How to Verify a UK Insurance Company in 2026: FCA Firm Checker, Register and FSCS Guide

Quick answer: Before buying a policy from a UK insurer or insurance broker, use the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) Firm Checker to check whether the firm is authorised and has permission to provide the insurance service you need. Use the Financial Services Register for detailed regulatory records. Also compare the telephone number, website and trading name supplied to you with the official record to reduce the risk of a clone-firm scam. Authorisation lowers risk but does not guarantee that every product, claim or loss is protected.

How do you check whether a UK insurance company is authorised?

1. Open the FCA’s official Firm Checker, rather than following an unsolicited link.
2. Enter the insurer’s or broker’s legal name, trading name or relevant firm reference number (FRN), as available in the tool.
3. Check the regulator’s information about the firm’s status. A name match alone is not sufficient.
4. Verify the specific permission for the product or service you intend to purchase, such as insurance distribution.
5. Match the firm’s recorded contact information with the person, website or telephone number that approached you.
6. If the firm acts as an appointed representative, identify its principal and verify what activity the representative may perform on that principal’s behalf.

These checks follow the FCA’s consumer guidance, most recently updated on 22 September 2026. An offer that looks convincing or a certificate supplied by a salesperson is not a substitute for checking the regulator’s own records.

FCA Firm Checker or Financial Services Register: which should you use?

The FCA Firm Checker is the regulator’s consumer-facing starting point for determining whether a company is authorised for the services being considered. The Financial Services Register (FS Register) is the broader public record, including firms that are or have been authorised by the FCA or Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA), as well as relevant individuals, permissions and historical information.

If a firm does not appear in the consumer tool, do not assume immediately that it is fraudulent; check the detailed register and seek clarification from the FCA. Conversely, the appearance of a name or historic record in the register does not by itself establish current authority to sell the product in question.

What is the difference between an authorised and a registered firm?

The FCA distinguishes authorisation from registration. Registration may satisfy specific regulatory requirements without giving a company permission to provide every regulated service. A registered firm that lacks the necessary authorisation may not offer the protections a customer expects. The permissions relevant to your planned insurance transaction matter more than a general claim that a business is “regulated”.

Does the PRA regulate UK insurance companies?

The Prudential Regulation Authority, part of the Bank of England, is a prudential regulator of insurers. The FCA is responsible for conduct regulation and regulates insurance intermediaries. Some insurance firms are regulated by both. The FCA’s FS Register is a public record that includes firms authorised by the FCA or PRA. For questions about the regulatory status of a particular insurer, consult the official firm record rather than a comparison website’s badge.

How can you spot a fake or cloned insurance broker?

A clone firm impersonates a genuine regulated business. It may copy a real firm’s name or registration number while using a different phone number, email address, domain or payment account. The FCA expressly warns consumers to compare the contact details they have been given with those on the Firm Checker or FS Register. If something differs, contact the authorised firm using independently verified details before disclosing personal information or making a payment.

Other warning signs include an unusually urgent request for an advance fee, payment to an unrelated personal account, a reluctance to supply the insurer’s full legal name or pressure not to contact the insurer directly. A low premium alone does not prove fraud, but it is not a reason to skip verification.

What is an appointed representative in UK insurance?

An appointed representative (AR) undertakes permitted regulated activities on behalf of an authorised principal firm. The principal assumes regulatory responsibility for activities covered by its arrangement. The FCA advises contacting the principal to confirm the representative’s authority and to ask how consumer protections would apply. A representative operating outside those permitted activities may leave customers without expected complaint or compensation protection.

Does FCA authorisation mean your insurance is covered by the FSCS?

No blanket guarantee applies. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) may protect eligible policyholders when an insurance firm fails, subject to policy type, eligibility, the failed firm’s regulatory status and the scheme’s rules. Its guidance says the failed insurer generally must have been regulated by the PRA for insurance compensation to be available.

The FSCS states that eligible claims under certain classes, including third-party motor insurance and employers’ liability insurance, can be protected at 100%. Eligible claims under some other classes, including home, travel and pet insurance, are generally protected at 90%. Different conditions may apply to life and other long-term protection, to premium refunds and to historical failures. Some categories, such as marine, aviation, goods in transit and credit insurance, are excluded under the scheme’s published rules. The existence and rate of protection must therefore be checked for the particular policy and failure circumstances.

Is an FCA reference number proof that a broker is genuine?

Not on its own. A fraudster can quote the FRN of an authentic firm. Confirm that the firm is currently authorised for the relevant activity, inspect its trading names, compare independently sourced contact details and, when appropriate, contact the principal firm. Do not enter bank details into a form merely because a website displays an FCA logo or reference number.

What if an insurance firm is not authorised?

The FCA advises avoiding a firm that is not authorised or does not have the required permissions for the financial service you want. The FCA maintains a Warning List covering known unauthorised firms and scams, but a missing warning does not amount to approval. If you suspect a scam, preserve the correspondence and use the FCA’s official reporting routes.

Frequently asked questions

Can I check a UK insurance broker for free?

Yes. The FCA provides official consumer-facing firm information and a public register. Avoid third-party services charging merely to display information available through the regulator.

Can a broker appear on the FCA Register without being directly authorised?

Yes. Some brokers operate as appointed representatives of authorised principals. Check the principal and the representative’s permitted activities.

Is an insurance quote valid just because an FCA number is shown?

No. The reference number alone does not prove that the person offering the quote works for that regulated firm or that the proposed activity is authorised.

Does FSCS cover every unpaid claim?

No. FSCS protection generally relates to eligible claims where a covered firm has failed; it is not a substitute for a normal policy claim or a guarantee of every disputed payment.

Where can I learn more about changes to insurance distribution?

See our related coverage, The Future of Insurance: Embedded Insurance, for background on how policies may be sold through different channels. The FCA checks described here remain relevant regardless of sales channel.

Official sources: FCA — How to check a firm or individual is authorised (updated 22 September 2026); FCA Firm Checker; Financial Services Register; FSCS insurance protection guidance. Information checked on 15 November 2026. This is general consumer information, not personalised financial or legal advice.