IBAO is pleased to support the Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID) new public service announcement and charitable awareness campaign aimed at communicating the dangers of impaired driving.
During the month of May, OSAID will have branded boxes displayed at the cash check out at all LCBO’s in Ontario. OSAID is hoping that all Ontarians to put a ‘buck in the box’ and donate to their campaign focused on educating students on the dangers of impaired driving. May brings us closer to the summer months - a time filled with social activities for students, such as prom, grad nights, May long weekend and end of school parties. These events find many students placed in compromising positions where impaired driving becomes a factor.
With a partnership that’s lasted over 10 years, IBAO brokers believe in not only educating our current drivers, but the drivers of the future. The number one cause of teen death and injury in Ontario is impaired driving. We proudly support OSAID and this initiative to spread awareness to young drivers of all forms of impaired driving including distracted driving.
In addition, Radio Broadcasting students at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario have created and produced a radio public service announcement (PSA) that will encourage people to support OSAID by donating to the campaign this month. IBAO’s public relations team will be reaching out to regional radio stations around the province encouraging the stations to play the PSA in support of this cause.
For over 25 years, OSAID has managed over 5,000 teen volunteers and has volunteer chapters in over 300 secondary schools in Ontario. OSAID hosts an annual, province wide, motivational leadership conference for students and teachers, holds 6 regional workshops, creates program materials for promotions, education and motivation, and helps prevent teen death and injury. OSAID does all of this with the help of thousands of volunteers.
RIBO has posted three updated fraud bulletins on their website, warning consumers that neither Ottawa Insurance Broker Services nor United Brokers Insurance and Progress Insurance are licensed to conduct property and casualty insurance business in Ontario. Anyone who has recently purchased insurance from either entity should contact Tim Goff at (416) 365-1900 or 1-800-265-3097 or tim@ribo.com. RIBO has also updated a previous fraud case from 2011 that has since expanded into Peel Region (Axccess Lifestyle Membership Corporation of Concord, Ontario).
RIBO is the self-regulatory body for insurance brokers in Ontario. Established in October 1981, RIBO regulates the licensing, professional competence, ethical conduct, and insurance related financial obligations of all independent general insurance brokers in the province.
People should exercise caution when purchasing their insurance and make certain they are dealing with a licensed representative. To check the licensing status of an insurance Broker, please go to RIBO’s List of Licensed Brokers/Brokerages. To check the licensing status of an insurance Agent, please go to FSCO’s List of Licensed Representatives and for an insurance Company, please go to FSCO’s List of Licensed Insurance Companies.
Here is a summary of the bulletins:
April 3, 2012 - Ottawa Insurance Broker Services
The Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) is advising consumers that Ottawa Insurance Broker Services is not licensed to conduct property and casualty insurance business in Ontario. Anyone who has recently purchased insurance online from Ottawa Insurance Broker Services should contact Tim Goff at (416) 365-1900 / 1-800-265-3097 or tim@ribo.com.
March 26, 2012 - United Brokers Insurance / Progress Insurance
The Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) is advising consumers that United Brokers Insurance and Progress Insurance is not licensed to conduct automobile insurance business in Ontario. Anyone who has recently called 1-800-246-0716 to purchase insurance from United Brokers Insurance and Progress Insurance should contact Tim Goff at (416) 365-1900 / 1-800-265-3097 or tim@ribo.com.
Axccess Lifestyle Membership Corporation of Concord, Ontario - February 13, 2012
It has recently come to our attention that certain individuals may be active in selling the memberships in the Peel Region as well as other areas in Ontario. If you have any information or knowledge of this program, please contact Tim Goff at (416) 365-1900 / 1-800-265-3097 or tim@ribo.com.
A new consumer study finds that 78% of Ontarians are not aware that insurers were using their credit scores to price their home insurance. What’s more is that 74% are in favour of extending the ban on using credit scores that is currently used in auto insurance to home insurance.
IBAO brokers were at Queen’s Park on April 4, as part of the Annual IBAO Queen’s Park Awareness Day, to meet with several Ontario Members of Provincial Parliament (MPP) to present the results of this consumer study and to discuss banning the use of credit scoring on personal property insurance.
Currently, a growing number of insurers are using a person’s credit score to measure their insured risk. This has led to an increase in insurance premiums or a denial of insurance outright to many Ontarians. As a result, now is the time for the Ontario Government to ban credit scoring to protect consumers!
