Despite high-profile problems with investment funds, most consumers don't know that they might be able to claim compensation for a loss if a company managing their investments goes bust or who to turn to in such an eventuality.

That was just one of a series of findings in a survey conducted for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, the new one-stop shop in Britain for investor compensation.

Reassuringly, consumers rate the safety and security of their money as a priority when taking out investments. However, while 84 per cent of respondents said firms or individuals should be registered before being permitted to invest funds, only 41 per cent thought they would know how to find out if a particular investment adviser was indeed registered.

dcoyle@irish-tines.ie