CHAPTER 4 (Rules And Principles Governing The Activities of Life Insurance Agents And Accident & Sickness Insurance Agents Flashcards
CHAPTER 4
Demonstrating ethical behaviour and providing practical advice help build a trusting agent-client relationship.
What are some ethical conducts?
- Dealing with conflicts of interest;
- Client needs analysis;
- Selling ethically;
- Meeting fiduciary obligations;
- Complying with statutes, regulations and codes of conduct.
Sanctions for non-compliance with the principles and rules that apply to licenced insurance agents can include….
Important monetary penalties and the revocation of the agent’s licence.
The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is a federal, provincial and territorial government who legislate and enact regulations for insurance
companies under the Insurance Company Act
What is their role?
To determine the financial soundness of the federally incorporated life insurance companies
Ethics Terminology
OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI)
A free, fast, independent, and impartial alternative dispute resolution public service for Canadian life and health insurance consumers.
TRUE OR FALSE?
The provinces and territories are not responsible for regulating market conduct.
FALSE
The provinces and territories are also responsible for regulating market conduct
Who are the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR) and what is their mandate?
- An association of insurance regulators.
- The mandate of the CCIR is to facilitate and promote an efficient and effective insurance regulatory system in Canada to serve the public interest.
- Members work together to develop solutions for common regulatory issues.
Regulatory Authorities such as CCIR & CISRO usually have a mandate, name at-least two
They fulfill their mandate by setting expectations and requirements for regulating the conduct of life insurance agents toward clients, including:
- Promoting transparency to clients;
- Taking enforcement actions against breaches of conduct;
- Equipping clients with financial knowledge and skills (understanding financial concepts and terminology);
- Giving clients access to independent complaint resolution avenues, such as the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance.
TRUE OR FALSE?
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is also responsible for the licencing, regulating and supervision of an insurance agent’s practice.
FALSE
Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) is not responsible for the licencing, regulating and supervision of an insurance agent’s practice.
TRUE OR FALSE?
There are nine provincial and four territorial regulators responsible for the regulation of agents and agencies.
FALSE
There are ten provincial and three territorial regulators responsible for the regulation of agents and agencies.
TRUE OR FALSE?
In Ontario, life insurance agents, accident & sickness insurance agents and corporate agencies are licenced by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) (in replacement of the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO)), which also regulates insurers.
TRUE
Ethics Terminology
Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organizations (CISRO)
Inter-jurisdictional group of regulating authorities who are dedicated to developing consistent standards of qualifications and practice for insurance intermediaries dealing in insurance of persons and property
CISRO, in collaboration with CCIR, has published a Guidance entitled Conduct of Insurance Business and Fair Treatment of Customers
According to the Guidance, fair treatment of customers encompasses concepts such as…
- Ethical behavior
- Acting in good faith
- The prohibition of abusive practices.
There are a number of other authorities that protect the client. Name some
- Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada;
- Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC);
- Assuris;
- OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI);
- Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR).
FILL IN THE BLANK!
The mandate and mission of ________________ is to administer enforcement of the federal Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada’s private sector privacy legislation, and to “protect and promote the privacy rights of individuals”
The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
FILL IN THE BLANKS
Life insurance agents operating in __________, __________, and _________ are subject to their own provinces’ personal information protection act.
British Columbia, Alberta and Québec
Ethics Terminology
Financial Transactions and Reports Analyses Centre of Canada (FINTRAC)
- Canadian independent agency with a mandate to facilitate the detection, prevention and deterrence of money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities, while ensuring the protection of personal information under its control.
- Operates within the ambit of the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act (PCMLTFA) and its regulations.
While ensuring the protection of personal information under its control. Financial Transactions and Reports Analyses Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) fulfills its mandate through some activities, name at least one.
- Receiving financial transaction reports in accordance with the PCMLTFA and regulations and safeguarding personal information under its control;
- Ensuring compliance of reporting entities with the PCMLTFA and regulations;
- Producing financial intelligence relevant to investigations on money laundering, terrorist activity financing and threats to the security of Canada;
- Researching and analyzing data from a variety of information sources that shed light on trends and patterns in money laundering and terrorist financing;
- Maintaining a registry of money services businesses in Canada; and
- Enhancing public awareness and understanding of money laundering and terrorist activity financing
The Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act has key objectives, name at least two.
- To implement specific measures to detect and deter money laundering and the financing of terrorist activities;
- To facilitate the investigation and prosecution of money laundering offences and terrorist activity
financing offences; - To respond to the threat posed by organized crime; and
- To assist in fulfilling Canada’s international commitments to participate in the fight against transnational crime
TRUE OR FALSE?
Certain individuals, including staff of financial institutions and insurance of persons representatives, are required to report suspicious financial transactions to FINTRAC.
TRUE
FINTRAC published guidance that applies and reiterates the obligations imposed on insurance representatives by the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act.
What are some of their principal obligations? (name one)
- Establishment and implementation of a compliance program;
- Record-keeping requirements;
- Reporting requirements (suspicious transactions, terrorist property, large cash transactions, large virtual currency transactions)
In regards to FINTRAC, PCMLTFA and their principal obligations, “Know-your-client” requirements, includes client identification requirements, what are they?
- Verification of clients’ and beneficiaries’ identity (individuals, legal persons and other entities);
- Ongoing monitoring of the business relationship;
- Identification of beneficial owners;
- Third party determination; and
- Determination of politically exposed persons and heads of international organizations.
A FINTRAC insurance representative is required to verify the identity of any person or entity (hereinafter “the client” or “the beneficiary”) for whom an information record is kept regarding the sale of an immediate / deferred annuity or a life insurance policy under two common transactions, what are they?
- For which the client may pay $10,000 or more over the duration of the annuity or policy;
- For which a beneficiary may receive $10,000 or more over the duration of the annuity or policy
[Ref. 4.1.4.2 ]
In regards to FINTRAC Identity verification, an identity need not be verified again if…
- The identity of an individual has already been verified or the existence of an entity has already been confirmed using a method permitted by the Act and its regulations,
- The required documents are kept on file, and
- No doubt remains as to the information obtained
FINTRAC describes five (5) methods to verify the identity of a person or an entity, what are they?
- Government-issued photo identification method (Some examples include a Canadian passport, a permanent resident card, driver’s licence etc…)
- Credit file method
- Dual-process method
- Affiliate or member method
- Reliance method
TRUE OR FALSE?
In regards to FINTRAC Identity verification, a social insurance card may not be used to verify identity, and a social insurance number (S.I.N.) may not be used in a report made to FINTRAC.
TRUE
Ethics Terminology
Dual-process method
Requires performing two actions, consulting two independent credit transactions or referring to two reliable and distinct sources to verify a client’s or beneficiary’s identity
[STUDY REFERENCE: 4.1.4.2]
Ethics Terminology
Credit file method
- A credit file is used as an identification method to verify the identity of a person who is not physically present
- This method requires that consent first be obtained from the client or beneficiary before consulting the information contained in the credit file
[STUDY REFERENCE: 4.1.4.2]
Ethics Terminology
Affiliate or member method
The identity of a person or an entity which can be verified by confirming that entities such as banks, credit unions, loan companies, etc… has previously performed such a verification.
[STUDY REFERENCE: 4.1.4.2]