Regulated Financial Service Providers (RFSP) aka Regulated Firms are companies (or individuals) who are authorised under license by the Irish Central Bank (or comparable EU body) to provide products or financial services in Ireland.

Type of financial service company

Type of financial products or service they offer

Banks

Bank accounts, loans, overdrafts, savings, mortgages, deposits, credit cards, investments, insurance

Insurance companies

Life insurance, pensions and general insurance (car, home, travel, pet) policies

Investment management firms

Stocks, bonds, mutual funds

Insurance and investment intermediaries (brokers and agents)

Advice and arrange products from insurance and investment companies

Mortgage intermediaries (brokers)

Advice and arrange mortgage products from lenders

Stockbrokers

Buy and sell stocks and other securities

Collective investment schemes

An investment company, fund or trust used for collective investment by investors

Credit unions

Bank accounts, savings, loans, overdrafts, mortgages

Moneylenders

Short-term, high-cost loans

Bureaux de change

Buy and sell foreign currency

Other retail credit firms

Cash loans or indirect loans including hire purchase, personal contract plan and consumer hire agreements

Credit servicing firms

Servicing loans that are sold on by a lender. Servicing includes collecting repayments, dealing with complaints and helping if you are in financial difficulty

Debt management firms

Charge you to provide debt management services (assessing your financial situation, giving advice to resolve your debt, negotiating with your creditors)

Home reversion firms

Cash loans for a share of your home (home equity release)