Search the firm on the FCA's Financial Services Register — every legitimate UK broker is listed, with the activities it is permitted to carry out.
How it works in practice
The Financial Services Register is the FCA's public list of every firm and individual it authorises. You can search it by the firm's name or its reference number, and a genuine private health insurance broker will be there, showing the regulated activities it is allowed to perform — in this case, arranging and advising on insurance.
Check the detail, not just the presence of a name. Confirm the firm is authorised for insurance distribution or mediation, and that its permissions are current, rather than merely appearing in some other capacity. The register also shows any trading names, so you can be sure the site or person you are dealing with belongs to the authorised firm.
Authorisation matters because it is what puts a firm under FCA rules and gives you real recourse. If an authorised firm treats you unfairly, you can escalate to the Financial Ombudsman Service, and protections such as the compensation scheme may apply. An unauthorised outfit offers none of that.
Treat a few things as red flags: no FCA reference number, reluctance to give one, high-pressure tactics, or upfront fees demanded before any real service. A legitimate broker will hand you its reference number without being pushed.
Questions to put to the insurer or broker
- What is your firm's FCA reference number?
- Is the firm authorised to advise on and arrange insurance?
- What trading name will appear on my paperwork?
Related questions
- Are comparison sites the same as private health insurance brokers?
- Broker or direct: which is the better way to buy private health insurance?
- Can a broker get me cheaper private health insurance than going direct?
- Can a broker help me get private health insurance with a pre-existing condition?
How this site fits in
This explains how UK private health insurance brokers work in general. Health Insurance UK is not itself a broker and is not FCA-authorised; when you request a quote we introduce you to one selected FCA-authorised broker, which is responsible for any regulated advice, and we may be paid for the introduction. Always check any firm on the FCA Financial Services Register before you act, and remember a broker cannot cover a condition you already have — that is set by underwriting, not by who arranges the policy.
Get a free quote — a specialist broker calls you back, free and with no obligation.
Or see how UK cover compares and the FCA-authorised broker list.