The cost of insurance premiums is rising to record highs, but levels of customer service are falling for customers who end up having to make a claim, according to a new report. The consumer group, Which? has found that almost half of those claiming on home, car or travel insurance policies in the past few years have experienced at least one problem, as the volume of complaints linked to claims handling soars. Host Claer Barrett sits down with Sam Richardson, the deputy editor of Which? Money and Ian Smith, the FT’s insurance correspondent, to find out why insurance has become such a minefield ..read more

When it comes to growth investing, big US tech stocks are the prime example. However, professional investors are looking to diversify into other areas of global stock markets, seeking out fast-growing companies of the future.This week, Claer sits down with fund manager James Thomson, who has managed the £4bn Rathbone global opportunities fund for 20 years. In this episode, he shares the ingredients for his “special sauce” to investing in growth stocks, his biggest mistakes and the core lessons he has learned from weathering several economic crises. Links:  The Five Minute Investor from M ..read more

Over the past decade, collectible sneakers have crept to multi-billion dollar market status, but can they really be considered investments? In this episode, presenter Claer Barrett checks in with Unhedged podcast co-host and aspiring sneakerhead Rob Armstrong for his take on these alternative alternative investments, and later hears about the world’s first managed sneaker fund, Always Legit, asking co-founder and COO Howie Schwartz the burning question: are sneakers investable in the long run? For a chance to win a pair of Bose QuietComfort 35 Wireless Headphones, share your thoughts on the s ..read more

It’s easy to harbour regrets about poor financial decisions, but this week’s guest has decided to do what many wouldn’t dare: air her mistakes in public on a national tour. Presenter Claer Barrett speaks with comedian Lucy Porter, best known for her appearances on QI, Have I Got News For You and EastEnders, about her biggest money regrets and more, and the many, many laughs along the way. Clip: BBC  Catch Lucy on her national tour of No Regrets and listen to her podcast, Fingers on Buzzers. For more tips on how to organise your money, sign up to Claer's email series 'Sort Your Financial ..read more

Regardless of which political party wins the UK general election on July 4, voters fear they will have to pay more taxes. Taxes are the crucial battleground in the run-up to polling day, and experts question whether manifesto pledges can be delivered without raising them. What aspects of our personal finances could be affected - and could a change of leadership potentially be beneficial for investors in UK stocks? In this episode, host Claer Barrett discusses what could happen next with Miranda Green, the FT’s deputy opinion editor; Nimesh Shah, chief executive of advisory firm Blick ..read more

Prepare to take a seat on the therapist’s couch and discover what your money habits say about you. In this episode, host Claer Barrett sits down with the UK’s first financial therapist, Vicky Reynal whose new book, Money on Your Mind: The Psychology Behind Your Financial Habits, aims to help people untangle problematic aspects of their relationship with money. They discuss the symbolic nature of money, what can make one person a spender and another a saver, and how equipping yourself with this knowledge can empower you to change negative behaviours around money. Want more? Check out Claer’s c ..read more

When we talk about the relative value of our investments, PE ratios are never far away from the conversation - but what does this mean, and what exactly goes into this calculation? In the latest episode of our Five Minute Investor miniseries, FT consumer editor Claer Barrett challenges FT investment columnist Stuart Kirk to break down the ‘price’ and ‘earnings’ parts of the equation, and elucidate on other ways the PE ratio is used by investors to benchmark the relative value of different shares and other assets in their portfolio.  Tune in every Tuesday to catch the latest episode of th ..read more

Like an interest rate on a savings account, investment yields show us how much income different investments are able to generate. But how are yields calculated, and how can they measure the returns on different types of investments including shares, bonds and property?  In our new miniseries, The Five-Minute Investor, consumer editor Claer Barrett asks FT markets columnist and Unhedged co-host Katie Martin to give practical examples of how yields can be used as a benchmark for different assets, and how to interpret the story behind the numbers. Tune in every Tuesday to catch the latest e ..read more

Global stock markets are charging along breaking record after record — but what’s driving this ‘bull market’ and how much longer can it last? Plus, what could it mean for investors if a ‘bear market’ awakens from hibernation? In our new miniseries, The Five-Minute Investor, consumer editor Claer Barrett challenges Rob Armstrong, co-host of FT’s Unhedged podcast and author of the Unhedged newsletter, to explain the factors that drive bull and bear markets, and if individual investors should reconsider their strategy. Links: Free pound cost averaging calculator: https://www.hl.co.uk/tools/calcu ..read more

‘The two most powerful warriors are patience and time,’ Leo Tolstoy once wrote. But how can this make you a richer investor? The answer is compounding, and in our new miniseries, The Five-Minute Investor, consumer editor Claer Barrett challenges Bobby Seagull, the TV star and mathematics teacher, to demonstrate how compounding can power up our long-term investments.  Tune in every Tuesday to catch the latest episode of The Five-Minute Investor, and subscribe to Money Clinic wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like Claer to demystify an investment term, email the team at money@ft ..read more