Privacy Statement

Riders Plus Insurance has recognized that the privacy and protection of personal information is an important issue. We have developed these Privacy Guidelines to describe our commitment to privacy, and explain the principles that guide us in protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information.

Personal Information is broadly defined as information about an identifiable person. It includes but is not limited to, your name, address, contact information such as phone numbers and email address, health and financial information, your driving record, and prior insurance experience.

Riders Plus, its directors, officers, employees and other persons and organizations who act for, or on behalf of Riders Plus Insurance, are required to comply with these Privacy Guidelines.

Access to personal information is restricted to directors, officers, employees and other persons and organizations who act for, or on behalf of Riders Plus, who need the information in order to provide services to our clients or to Riders Plus.

Our Privacy Principles

  1. Accountability – Riders Plus is responsible for personal information under its control, including information that may be transferred to a business partner performing services for Riders Plus.
  2. Identifying Purposes – Riders Plus identifies the purpose for which they collect personal information either before or at the time that the information is collected.
  3. Consent – The knowledge and consent (which may be implied or express) of the customer are required for the collection, use, or disclosure of personal information, except where inappropriate.
  4. Limiting Collection – Riders Plus only collects personal information that is necessary for the purposes identified. Information shall only be collected by fair and lawful means.
  5. Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention – Personal information shall not be used or disclosed for purposes other than those for which it was collected, except with the consent of the customer or as required by law. Personal information shall only be retained as long as necessary for the fulfillment of those purposes.
  6. Accuracy – Personal information shall be as accurate, complete, and current as is necessary for the purposes for which it is to be used.
  7. Safeguards – Riders Plus protects the security and confidentiality of personal information with safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
  8. Openness – Riders Plus Privacy Guidelines are available to clients and the public. Upon written request to the corporate compliance officer, we will provide a copy of these guidelines, and respond to inquiries about our practices relating to personal information.
  9. Customer Access – Upon request, a customer shall be informed of the existence, use, and disclosure of their personal information and shall be given access to that information. Customers shall have the ability to challenge the accuracy and completeness of the information and have it amended as appropriate.
  10. Challenging Compliance – A customer shall have the ability to challenge the compliance of Riders Plus with the above principles with the Corporate Compliance officer.

Protecting Your Personal Information

Riders Plus will not sell customer information or lists to others for marketing or other related purposes.

Concerns, Inquiries or Requests

Any concern, inquiry or request related to privacy should be made in writing. Send or e-mail to:

Mary Sharpe, Privacy Officer
Riders Plus Insurance
87 Skyway Ave Suite 201,
Toronto, ON, M9W 6R3
mary@ridersplus.com

 

Internet Legal Disclaimer

Please read these terms and conditions (the “Terms of Use”) carefully as they apply to your access and/or use of this Site. By accessing this Site and any pages thereof, you acknowledge your agreement with and your understanding of these Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these Terms of Use, please do not access or use this Site. These Terms of Use are subject to change at any time. Every time you access Web pages of Riders Plus Insurance make sure that you check this page.

This Site is owned and operated by Riders Plus Insurance Inc.

  1. General Disclaimer
    THE MATERIAL AND INFORMATION IN THIS SITE ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE DISCLAIMED. NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY IS MADE REGARDING CONTENT, FUNCTIONALITY, LINKS, OR COMMUNICATIONS, INCLUDING NO REPRESENTATION OR WARRANTY AS TO DEFECTS OR ERRORS OR CORRECTION OF THE SAME, COMMUNICATION INTERRUPTIONS OR INTERCEPTIONS OR LOSS OF DATA, OR THE ABSENCE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any opinions, advice, services or other information provided. All information contained on any page set up by an entity of Riders Plus Insurance is distributed with the understanding that the authors, publishers and distributors are not rendering legal, accounting or other professional advice or opinions on specific facts or matters and accordingly assume no liability whatsoever in respect to your personal situation.

Riders Plus Insurance completely disclaims all liability for the use of the information contained on this site by any user, including any losses, damages, lawsuits, claims or expenses anyone may incur as a result of using this information. Further, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, in no event shall Riders Plus Insurance be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use of the information herein even if it has been advised of the possibility of such damages.

