One of the UK's largest-ever financial scandals comes to an end today (Thursday), as the deadline for PPI claims comes at 23:59 tonight.
A total exceeding £36 billion has already been paid out to customers who were mis-sold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) by banks and loans providers.
Over 64 million PPI policies were sold between 1990 and 2010, although not all of those were mis-sold.
Millions of PPI policies were sold to customers who did not need them or would not be covered, leading the average compensation claim to be around £2,000.
It will drag on for the financial organisations, however, with billions of pounds set aside to cover the cost of compensation for claims that have not yet been made or have recently been made.
UK Finance, the banking trade body, told the BBC: "The industry has worked closely with the [regulator] to ensure PPI complaints are handled fairly and consistently.
"The regulator's deadline for PPI complaints has provided additional clarity for consumers, with the accompanying awareness campaign intended to prompt action and help ensure that customers who deserve compensation receive it."
Initially brought to light in 2011 after banks lost a legal battle to prevent a review of past insurance sales, banks were initially reluctant to address claims. Just a few years after the financial crisis, this fresh new scandal only intensified the public's scrutiny and anger at the banks.
