What it does
- The Financial Services Register shows whether a firm is authorised, what it is permitted to do and who its appointed representatives are.
- The medical register shows whether a doctor is registered, licensed and unrestricted.
- Care regulators publish inspection reports for private hospitals and clinics.
- PHIN publishes hospital and consultant activity, outcomes and fee information.
How it is paid
- All of these registers are free to search and need no account.
- None of them charges a firm for a better position — they are records, not rankings.
- A directory that charges companies to appear is advertising, not verification.
What it is regulated to do
- Authorisation means a firm is permitted to do specified business and must follow the rules — it is not a quality endorsement.
- An appointed representative is covered by another firm’s authorisation; the register shows which.
- A firm that is not on the register at all should not be arranging insurance for you.
Anyone arranging or advising on insurance in the UK must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority or be an appointed representative of a firm that is, and you can check any firm or individual free of charge on the Financial Services Register. [1] The conduct rules that apply to insurance sit in the FCA’s insurance sourcebook. [2]
What protects you
- Checking the register before you pay is the single most effective step against a scam.
- If a firm’s details do not match the register entry, stop and contact the regulator.
- Keep a note of the firm reference number you checked and the date.
| The problem | Where it goes |
|---|---|
| An insurance sale, a policy decision or a declined claim | The firm’s complaints process first, then the Financial Ombudsman Service |
| A firm that has failed owing you money | The Financial Services Compensation Scheme |
| Care or safety at a hospital or clinic | The provider’s complaints process, then the health regulator for your nation |
| A doctor’s conduct or fitness to practise | The General Medical Council |
| Something we have published | Our own corrections route on the complaints page |
The Financial Ombudsman Service resolves complaints about regulated firms free of charge, [3] and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme can pay compensation where an authorised firm cannot. [4] Care regulators publish inspection reports for private hospitals as well as NHS ones, [5] and the medical register shows whether a doctor holds a licence to practise. [8]
Questions worth asking
Free and impartial guidance on any of this is available from MoneyHelper. [9] Private hospital and consultant performance and fee information is published by PHIN under the Competition and Markets Authority’s order. [6] [7]
Sources and methodology
- [1] Financial Conduct Authority. “The Financial Services Register”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [2] Financial Conduct Authority. “Insurance: Conduct of Business Sourcebook (ICOBS)”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [3] Financial Ombudsman Service. “Financial Ombudsman Service”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [4] Financial Services Compensation Scheme. “Financial Services Compensation Scheme”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [5] Care Quality Commission. “Find and compare care services”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [6] Private Healthcare Information Network. “Private hospital and consultant performance and fee information”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [7] Competition and Markets Authority. “Private healthcare market investigation”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [8] General Medical Council. “The medical register”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
- [9] MoneyHelper (Money and Pensions Service). “MoneyHelper — free and impartial money guidance”. View source(opens in a new tab)Primary source
We cite primary sources wherever possible. Read about our sourcing methodology.
Guides that explain this in full
Dior Teshayev
Health Insurance Editor, PremierPMI
- Health insurance editor
- Insurer product and literature research
Dior works alongside senior advisers to research and refine content about private medical insurance, producing articles, guides and updates that reflect the latest market and product changes. He tracks market trends, reviews insurer literature and prepares plain-English summaries for the advisory team.
Read full profile
Stuart Hendy
PMI Expert and Head of Publishing, PremierPMI
- 20 years in UK private medical insurance
- Underwriting and corporate placement specialist
Stuart brings over 20 years of experience advising on UK private medical insurance. He is a key member of the private medical insurance team and Head of the Publishing Team, gathering detailed client requirements, liaising with insurers on tailored quotes, and running training on insurer product changes and underwriting nuance.
Read full profile
