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- [pdf] MGA Information in EZcomplete
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Important cybersecurity readiness guidance
As an advisor, you collect and store clients’ sensitive personal information. Protecting this information is essential. In July 2023, the Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organization (CISRO) released a guide on Cybersecurity Readiness. It includes tips on keeping this sensitive client data and your business systems safe.
Please read the guide in full. Also, check your own practices to be cyber ready and reduce your risk of an incident.
Some key tips in the guide include:
1. Make cybersecurity a priority: Stay alert to cyber threats. These can be suspicious emails, texts or calls. Make sure your team knows how to keep your data and systems safe and has clear, documented processes to follow.
2. Know what to protect: Understand what data and business systems need to be protected.
3. Identify the risks: Spot the risks in your practice and those from third-party service providers.
4. Implement security measures: Take steps to protect your data and business systems.
5. Be ready to respond: Know how to spot and react to cyber incidents. The guide has useful tips on creating a Cyber Incident Response Plan.
And lastly – if you receive client instructions electronically (by email, text, or messaging apps), always confirm these over the phone to ensure it’s really the client sending the instructions.
Keep your business and important client data safe by staying informed and alert. We encourage you to read the full Cybersecurity Readiness document to learn more about how to prepare for cyber threats.
In our industry, protecting clients’ sensitive data and systems is essential. Thank you for your commitment to cybersecurity!
® or TM denotes a trademark of The Equitable Life Insurance Company of Canada. -
Why fair treatment of clients matters
Building strong client relationships
Fair treatment of clients and excellent service goes beyond offering great products. It's about understanding and meeting clients’ needs at every single stage of life. At Equitable, we believe in putting clients first and building lasting, trusting relationships.
As an advisor, it’s important to build these strong client relationships for your business growth and success. This is achieved by focusing on each client’s interests and providing personalized financial care and support.
Here are some tips to build and maintain strong client relationships:
● Meet with clients at a minimum of every two years to maintain relationships and ensure clients have the right coverage for their needs. Updates to their insurance may be needed with life changes like marriage, children or purchasing a home.
● Regularly review products with investment components with clients. This may help ensure client investments stay on track to meet their needs and align with their financial goals.
● Reassess term policies and riders with clients throughout the term period, and at least six months before renewal. This can help clients understand any premium changes and consider options that may meet their ongoing needs.
Another important tip:
● Document each attempt to engage with clients. Regular meetings with advisors are needed to ensure the client has the right coverage for their current and future needs. Keeping a record of these attempts helps protect advisors when clients don’t respond or don’t want to meet.
Treating clients with fairness and ensuring their interests are protected will show that you are providing support to help ensure your clients' needs are covered. Building trust leads to happier clients, stronger relationships, and more business opportunities to help protect clients throughout their lifetime. - [pdf] Payout Annuity Application
- [pdf] DUCA Credit Union Lending Arrangement
- [pdf] Claimant Statement for Individuals
- [pdf] Replacement requirements by province
- Compliance Resources
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Message from Ron Beettam
As COVID-19 continues to spread, we want to reassure you that we remain ready and committed to support you and your clients.
We have a robust and well-tested business continuity plan in place and our business is almost 100% digital. Almost 90% of our employees are now working remotely from home and are maintaining the high level of service you have come to expect from us. We still have a fully functioning Document Services Centre that is managing our incoming and outgoing mail. Our sales and customer service teams remain open to support you and your clients.
Equitable Life’s online application process, EZcomplete®, offers non face-to-face capability and continues to be your go-to resource for managing your business virtually. We are receiving a record number of online applications and are committed to helping you maintain a certain degree of daily activity. EZcomplete® non-face-to-face works for all life, critical illness and segregated fund applications.
Advisors will be pleased to know that we have increased non-medical limits for life insurance. We are also looking at other underwriting changes, digital delivery of life insurance contracts and additional digital payment options.
Our Savings & Retirement advisors will find our new Transaction Authorization Requirements table a valuable resource for submitting forms and documents. Can’t meet with your client in person to get a signature? Not to worry. You can have your client sign a letter of direction and take a picture to authorize a number of transactions.
Transacting in a non face-to-face environment can be a challenge but we will continue to revisit existing processes and look for ways to modify requirements to help you to continue managing your business. All of us are facing an unprecedented number of urgent situations where there is no established protocol. Our commitment to you and your clients is to respond quickly, and to be flexible where we can, tailoring solutions to specific needs.
To stay up-to-date, please refer to Equitable Life’s COVID-19 information page. There you will find the latest information for all lines of business.
As the global situation continues to evolve rapidly, we ask for your patience as our solutions also evolve quickly and accordingly. Rest assured that Equitable Life is unwavering in our support, and we will be here to help you protect what matters most to Canadians.
Ron Beettam, President and CEO - Banking Changes