1. Authorisation

D Winter trading as Sure Direct (thereafter referred to as Sure Direct) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA is the independent watchdog that regulates financial services. Our FSA number is 448728.

We are permitted under the FSA to assist in the administration and performance of advising and/or arranging and/or dealing in relation to contracts of insurance.

The above information is available to check on the FSA’s Register by visiting the FSA’s website www.fsa.gov.uk/register or by contacting the FSA on 020 7066 1000.

2. Ownership

Sure Direct has no direct, or indirect, holding in any insurer and no insurer has any direct, or indirect, holding in Sure Direct.

3. Level of Service and Products Offered

In relation to the general insurance products we offer, we can provide advice, or information from a single Insurer.

Where we offer advice or information from a limited number of Insurers, or a single Insurer (for example where certain specialised risks are offered by only one, or limited Insurers), if you ask us to do so, we can provide you with a list of the Insurer/s. It may be that we are contractually obliged to conduct our activities in this manner and, if this is the case, we will inform you accordingly.

Before your insurance contract is concluded, you will be provided with a statement setting out your demands and needs, which will confirm whether we have made a personal recommendation and, if so, explaining the reasons for our recommendation. This statement may be incorporated within other insurance documentation.

If you request it, or if you require immediate insurance cover, we will give you this information orally but, in any event, we will still provide you with the statement immediately after conclusion of the insurance contract.

4. Your duty to disclose material information

It is your duty and responsibility to provide complete and accurate information to insurers when you take out or renew an insurance contract. Failure to disclose material information or any inaccuracies in the information given, may lead to serious consequences and your insurance contract could become void or affect any potential claim on the contract.

5. Remuneration

Usually, we will not charge you a fee for our services. However, there may be occasions where we will charge you a fee for advice or services. Where this is the case, we will fully explain the basis of our charging and agree with you what the fee is for and when the fee is payable before charging that fee. Any other fees relating to any particular insurance policy will be included in the quotation you receive.

6. Client Money (General)

The FSA rules are designed to protect you in the event that an insurance intermediary fails or is unable to transfer:

· Any premium money it has received from you to the insurer; or
· Any claims or return premium monies that it has received from the insurer to you.

We are governed by strict rules pertaining to Client Money, set down by the FSA. Where we hold monies in a client bank account we may earn interest on monies held, which will be retained by us.

7. Client Money (Statutory Trust)

We will hold client money separate from our own money with an approved bank, segregated in a client bank account designated as subject to a Statutory Trust. We act as Trustees of our clients’ monies and must meet certain legal and regulatory conditions.

8. Payments to third parties

We may transfer client money to another person, such as another broker or settlement agent, for the purpose of effecting a transaction on your behalf through that person. We do however; still remain responsible to you in respect of your money.

This may include brokers and settlement agents outside the UK. The legal and regulatory regime applying to a broker or settlement agent outside the UK may be different from that of the UK and in the event of a failure of the broker or settlement agent, this money may be treated in a different manner from that, which would apply if the money were held by a broker or settlement agent in the UK. You may notify us if you do not wish your money to be passed on to a person in a particular jurisdiction.

9. Renewal and Cancellation of Insurance

Your insurance policy may contain a right to cancel within a specified period of time of taking up the policy. You will be informed upon inception or renewal of your contract what cancellation rights apply to your policy and, if so, how and when you should exercise any such rights.

10. Claims

You should advise us immediately in the event of a claim against your insurance policy so that we can ensure that your claim is passed to the insurer promptly or so that we can inform you that we cannot deal with the notification.

11. Conflicts of Interest

Occasions can arise where we, or one of our other customers, will have some form of interest in business which we are transacting for you. If this happens, or we become aware that our interest or those of one of our customers conflicts with your interests, we will inform you and obtain your consent before we carry out your instructions. As an example, a conflict of interests may arise where we have authority to settle claims on behalf of the insurer.

12. Duty of Care and Confidentiality

We will keep records of all our business transactions for a minimum period of three years. We treat all our clients’ records as confidential even when they are no longer a client. No information will be passed to another party without your prior consent unless we are legally obliged to do so, or to meet our regulatory requirements. We cannot be held responsible for incorrect data held in the event of non-disclosure.

Under the Data Protection Act 1998, you have the right of access to your personal records held on our files. This may incur a small administration fee and we will tell you what the fee is if you ask for a copy of your information.

13. Complaints and the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS)

We will endeavour to act fairly and reasonably at all times and provide you with a professional service. Should you have any complaints about the service provided, please contact us in writing to D Winter trading as Sure Direct, 46-48 Mere Green Road, Sutton Coldfield. B75 5BT or telephone us on 0121 323 4913.

If you cannot resolve your complaint with us, you may be entitled to refer it to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

We are covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) and you may be entitled to compensation from the scheme if we cannot meet our obligations. This depends on the type of business and the circumstances of the claim. Insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the first £2,000 and 90% of the remainder of the claim, without any upper limit. [or] For compulsory classes of insurance, insurance advising and arranging is covered for 100% of the claim, without any upper limit.

Further information about compensation scheme arrangements is available from the FSCS.