IBAO’s 2012 consumer credit study results are nearly identical to the last time the poll was taken in November 2010. This indicates that insurers who use credit to increase rates have failed completely to inform their customers, despite a voluntary industry code of conduct which says consumers should be informed and must consent.
Further poll findings reveal that 81% of Ontarians want their MPPs to ban the use of credit scores to determine their home insurance rate, and 35% of Ontarians would be more likely to vote for their MPP if they supported a ban.
In 2005, the Ontario government banned the practice of using credit scoring as it relates to auto insurance policies because a person’s credit score was not related to their insured risk, and therefore the practice was deemed to be unfair and not in the public interest. Ontario insurance brokers were at Queen’s Park urging the Ontario government to extend the ban to home insurance.
It is unfortunate that the Ontario government has taken very little action to deal with the problem since the last poll results were released a year and a half ago. It is clear that insurers cannot be counted on to inform and protect customers on the matter of credit scoring. That is why the Ontario government must step in and ban this practice that is hurting consumers.
In May 2011, IBAO launched a consumer educational website, www.SoaringInsuranceRates.ca as part of the association’s public consumer protection campaign. Since the launch, more than 12,000 concerned Ontarians have logged on to educate themselves with many signing the on-line petition and sending informational letters to their MPP.
The use of credit scoring to price home and other personal property insurance is hurting our consumers. It affects those who can least afford it, such as retired seniors, newcomers to Canada, the unemployed, single income families and small business owners utilizing lines of credit. IBAO believes the practice is unfair to consumers, not transparent and inappropriate as a rating tool, and are calling on the Ontario government to act now and ban this practice entirely.
New development will allow E-docs to be transmitted in broker downloads
The Centre for Studies in Insurance Operations (CSIO) announced a new CSIO XML standard which will allow for electronic documents to be transmitted in broker downloads. E-Doc was identified as a main concern by brokers in October, 2011 at the IBAO Annual Convention. Brokers highly support standardized solutions over proprietary ones.
Since October, CSIO, carriers and Broker Management Software Vendors (BMS vendors) joined their efforts, and as a result CSIO released the highly anticipated XML standard.
Currently, brokers must visit company portals to pull electronic copies of policies one by one into their BMS. With this new development, brokers whose carriers and BMS vendors support the CSIO standards will begin to see electronic copies of policies sent automatically and seamlessly attached to their client files.
Since the release of the standard, we have heard from a number of insurers and most BMS vendors, all of whom have committed to developing with the new standard as opposed to building proprietary ones. Below are some comments made by The Dominion, Intact Insurance and BMS vendors such as Custom Software Solutions Inc., Keal Technology and Power Broker.
The development of the Standard is an opportunity to drive real cost efficiencies into brokers’ offices. It is the kind of win the group has needed for some time. If everyone can work together on a project such as the standard, future projects such as the IBAC Data Exchange are even more likely to succeed!
We are encouraged by the attention this issue has garnered from brokers, companies and BMS vendors. We would like to congratulate those who have displayed a great deal of leadership and commitment, not only to the CSIO standard but to the broker distribution channel. We look forward to collaborating with all parties to ensure these efficiencies drive positive results to our independent brokers across the country!
Media Statements:
Steve Zylak, President, Zycomp Systems Limited
"Power Broker has always believed that this process is paramount to brokers long term success.”
Patrick J Durepos, President, Keal Technology
“As always, Keal is happy to support the CSIO standards and this is no exception. We have already begun project development around building to the newly released CSIO XML standard.”
Scott Andrew, President and CEO, Custom Software Solutions Inc.
“Custom Software Solutions Inc. (CSSI) is pleased with the release of the XML Standard by CSIO and believe this is the right direction for the industry to move.”
Jack Ott, SVP & Chief Information Officer, Intact Financial Corporation
“We are very pleased to see an XML standard that will manage document flow directly from company systems to the BMS without intervention.”
Steve Whitelaw, Senior Vice President - Business Solutions
“The Dominion has publicly committed to building an electronic document solution to deliver efficiencies to all of our Broker partners.”
Congratulations to YOURS (Youth for Road Safety) for their recent Outstanding Graphic Design award, received for their 5-Part Surreal Poster Series. The award was presented from the Chicago Athenaeum annual GOOD DESIGN® Awards Program - honouring the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product, and graphic designs produced around the world.
