The Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) has called for high street retailers and travel agents to demonstrate they are fit to sell insurance.
The CII said it is concerned that people are purchasing products that do not fit their needs, because of poor staff knowledge regarding insurance.
CII director general Dr Sandy Scott said: "Depending on where you buy your insurance, for example in high street stores or travel agents, the quality of the advice may differ dramatically from that offered by a professional insurance broker.
"There are also vagaries in the FSA proposal about the way in which different products, that serve the same purpose, are regulated; this cannot be in the consumers interest."
