Many insurance companies and online quoting companies give you the opportunity to get cover without going through your super fund or a professional financial planner.

Many people are used to accessing their general insurance directly from the company either online or over the phone and one of the obvious benefits of doing so is that it is convenient and cover is often provided immediately the process is complete.

Whether over the phone or online you will be asked a series of questions that enable the company to assess the risk you present – this is called underwriting. While up to 80% of applicants can be processed immediately, some applications may require further investigation by underwriters.

If you are taking out cover directly it is important that you are confident that you know how much cover you need – it is your responsibility to make sure you have the right level of cover.

The level of cover you can get access to will vary from one company to the next so it's worth checking that they are able to offer you the cover you require

There are a range of companies that offer direct access to insurance, many of which are supporters of the Lifewise campaign.

• White pages
• Google

• Who can I talk to?

• Speak to a financial planner

• Contact your super fund