Bankruptcy order granted against insurance broker Arthur Temlett
A Scottish court has placed insurance broker Arthur Temlett into bankruptcy following an application by the Financial Conduct Authority. The Sheriff granted the sequestration order on August 27, 2026, amid ongoing embezzlement proceedings.
Trustee appointed to untangle assets
The Sheriff granted the sequestration application against Arthur Temlett, who traded as Abacus Insurance Consultants, on August 27, 2026.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) had previously banned Temlett from conducting all regulated financial activities on January 21, 2025, after uncovering evidence that he allegedly sold motor and home insurance policies without transferring premium payments to insurance underwriters.
Emma Porter of Aver Chartered Accountants has been appointed as the insolvency trustee to take control of his estate, review his financial affairs and distribute any recovered funds to creditors.
Parallel criminal charges and compensation
Temlett is also awaiting criminal trial on embezzlement charges following an investigation by Police Scotland.
Customers who purchased policies or investments through Abacus are urged to verify valid coverage with insurers and report missing policies to police using crime reference CR/0470100/24. The Financial Services Compensation Scheme is accepting claims, while regulators have warned policyholders against secondary fee-charging scams.
Sluggish closure with limited recovery
Sequestration marks a necessary step to close rogue brokerage operations and open formal compensation routes.
Yet an eighteen-month gap between the trading ban and bankruptcy illustrates the sluggish pace of consumer redress.
Affected policyholders will likely rely on statutory safety nets rather than any meaningful estate recovery.