Cheap cover? Ghost brokers

Lesson 7 of 13 in our free Insurance guide: a 5-minute money game with the key points below.

This lesson is in the full version.

Free with a code from your uni, college, council, landlord or employer (worth £600/year). Lesson 1 of Insurance is free for everyone.

Questions you'll answer

How do you check an insurance seller is legit?

Red flag: “Heyy saw ur post about ur first car!!” — Unsolicited DM from a stranger who found you through your post. Ghost brokers hunt on social media.
Red flag: “I can get u fully comp for £400 a year, any age, any car!!” — Too-good-to-be-true price for a new driver.
Red flag: “I work for all the big insurers,” — Vague 'I work with everyone' claims — real brokers are on the FCA register.
Red flag: “just pay by bank transfer to my personal account” — Personal bank transfer = no protection and a classic scam signal.
Red flag: “and I'll msg u the docs on chat.” — Real insurers email documents and let you check the policy on their own site.
Red flag: “Offer ends tonight!!” — Fake urgency to stop you checking.
Quote from a price comparison site, paid by card on the insurer's own site → Probably legit. Traceable, protected, and you can check the policy.
'Mate of a mate' who does cheap cover for cash → Ghost broker. Cash, no paperwork trail. Classic ghost broker.
Seller asks you to tweak your job title and postcode 'to bring the price down' → Ghost broker. That's lying on the application. The policy can be voided.
Firm you found on the FCA register, contacted on their listed number → Probably legit. That's how you check.