Viewpoint: The iniquity of regulation

Concerned over potentially crippling regulation costs, Barbara Bradshaw suggests the FSA could look internally at its own spending before loading fees onto the insurance industry and, ultimately, the consumer.

Before passing on to the plight of the insurance broker when it comes to new legislation, let me dwell a while on the consumer. Blindingly obvious perhaps, but rarely spoken of, is that all the costs of regulation are ultimately borne by the consumer. If you put up the fees to providers and regulated intermediaries, then they have to be passed on - one way or another. Insurance brokers have been squeezed over the past two or three years and there is little room for any other savings bar the pips