The Association of Medical Intermediaries is sponsoring a discussion with insurers about the FSA consultation document next month.

Bill Poynton, former association chairman, who is also intermediary Health Care Plus partner, said the meeting would be on 12 February.

He said he was "not concerned" about suggestions that private medical insurance (PMI) brokers should pass an approved examination to sell products.

According to the consultation, PMI is classed as a high risk product.

The document states that "where an individual is advising on `higher risk' products, we are consulting on whether, in the long term, we should require individuals to demonstrate that they have an appropriate level of competence by passing an approved examination."

Medibroker managing director Leslie Smith said he welcomed the idea of examinations, but said there was a decrease in PMI mis-selling in the past five years.

"The situation is now improving and GISC has done a lot," he said.

Smith suggested that more "brutal transparency in medical declarations" was necessary.

"The FSA will also have to consider the European Health Directive, which states that medical treatment should be available anywhere in the European Community to the EU citizen," he said.

Topics