Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of management firms misrepresenting themselves as insurers when contacting consumers following road traffic accidents on consumers; and whether she has discussed this practice with the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

The Government expects motorists to be treated fairly when making insurance claims. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is the independent regulator responsible for regulating insurers and certain claims management activities. The FCA’s rules require firms’ communications and financial promotions to be clear, fair, and not misleading.

Under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA), Parliament sets the regulators’ statutory objectives, duties and accountability mechanisms, providing clear roles for government, Parliament, independent regulators and firms. The Government considers that this model gives regulators the powers and flexibility to respond to market practices and take action where firms fall short.

Where claims management activity is carried out by solicitors of law firms, this is regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA). The Ministry of Justice leads on matters relating to legal services regulation. The FCA works closely with other regulators, including the SRA, the Information Commissioner's Office and the Advertising Standards Authority, to tackle misleading advertising and poor practices where these fall within their respective remits.