Start from the FCA’s own website, use its firm-checking resources and compare the firm’s identity, permissions and contact details. An authorisation check does not establish that a particular policy meets your needs.
Start from the official source
The FCA directs consumers to its Firm Checker before buying products such as insurance. Its Financial Services Register provides more detailed and historical information. Follow the source link below to choose the appropriate official service rather than relying on a screenshot sent by someone selling a policy.
Take a moment to note the exact legal name in the proposal. A trading style may be different. If you cannot identify which entity would provide or arrange the product, ask before sharing additional information.
Compare details, not just the name
The FCA warns about clone firms that impersonate genuine authorised businesses. Compare the contact details you have been given against the official record. Where there is a discrepancy, use independently obtained official details to clarify it.
For your own record, note the date of the check, the entity searched and any unresolved mismatch. Do not publish documents containing personal information. A sensible note is more useful than saving only a browser tab you might not find again.
Separate three questions
| Question | What to examine |
|---|---|
| Who is contacting me? | Legal entity and independently verified contact details. |
| What are they permitted to do? | The relevant official record and the activity being offered. |
| Does this policy fit my work? | Your business brief and the actual proposed wording. |
A positive answer to one question does not automatically answer the others. This framework is a practical way to organise a discussion, not a substitute for the FCA’s own instructions or a professional suitability assessment.
If something is unclear
Read the FCA’s explanation of appointed representatives and other statuses when they appear in the record. Do not guess that every status means the same thing. Use the official guidance for unclear or unauthorised firms, and avoid sending money because a caller says the record is “being updated.”
This site cannot verify a firm on your behalf or decide whether you have access to a compensation or complaints scheme. Such protection depends on the relevant circumstances and rules; regulatory status is not a guarantee that nothing can go wrong.
Then review the policy itself
Once identity and permissions have been checked, turn to the insurance documents. Give the provider an accurate account of your work and ask about the requirements in your client contracts. Our quote comparison guide helps organise those separate questions.
No provider is recommended or endorsed on this page. The FCA source is linked for reader verification, not because the FCA endorses this publication.
Sources & further reading
Sources consulted 2026-10-08. Examples and worksheets are original illustrations, not accounts of actual claims.