Update on FSA work on the sale of PPI

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) has welcomed the move by Alliance & Leicester, Barclays, The Co-Operative Bank, Lloyds Banking Group (including Lloyds TSB, Halifax, and Bank of Scotland), and RBS/Natwest to stop selling single premium Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) with unsecured personal loans by the end of January 2009.

Some of these firms, along with other market players, now offer or plan to offer regular premium PPI instead of a single premium product. The FSA expects other firms still selling single premium PPI to take note of these developments.

The FSA recognises the importance of appropriate protection insurance in the current economic climate, but remains concerned over the standard of sales of single premium PPI. Customers being sold this type of product should be told how the product works, what it covers and how much it costs - especially as the cost of the PPI is added to the loan and interest charged on this amount.

Jon Pain, FSA's managing director of retail markets, said: "We are pleased these firms have stopped selling single premium policies and would expect other firms to notice these developments and review their own positions. A PPI product can be helpful for customers wanting protection on a specific credit agreement, as long as the policy is sold appropriately. Consumers can visit our website, Moneymadeclear, to get information on their protection choices and use our tables to compare PPI policies."