FCA criticises UK insurers for failing to deliver value

Some of Britain’s car, home and other insurers are still unable to show they provide good outcomes for consumers, according to the country’s financial watchdog, a year after the introduction of tougher protections for policyholders.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published a ‘thematic review’ of the general insurance sector that found poor customer value and potential harm due to shortcomings in product governance, oversight and controls.

Many insurers have not implemented effective frameworks that provide evidence of why good value is being provided to customers, the FCA said.

Firms were also not adequately considering the total price paid for a policy, including the impact of remuneration on the overall value of a product.

“Progress is being made, but we are still seeing too many examples of insurers and brokers lacking the right information, governance, or oversight to ensure their customers get consistently good outcomes,” Matt Brewis, the FCA’s director of insurance, said in a statement.

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) said it was encouraging to see that progress has been made with product oversight and governance arrangements, but it was “clear that there is more that needs to be done and members remain strongly committed to this process”.

The FCA introduced its Consumer Duty, comprising broad and comprehensive consumer protections across the financial sector, in July 2023 in a bid to draw a line under years of mis-selling scandals in the industry.

On Wednesday it published its latest indicators for value in insurance products, using the proportion of premiums paid in claims as a measure.

“Where our data suggests that value appears low, we will be in touch with firms later in the year to understand their products and the actions they have taken to improve value,” the FCA said.

Claims costs as a proportion of premiums range from 72 per cent for healthcare cash plans to 56 per cent for motor insurance, and 45 per cent for home insurance, falling sharply across a range of ‘add on’ insurance.

“Where we believe a firm has failed to act and is still providing poor value products, we will intervene where necessary to protect consumers,” the FCA said.