Jessica wins £1.1m for Telegraph readers During 2011, the Jessica Investigates columns reported on a wide variety of readers" problems. While many of the resolutions achieved were not solely about money, the total amount raised is something I am often asked about. This year, though, totting up an exact sum has not been possible, for reasons that will become apparent. A conservative calculation exceeds £1.1m. Much of this came in the form of insurance claims and compensation payments, sums located or prised from reluctant financial institutions, and debts and penalties waived. Joe Baker of West Sussex was unhappy about the £1,791 surrender value of a Windsor Life Comprehensive Protection Plan. When I dug deeper, I found that the package included critical illnes and permanent disability benefit. I contacted Mr Baker about the gap between what he had told me he was paying for and what there was. He countered that he had been preoccupied with, among other things, the aftermath of prostate cancer. Had he claimed for that, I asked? He was baffled until I explained that, even though he had cancelled the policy, he was still eligible to make a retrospective claim. Hugely to his surprise, he received £65,000.