The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) will pilot a service that directs people with pre-existing health conditions to willing travel insurance providers.

The regulator says people rejected or poorly served by mainstream travel insurers are often unaware specialists exist that can better meet their needs.

“We’ll work with industry to point people in the right direction and help dispel some of the myths and misunderstandings to ensure this market works better,” Strategy and Competition Executive Director Christopher Woolard said.

The FCA will hold roundtable meetings with key industry stakeholders to create a “signposting service” that redirect consumers to specialist insurers “quickly and seamlessly”.

The service will involve direct providers, price comparison websites, brokers and travel agent intermediaries.

The British Insurance Brokers Association says it already has a successful Find-a-Broker service, and it welcomes the FCA proposal.

“We have been calling for wider signposting in our manifesto to help customers and improve financial inclusion,” Executive Director Graeme Trudgill said.

“We have long identified that the biggest challenge is awareness and that more providers need to actively engage in signposting.”

The FCA says it will analyse results from the pilot and consider including other types of general insurance.