IFA is the abbreviation for Independent Financial Adviser. An IFA, as the name suggests, provides independent advice covering the entire marketplace, rather than advice relating only to products from a single insurance provider.

The initials F.A. can also stand for the amount of knowledge he or she may have on the subject, so a little care should be taken to establish how much Critical Illness cover your financial adviser has, before they start to advise you on how much you should have!

If you go to a Bank, Building Society, Insurance Company or Insurance Broker for advice, the sales person you see will probably be a 'tied' agent, selling products from a single company. That's not to suggest you will get bad advice from a tied agent - but it will be biased advice and there may be a better product for you elsewhere from another insurer.