Competition

Recent Articles

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  16/01/2020

  Insurance 2020: Keeping an eye on the competition

  Regulatory scrutiny of competition in the insurance sector is set to continue in 2020 with several investigations carrying over into this year. Consumer protection and fair pricing in retail general insurance and data sharing and anti-competitive information exchange across the wider sector remain focus areas for the competition authorities. Are insurers’ pricing practices in the best interests of consumers? Consumer interests remains the key driver for regulatory intervention in the retail general insurance market and insurers can expect to be reviewing carefully their consumer pricing policies...

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  13/01/2020

  Insurance 2020: Year Ahead

  Welcome to Insurance 2020, our series of topical articles for the insurance market. Insurance 2020 pulls together key industry themes for the year ahead and will be delivered to your inbox throughout January and February. Given the continuing uncertain global economic and political backdrop, 2020 promises to be another dynamic year for the insurance market. It will undoubtedly be a year of great change, driven by substantial M&A activity, enhanced use of technology, more demanding customers and more intrusive regulators. Following the general election promise to ‘get Brexit done’,...

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  07/10/2019

  Pricing practices in the FCA spotlight

  On 4 October 2019, the FCA published the interim findings of its market study into general insurance pricing practices. The FCA’s interim report concludes that the home and motor insurance markets are not working well for consumers, finding that 6 million policy holders paid high prices in 2018, at a total estimated cost of £1.2bn. The FCA has taken particular issue with personalised pricing (and margin optimisation) targeting customers with lower awareness of pricing practices, who are more likely to include vulnerable customers. The FCA considers that this form of price discrimination...

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  01/04/2019

  FCA publishes Mortgages Market Study: MS16/2

  The FCA has found that the mortgage market works well in many respects: there is high engagement and consumers are obtaining mortgages that are suitable and affordable. However, the FCA has identified four main areas where it could work better for consumers: Finding the right mortgages; Establishing a wider range of tools providing consumer with a choice about support, including advice; Choosing intermediaries; and Switching freely without undue barriers. Finding the right mortgages The FCA’s research has found that, while consumers usually find a mortgage that is suitable and affordable,...

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  11/04/2018

  Se­cur­it­isa­tion Regulation: 60 minutes to understand the new rules and issues

  CMS cordially invite you to attend a webinar: 11 April 2018 | 10:00 UK/ 11:00 CET Securitisation Regulation: 60 minutes to understand the new rules and issues This webinar will last one hour (including a Q&A session) and will provide an update on new EU regulations regarding securitisation. Four expert speakers from the UK, France and Spain will cover the areas you need to be aware of. Agenda: Scope of the new regulations (STS and CRR treatment) New rules applicable to any EU securitisation STS CRR/other directive changes REGISTER NOW

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  08/01/2018

  FCA seeks views on approach to authorisation and competition

  The FCA has recently published for consultation two documents setting out its approach to competition and authorisation. The documents are the latest in a series as part of the FCA’s commitment to be transparent in how it regulates and follow on from the FCA’s approach to consumers published back in November. A central theme across both documents is that the FCA wants to understand how and when regulation can inhibit new entry and innovation so that its regulatory framework evolves with financial services, rather than holding them back. In the Approach to Authorisation document, the...

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