In Colombia, $1m or $2m would normally be asked for an expat and several hundred thousand dollars for a local.Kidnappers, because they are active primarily in Third World countries where police forces can leave much to be desired, only get caught in around 10 per cent of cases. Yet extortionists, far more of a First World problem, rarely seem to succeed."It's unusual for extortionists to get away with it in the UK because our police are not corrupt," explains Douglas Milne, executive director, special contingency risks, at Willis Corroon. "Only the broking team and the lead underwriter will ever know who is insured and even at the company concerned it will often be kept at main board level."Kidnap insurance policies cover not just ransom payments but also the cost of victims' salaries, replacement staff and legal, medical and psychiatric assistance. A large company might pay $50,000 (pounds 32,000) a year for $10m of cover, for example. Some companies take out as much as $100m of insurance."The confidential nature of the business is paramount as it is vital that having insurance is not allowed to increase your chances of being kidnapped," explains Andrew Askham, executive director of broker Bain Hogg International.

Many take out a worldwide policy to cover all employees and their families against kidnap and extortion. The UK, with a mere 23 cases during the 1990s, is a relative safe haven (see table). Brits have tended to be more exposed to extortion - the threat to kill, injure or abduct if money is not handed over. Nevertheless, London is the main centre for both kidnap and extortion insurance, accounting for around three-quarters of all business worldwide.Lloyd's of London and several insurance companies take the risks on to their books, while large insurance brokers, such as Willis Corroon and Bain Hogg, in effect sell most of the insurance.Wealthy families account for the bulk of demand for this insurance, but multinational companies, which are becoming increasingly aware of the dangers of sending staff abroad, are also an important source of business. In some parts of the world, in particular South America, the well-off accept the risk of being kidnapped as a fact of life. Colombia, which has averaged more than 300 reported cases a year during the 1990s, has the worst problem. And since many incidents are not reported, the situation could in fact be far worse. And, if things do go wrong, be prepared to fight your corner and resort to the ombudsman.

Going to the OSS and the ombudsman costs the complainant nothing. The ombudsman's recommendations are not binding, so you should not rule out the possibility of having to take your solicitor to court.q The free leaflet `What To Do If You Are Dissatisfied With Your Solicitor' is available from the OSS on 01926 820082.Jean Eaglesham works for `Investors Chronicle'.. They give you the sort of excuses for not doing this that they themselves wouldn't accept from a plumber or builder."So, if you do use a solicitor, make sure you get a clear outline of the charges at the start. Many complaints are down to the client being suddenly handed a huge, unexpected bill - a practice known among lawyers as "ambush charging".

As Marlene Winfield of the NCC says: "One of the biggest problems is that solicitors don't provide enough information at the outset. Problems range from badly drafted wills to the incompetent handling of estates, with beneficiaries being sent the wrong amount of money But the main bugbears are excessive delays and charges. But, when questioned, he admitted that the SCB doesn't have any breakdown of the number of complaints. There's no evidence that solicitors are any more immune to making mistakes, or breaking the rules, when giving advice on financial services than on anything else.q Wills and probate.