The Independent Television Commission (ITC) may launch an enquiry into the latest advertising campaign from online intermediary, Inspop.
The move follows complaints from brokers and intermediaries, questioning Inspop's ability to provide the products it advertises.
Insurance Times revealed two weeks ago that Inspop has ploughed £5m into its advertising campaign. But at the time the advertising campaign was shown, not all the cybermediary's services were up and running. Inspop was unable to offer quotes from its two motor insurers, Prudential and Rias.
An ITC spokeswoman confirmed the complaints had been received. She said an officer would now be allocated to review the advert and to judge whether a full investigation was necessary.
One complainant, Ian Ritchie, managing director of brokers Foreman Bassett, wrote: “I feel that this advertisement is very misleading and companies should not advertise that which they are unable to deliver.
“This inability will imply an incompetence on behalf of the industry as a whole. It also provides this firm with an opportunity to capture a database – possibly including our clients – by advertising a service that they are unable to deliver.”
But a spokesman for Inspop said: “We put our advertising through all the regulatory authorities at the time we put out the advert. At this moment in time we have heard nothing from them [the ITC] or the Advertising Standards Authority.
“Our advertising was correct and consumers do now receive a range of quotes. The two insurers we had integration difficulties with are now on the site.””
He also said he “absolutely refuted” any allegation that Inspop was able to capture customer data before it could sell its products. He said Inspop only captured consumers' details once they agreed to buy cover, or if customers saved their applications half way through completion.
