Broker Conduct Guidelines

Choice Insurance commits to offering professional advice and excellent service from licensed individuals to our valued customers. Hence, this Broker Conduct Guidelines sets the minimum standard for brokers. It outlines the commitments they make every time they interact with Choice Insurance or our Customers.

The broker’s code of conduct must adhere to the principles of transparency, professionalism, and respect. Moreover, these principles apply to insurers, customers, intermediaries, affiliates, and all the subjects they interact with.

As per CISRO Principles of Code of Conduct for Intermediaries, we expect you to provide professional and unbiased treatment to our clients and customers.

The Principles of Broker’s Code of Conduct for Choice Insurance

The given Principles outline broker conduct guidelines for fair and professional treatment of Choice Insurance customers:

Complaint Behavior:

Intermediaries should comply with all the applicable laws, rules, and codes of conduct they are subject to.

Prioritize Customer Interests:

Intermediaries should prioritize customers’ interests instead of their own. In addition, the intermediary must comply with the rule when marketing, developing, distributing, or serving the customers.

Conflicts of Interest:

Brokers should identify and manage the potential conflict of interest related to a transaction or insurance recommendation. It is prohibited to enter into an argument or pursue agreements due to which conflict of interests may arise. Moreover, it is also forbidden if such opinions or agreements interfere with the fair treatment of customers.

Accurate Advice:

Before providing advice to a customer, brokers/intermediaries should understand the customer’s complete information and identify their insurance needs. In addition, brokers must provide customers with real, objective, and thorough advice to help them make informed decisions. As a result, advice should be in the customer’s best interest based on the customer’s provided information.

Disclosure of Information:

Intermediaries/Brokers should provide customers with accurate solutions and explanations to make informed decisions in their best interest. Hence, intermediaries are expected to:

  • Disclose complete and relevant information to all the involved parties, including the insurer;
  • Disclose explanations behind the information/solution provided clearly and intelligibly for customers to understand.

Promotion of Products and Services:

Brokers must ensure that they promote products and services in a clear, unbiased, and transparent way. Meanwhile, it is expected of the intermediaries to refrain from using promotions that are misleading or not transparent. Hence, product and service promotions should disclose all the required and appropriate information.

Handling of Claims, Complaints, and Disputes:

Intermediaries/Brokers should promptly handle claims, complaints, and disputes unbiasedly.

Protection of Customer's Information:

Intermediaries should take all possible measures to protect the customers’ personal (especially confidential) information. They should:

  • Collect relevant information that is necessary and appropriate for the closure of a service or product proposed;
  • Use and disclose the personal information only for Defined Purposes and for as long as the customer has provided consent;
  • Comply with the privacy legislation to properly manage customer information.

Competence:

Intermediaries should maintain a professional level of knowledge for fair treatment of customers. Intermediaries must fulfill the education criteria and ensure the assigned position aligns with their educational/professional training. They must accurately represent their level of expertise/competence or engage in business beyond their scope of experience or training.

Oversight:

Brokers with contractual oversight obligations will be responsible for the conduct of any employee or third parties involved in distributing or servicing the insurance products. Intermediaries/Brokers wield authority through policies and procedures, training, and various control mechanisms to ensure fair treatment of customers.

Professional & Informed Customer Service

As per our broker conduct guidelines, each broker is expected should:

  • With the customer’s consent, understand the client’s insurance needs as part of the received project. Present the information to the insurers objectively and fairly to satisfy the client in the best possible manner;
  • Prioritize clients’ interests, making the entire process transparent and placing the customer above all self-interests. This is especially important about insurance contracts and brokerage assignments to ensure that it does not influence the service quality;
  • Assist the client in the formulation of contractual terms and conditions while providing recommendations and explanations useful in the customer’s interest and for better management of claims when needed;
  • Respect confidentiality of customer’s information;
  • Propose the most suitable insurers for the customer’s requirements, especially considering financial stability, the quality of insurance solution offered, and the professionalism of service provided;
  • Provide complete information which is reliable and transparent.

The Intermediary/Broker should not:

  • Use deceitful, unintelligible, or misleading statements in the contracts or with the customers;
  • Behave unprofessionally towards the customer;

Go beyond his level of competence/training.

Display of Loyalty and Transparency With Insurers

The Broker/Intermediary should:

  • Submit, in good faith, insurance proposals that are transparent, clear, authenticated, and documented completely;
  • Refrain from supporting unjustified requests of clients;
  • Avoid inserting names or products from specified insurers in the advertisement unless a valid reason is provided in the text and the insurers have consented.

Professionalism and Collaboration With Colleagues

According to the guidelines of broker conduct, a broker/intermediary is expected to: Compete fairly in the workplace, especially:

  • When determining remuneration, brokers should consider the client’s interest and market rates in compliance with justified economic policies;
  • Not to degrade a colleague. All forms of criticism must be constructive and objective.
  • Handle the procedures of the Association in case of a dispute with the AIBA Associate. Provide notice of such decision, adhering to the permitted limitations, to the Presiding Committee, the Board of Directors, and any concerned colleagues.
  • Avoid continuing relationships with insurers who are not compliant with market ethics and other mediation practices.
  • Swiftly notify the Association about the announcement of bids by contracting authorities. This notification is necessary if one or more members have substantial evidence to believe that these bids do not guarantee fair competition for all participants.
  • Refrain from filing an individual appeal with the administrative judge if the Association has chosen to take action against the public body to recommend modifications to the notice or its annulment based on the situation mentioned in the previous point.
  • In cases where an award has already been granted, and the condition outlined in point e) is present, consult the Association before filing an individual appeal with the administrative judge to ensure it aligns with the broader interests of the group;
  • If economic competence is not regulated by AIBA’s self-governance rules concerning portfolio transfers, members may directly approach clients. For instance, the Broker may engage clients in scenarios involving direct client compensation, contractual penalties, and assignments resulting from public selections. Or commissions that, in terms of duration, are not under the jurisdiction of the Arbitration Board or the Panel of Arbitrators.

Broker Undertaking

Every Broker must commit to adhering to the terms of our given broker conduct guidelines. Noncompliance may impose disciplinary penalties.

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