The Daily Mail carried a story this week about the dangers of taking out supermarket life insurance. Big-name supermarkets are offering customers short-term offers to take out life insurance but, as ever, you shouldn’t buy without comparing first.

High street giants, including Sainsbury’s and Tesco, have been accused of using “aggressive selling tactics” to get customers through the door. However, those who are lured by supermarkets’ gimmicks of loyalty points, vouchers and cashback could end up with sub-standard life policies.

Experts are urging customers to shop around for a policy to suit their needs, rather than succumbing to short-term perks. Asda is one supermarket that directs customers to a free advice and search across the market provided by LifeSearch.

However, many competitors have signed deals with big-name insurers to ‘white-label’ life products, so customers who buy cover with their Supermarket will only be getting a quote from one provider.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, one life insurance analyst said: “Supermarkets can cherry pick who they give cheaper cover to and load the premiums for people who don’t tick all the boxes. They might look cheaper to start with, but getting a competitive deal is about researching more than one company.”

There is concern that, as the cost of life insurance prices is expected to increase towards the end of the year, customers may rush into purchases and not take the time to get a policy that offers the best value. While it may be convenient to pick up a policy alongside your weekly shop, life insurance is an important purchase that should be given due consideration.

Several tax and regulatory changes taking place in the life insurance market are expected to increase prices for customers, especially women. Those hoping to beat the rise should search the market and seek specialist advice if needed.

Life Insurance is a product that can be tailored to suit the needs of the consumer and is, therefore, unlike a can of beans that can just be picked off the shelf. Before deciding on a purchase customers should be clear exactly what they want and be aware of a range of products that could meet their needs.