IBAO partnered with OSAID, Teachers Life Insurance and the Ontario Ministry of Transportation for the sponsorship of the development and printing of the ‘seatbelt’ poster, featured in the series.
Last May, to coincide with the launch of the ‘Decade of Action for Road Safety 2011-2020’, YOURS released a free poster series for young people around the world to raise awareness about key risks on the roads.
YOURS is the first ever global, youth led, non-governmental organizations (NGO) for road safety. It grew out of the first United Nations (UN) World Youth Assembly for Road Safety organized by the World Health Organization in 2007. The assembly brought 400 youth delegates together to discuss the global crisis of road crashes and young people.
The ‘Surreal Posters’ showcase five situations in which drivers, cyclists and pedestrians are more vulnerable on the road for neglecting to take simple precautionary measures. They focus on the consequences of failing to use seat-belts and helmets, drinking and driving, speeding and not being visible when walking or cycling on the road. The posters were distributed worldwide through YOURS' massive global youth network for road safety and were exhibited in prominent places.
IBAO became involved with YOURS through its partnership with Ontario Students Against Impaired Driving (OSAID). A partnership that has lasted more than a decade, IBAO has been working with OSAID to inform Ontario students about the dangers associated with driving while under the influence.
IBAO supports actions that provide Ontario students with the necessary knowledge to make wiser decisions when it comes to their transportation options. IBAO was incredibly proud to be a part of the Surreal Poster Series and applauds YOURS and OSAID on this impressive achievement.
For more information and to download a copy of the poster series, visit the YOURS website.
Beyond Best in Class promises to provide brokerages with the tools they need to become leading edge Brokerages.
In an ever changing world, the way brokers conduct business has evolved exponentially, and consumers’ expectations have drastically been altered. IBAO introduces the 2012 dates of its premier five-part development program - “Beyond Best in Class” (BBiC). The Beyond Best in Class program utilizes the power of collaboration and innovation to tackle real challenges within the brokerage business.
The 2012 offering will be limited to 40 Brokerages, and each offering will also have geographical restrictions in place so competing brokerages will not be present in the same session. Given the content and discussion that takes place, it is imperative that neighbouring brokerages located within the same trading area not be in the same session.
2012 Dates:
Toronto - March 27-29, and June 27-28 at the Westin Prince Hotel
Barrie - May 15-17, and September 6-7;
Cambridge - September 26-27, and January 23-24, 2013;
Niagara - December 4-6, and March 6-7, 2013.
“Beyond Best in Class is not about getting better, it’s about being different, embracing your ability to think and create,” says IBAO CEO, Randy Carroll.
For more information on the program and enrolment please email Jacob Maga at jmaga@ibao.on.ca or call him directly at the IBAO office at 416-488-7422 or 1-800-268-8845 ext. 119.
Every two years, IBAO’s Board of Directors and Senior Management examine the association’s strategic plan for efficiency and impact. Today, we reveal IBAO’s new Vision and Mission Statements, developed as part of the association’s recent strategic planning retreat.
The previous statements served the organization well for the past 15 years, and as we find ourselves in unprecedented times, it was time to look to a Vision and Mission Statement that provide a very clear, concise and inclusive direction for the organization going forward. The new Vision and Mission are both the guiding lights for the establishment of the strategic plan and organizational objectives moving forward.
The new IBAO Vision Statement moving forward is:
“IBAO is the industry leader that drives collaboration to implement innovative solutions.”
IBAO’s new Mission Statement is:
“To be the advocate for the independent Insurance Broker driving collaboration between members, consumers and other stakeholders resulting in innovative solutions for the betterment of the industry.”
The industry is shifting and IBAO believes that now, more than ever, the industry needs an organization that can pull everyone together to work collaboratively towards the development of solutions that benefit the entire channel, not just a single stakeholder. IBAO is that organization and is the perfect entity that is able to bring industry players together to develop meaningful solutions for the future.
IBAO CEO, Randy Carroll says that, “This new Mission Statement clearly shows where we are going and why. As you can see, there is nothing reflective or passive about this Mission Statement. We will advocate for our members, we will drive collaboration between all stakeholders including consumers and government. This Mission Statement clearly allows us to source out any group, organization or business that can provide solutions for the betterment of the industry and the channel we so proudly serve.”
