re constantly being nagged about adding another furry creature to the family.

If you are going to let the pester power from your kids persuade you to get a pet (dog or cat), then you have to know what you are in for, particularly when it comes to costs.

Here’s what you need to take into account before you buy a pet for the family.