Baer.Intro Flashcards
List the 4 types of insurance carriers
- Individual U/W
- Joint stock company
- Mutual Insurance Company
- Reciprocal/inter-insurance exchange
Define an Individual UW Insurer
Like a stock exchange BUT only open to members (U/W members & non U/W members)
Define a Joint Stock Company
For-profit and owned by stockholders BUT managed by board of directors. Profits go to stockholders & investors
Define a mutual insurance company
Owned by policyholders. Profits are paid to policyholders as dividends
Define a reciprocal/inter-insurance exchange
Unincorporated ASSOCIATION of subscribers who EXCHANGE contracts of indemnity (don’t issue policies, members are individually liable)
Why are insurer’s partly exempt from anti-trust laws?
It would be bad for short-term price competition (leads to underpricing & insolvency, which hurts customers)
What do rating bureaus do?
Promulgate rates & terms of contracts. It is an APPROVED way for insurers to cooporate in setting adequate rates
What is the legal status of rating bureaus?
They are authorized & regulated by Provincial Insurance Acts
How do rating bureaus collect & analyze data?
Provincial superintendents appoint a statistics gathering agency (usually the statistical division of IBC)
What does Insurance Forms Manual Services Publish?
Standardized versions of basic policies & options, so there is no competition on basis of policies in Canada
Must auto policies be approved by superintendent before use (y/n)?
Yes
Name IBC’s 5 objectives (formed in 1964)
- Study legislation
- Collect / analyze data
- Engage in research
- Discuss general insurance
- Promote public understanding
Name 1 reason for creating IBC - related to anti-trust
Rating bureaus may have encouraged insurance industry to do things that, in other industries would be considered anti-competitive
Name 3 organisations under the IBC umbrella
- Association of Independent Insurers
- Canadian Federation of Insurance Agents & Brokers
- Insurance Institute of Canada
What has been the focus of Canadian Insurance Regulation since Confederation?
- Marketing: marketing integrity & improvement of insurance contract
- Ownership: encourage canadian ownership
- Taxes: collection of taxes
- Honesty: honesty & compentence of intermediaries (ex: agents)
- Solvency: keep insurer’s solvent to protect policyholders
Identify examples of Canadian regulation/legislation (federal or provincial) that promote insurer solvency (6)
- Creation: oversee creation of (domestic) & licensing (foreign) of insurers
- Investments: restrictions on the type of investments that are permitted for insurers (to reduce risk)
- Rating: authorization of rating bureaus for info-sharing
- Compliance: give government departments authority to enforce compliance with legislation
- Adequacy: create boards to oversee and ensure adequacy of rates
- File F/S: require regular filing of Financial Statements
What conditions eventually led to public control regarding solvency in the 1870s?
- Many insurer bankruptcies in the 1860s/70s
- The recognition that short-term price competition is bad
- Insurance involves a significant savings component (prepaid premiums) & policyholders must be protected
How does federal legislation protect Canadian insureds of foreign insurance companies? (2)
- Foreign insurers must maintain sufficient assets in Canada (for recovery from insolvency)
- If a foreign insurer goes insolvent, then a Canadian insurer can assume control over its assets (helps to stop expatriation of capital)
What are the superintendent’s power over marketing practices?
Investigate/order persons to stop offensive practices
What are the different levels of insurance regulation? (3)
- Legislation
- Regulations by lieutenant governor in council
- Guidelines by superintendents
Difference between guidelines & legislation for insurance regulation?
- Guidelines are more flexible than legislation (since subject to interpretation)
- Legislation must go through senate, house of commons and get approved, guidelines don’t need to go through these steps
Why are uniform guidelines easier to establish than uniform legislation?
Guidelines do not need to go through legislative process