GEN 4.2 Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to amplifyPrinciple 7 (Communications with clients), which requires a firm to pay due regard to the information needs of its clients. This chapter requires the provision of appropriate minimum information about the identity of a firm's regulator in a way which is as consistent as practicable across the whole range of activities regulated by the FSA This assists in the achievement of the regulatory objectives of consumer protection, public awareness and market confidence.

There are other pre-contract information requirements outside this chapter, including:

1. (1)

   for financial promotions, inthe financial promotion rules;5

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2. (2)

   for designated investment business, inCOBS 8 (Client agreements), COBS 5 (Distance Communications), COBS 6 (Information about the firm, its services and remuneration), COBS 13 and 14 (which relate to product information)5 and CASS (Client assets);

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3. (3)

   for non-investment insurance contracts3, in ICOB 4 (Advising and selling standards); and ICOB 5 (Product disclosure);3

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4. (4)

   for electronic commerce activities carried on from an establishment in the United Kingdom, in COBS 5.2, ICOB 2.7 and MCOB 2.8;6 and1

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5. (5)

   for regulated mortgage contracts and home purchase plans, initial disclosure requirements 4in MCOB 44, pre-application disclosure requirements in MCOB 5,4 and disclosure at the offer stage in MCOB 64;4 and12

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6. (6)

   for equity release transactions, initial disclosure requirements in MCOB 8.4, pre-application disclosure requirements in MCOB 9.4 and disclosure at the offer stage in MCOB 9.5

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