The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has publicly announced that it has opened an enforcement investigation into The Claims Protection Agency Limited (TCPA) over concerns about its advertising and sales practices linked to potential motor finance claims.
According to the regulator, it is examining what customers were told about the level of redress they might receive, whether they were informed that claims could be pursued for free, and whether customers were pressured into signing up.
Publicising the probe
The Claims Protection Agency was notified of the FCA's intention to publicise the opening of the investigation on Sept. 1. The firm applied for a judicial review of that decision but the High Court dismissed the application in October. The Court of Appeal later refused permission to appeal in December, with the High Court judgment released in two parts, in October 2025 and January 2026.
The FCA said its intention to announce the probe publicly was to allow clients to consider their options. It stressed, however, that it has not reached any conclusions on whether The Claims Protection Agency breached regulatory requirements.
The Claims Protection Agency operates under several trading names, including My Claim Group, Martin's Tips, Karen's Claims, Express PCP and The PCP Guys. The business advertises for potential motor finance claims and refers customers to law firms for representation.
Regulatory scrutiny on the rise
The investigation comes against the backdrop of heightened regulatory scrutiny of the motor finance and claims management market. The FCA is currently reviewing historic commission arrangements in motor finance, particularly where discretionary commission models may have created unfair outcomes for consumers.
In October last year, the regulator published a consultation on a proposed Section 404 redress scheme that could affect more than 14 million motor finance agreements written between 2007 and 2024.
The scale of the potential redress has prompted concerns across the industry, with lenders, insurers and intermediaries assessing operational and financial exposure. Claims management companies have been under particular focus due to fears that aggressive marketing and unclear disclosures could lead to consumers paying unnecessary fees or being misled about the likelihood and size of compensation.
While the FCA’s enforcement guide states that investigations are not usually made public, the regulator said the threshold for “exceptional circumstances” had been met in the current case. It cited the need to protect consumers, maintain confidence in the financial system and prevent widespread malpractice as reasons for making the announcement.
