Britons looking to give a little extra this Christmas by writing an inheritance into their will should ensure they obtain the services of a professional, it has been advised.

The Institute of Professional Willwriters explains that regulations and the need for practitioners to carry Professional Indemnity (PI) cover help to protect consumers when arranging modifications to their wills.

Paul Sharpe, chair of the organisation, comments: "Christmas is the season of giving, but we want to also stress the importance of receiving."

He adds that this means receiving guidance from advisers who "have relevant qualifications, continuously update their skills through ongoing training and who have PI cover in place".

Taking such advice can help to avoid issues such as ambiguity, the institute claims, which could stop wills from being contested due to a lack of clarity.

A survey conducted by the institute previously found that three per cent of willwriters have no PI cover at all, despite the insurance being described as "essential" by the organisation.

PYV are one of the UK's leading providers of professional indemnity insurance. This news article has been produced by Adfero in collaboration with PYV and its unauthorised use is not permitted.