IBAO is excited to launch a new, online tool - MyInsuraceShopper Know Your Stuff®, a Home Inventory tool for Ontario consumers. This easy to use software is available on the web for consumers to take inventory of their possessions and track this inventory easily and efficiently, all within digital space. The inventory is stored online where consumers have free access to view or update their inventory anytime, anywhere they wish.
A home inventory will help you itemize your property if you need to make a claim, and it is a good way to test if your overall policy limits are adequate.
IBAO encourages all home owners to make a thorough inventory update of their belongings, including a list of contents, estimate of replacement value and perhaps a photograph or video of each room. This inventory should then be reviewed with their broker. The MyInsuranceShopper Know Your Stuff® inventory tool makes this process convenient, by allowing consumers to store and update their details and within the digital space.
Many people receive or purchase new expensive items and neglect to inform their broker and update their policies. Items, such as expensive jewelry should to be added to your insurance policy to ensure you are properly covered in case of any future claims. You never know when a disaster may strike, but you can be prepared with an up to date home inventory.
IBAO reminds Ontarians that it is common practice for policies that cover personal property, to have special limits on the amount that will be covered for specific items, or items within specific categories. If you require the full replacement or market value to be insured, you will have to arrange for additional insurance with your broker.
Having a list of contents, photos and/or videos of possessions is invaluable for consumers, as well as insurance brokers should you require assistance for lost or damaged possessions. Knowing the value of the contents of your home is vital to being properly insured. Your broker can help you find the tools and resources you need.
Visit www.myinsuranceshopper.ca/knowyourstuff for more information.
Operation Red Nose was a success in Ontario this holiday season thanks to a partnership from Insurance Brokers and the Ontario Safety League.
IBAO partnered with the Ontario Safety League to ensure that all ‘Red Nose’ vehicles in Ontario had the proper insurance for the 2011 season. IBAO is thrilled to relay the results of Operation Red Nose (ORN) from this past December.
During the 2011 holiday season, a total of 18,202 Ontario citizens received a safe ride home thanks to the Operation Red Nose program. ORN is available in 15 communities across the province, and over 5,874 volunteers generously donated their time to help keep their towns and cities safe during the holidays. In all participating areas, ORN achieved their goal of zero collisions, zero injuries and zero fatalities during their operating hours. A total of 236,001 KM were driven, which was an increase of 16% over last year, and ORN collected a staggering $151,227 in donation funds.
Brian Patterson, President of Ontario Safety League is pleased with the support community volunteers and corporate partners have made to Operation Red Nose, resulting in a resounding success. The Ontario Safety League is looking forward to increased engagement in 2012 and hope that the increased awareness generated by Operation Red Nose will have a lasting impact on reducing impaired driving year round.
Since its creation in 1984, Operation Red Nose and its safe ride home service have become the most important road safety campaign against impaired driving in Canada. During this past holiday season, the program ran on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 a.m.
IBAO is honoured to assist Operation Red Nose and we are so pleased to share its successful statistics from this past holiday season. Randy Carroll, IBAO CEO says that this partnership is completely aligned with our broker’s mandate to inform and protect Ontario’s citizens of the dangers associated with impaired driving.
For more information on ORN check out these videos:
IBAO is thrilled to announce that Mr. Rick Orr, CIP will begin his tenure as the association’s 69th President on January 1st, 2012.
Rick is currently the co-owner of Orr Insurance Brokers Inc. in Stratford, Ontario along with his brother, Jeff. The insurance business has been a passion in Rick’s family for a long time, as he is a fourth generation broker working at the same brokerage started by his great grandfather in 1895.
Rick began his association experience after becoming President of the Perth Huron Brokers Association from 1997-1998. After working on a variety of IBAO committees for a number of years, Rick formally joined the board as a territory director in 2003. In addition to his duties with the IBAO, Rick has held a seat on the board of CSIO for 3 years and also sits on IBAC’s technology committee, bringing a business and industry perspective to these groups
Rick’s commitment to the insurance business is easy to see, but he takes just as much pride in his commitment to his community, where he sits on the local hospital foundation and chairs the Stratford Parks Board. In fact, Rick plans on highlighting the importance of community involvement while serving as President of IBAO, which is made clear by his Presidential theme for 2012, ‘Be a Broker. Be Involved.’
IBAO looks forward to seeing all of the positive contributions Rick will undoubtedly make in the coming year.