  1. Intellectual Property
    Unless otherwise noted, the graphic images, button, layout and text contained in this Web site and in sites of other companies of Riders Plus Insurance are the exclusive property of Riders Plus Insurance and may not be copied or distributed, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of Riders Plus Insurance. Permission is granted to print copies of this document, and to display and use this document with a computer solely for personal use.
  2. Hyperlink
    Riders Plus Insurance cannot guarantee that any Hyperlink set out on the sites will be accurate at the time of your access. Moreover, the sites pointed at by a Hyperlink are developed and possibly maintained by persons over whom Riders Plus Insurance has no control. We cannot and do not monitor the sites linked to our pages on the Internet. Accordingly, Riders Plus Insurance assumes no responsibility for the content of any sites referenced by any Hyperlink or otherwise.
    A link from this Site to another Site (or a link from another Site to this Site) does not constitute a referral, endorsement, approval, advertising, offer or solicitation with respect to such Site, its contents, or any products or services advertised or distributed through that Site. Riders Plus Insurance believes that the links it provides to other publicly accessible Sites, Web Pages, newsgroups, and other sources is legally permissible and consistent with the common, customary expectations of those who make use of the Internet.
    Without the written consent of Riders Plus Insurance, no person and no Site may make a link to this Site, whether to its home page or to any internal page.
  3. Data Protection
    Riders Plus Insurance has the right, but not the obligation to monitor any transmission made to and for this Web site.
  4. Software Quality
    Riders Plus Insurance does not warrant that any information, software or other material accessible through one of their Web pages is free of viruses, worms, Trojan horses or other harmful components.
  5. User Conduct
    When accessing or making use of any part of this Site, you may not:
    post or transmit any unlawful, threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, pornographic, profane or otherwise objectionable information of any kind, including without limitation any transmissions constituting or encouraging conduct that would constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any national or international law;
    post or transmit any information or software which contains a virus, worm, Trojan horse or other harmful component; interfere with the functioning of this Site or restrict or inhibit any other user from using this Site; post, publish, transmit, reproduce, distribute or exploit any information, software or other material obtained through this Site for commercial purposes without the prior written consent of Riders Plus Insurance.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY PERSON TO DAMAGE THIS SITE OR UNDERMINE ITS OPERATION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL OR CIVIL LAWS. RIDERS PLUS INSURANCE RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.

 

Commission Disclosure

Commission Disclosure – Due to financial disclosure issues in the insurance market place Riders Plus wants to ensure you are aware of our commission ranges on the business we insure.  We receive commissions that range between 5% and 15% for both new and renewal business.  We will also notify you should there be a change in the commission schedule or any other material change that affects compensation arrangements.

Contingent Profit – insurance companies recognize our efforts through Contingent Profit Commission (CPC) contracts.  Payment of this CPC depends on a combination of growth, profitability, volume, retention and increased services that we provide.  CPC is not guaranteed.

 

Principles of Conduct for Insurance Intermediaries

Canadian Insurance Services Regulatory Organizations (CISRO)

Preamble
The CISRO Principles of Conduct for Insurance Intermediaries (the Principles) reflect common regulatory standards for insurance intermediaries in Canada. The Principles outline professional behaviour and conduct expectations for the fair treatment of Customers.

Intermediaries should conduct their business following the Principles that are relevant to them, while ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, rules, or regulatory codes within all jurisdictions where they carry on business. Any more stringent requirements, rules or standards of conduct take priority over the Principles.

The Principles are intended to supplement, complement and build upon the intermediary elements in the Guidance on Conduct of Insurance Business and Fair Treatment of Customers (FTC), issued by CISRO and the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR). The Principles also align with Insurance Core Principles (ICP) of the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (IAIS).¹

The Principles reinforce the fair treatment of Customers throughout the life cycle of the insurance product as a core component of the intermediary business culture. This includes conducting business in an honest and transparent manner. Expectations for the conduct of insurance business may differ depending on the nature of the relationship to the Customer, the type of insurance provided, and the distribution method. Intermediaries with oversight responsibilities must take appropriate measures to ensure that their employees and representatives meet high standards of ethics and integrity.²

Definition of Intermediary: Intermediary is given broad meaning, and will differ based on the applicable definitions within different jurisdictions across Canada. It encompasses adjusters, agents, brokers and representatives, as well as business entities that distribute insurance products and services, including managing general agencies and third party administrators. It also applies to all distribution methods, including over the internet.³

Definition of Customer: Customer refers to policyholder (which may include a certificate holder) or prospective policyholder with whom an insurer or intermediary interacts, and includes, where relevant, other beneficiaries and claimants with a legitimate interest in the policy. Customer may also refer to a consumer, which includes all actual and potential customers for insurance products.

¹ International Association of Insurance Supervisors. Insurance Core Principles, ICP 18 and ICP 19, updated November 2019. https://www.iaisweb.org/page/supervisory-material/icp-on-line-tool

² The Insurer is responsible for fair treatment of Customers throughout the life cycle of the insurance product, as it is the Insurer that is the ultimate risk carrier. The Insurer’s ultimate responsibility does not absolve Intermediaries of their own responsibilities for which they are accountable.

³ This definition aligns with the CCIR/CISRO FTC guidance. These Principles apply to all Intermediaries that are authorized to do business within any jurisdiction, whether licensed, registered or exempted from licensing or registration.

The Principles outline professional behaviour and conduct expectations for the fair treatment of Customers:

1. Compliance / Outcomes: Intermediaries must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, rules and regulatory codes to which they are subject.

2. Customers’ Interests: Intermediaries are expected to place Customers’ interests ahead of their own. This includes when an Intermediary is developing, marketing, recommending, distributing and servicing products.

3. Conflicts of Interest: Intermediaries are expected to identify, disclose and manage any actual or potential conflict of interest that is associated with a transaction or recommendation. They are expected to avoid entering into or pursuing agreements for which conflicts of interest cannot be managed, or if they interfere with the fair treatment of Customers.

4. Advice: When providing advice to or for a Customer, Intermediaries are expected to seek appropriate information from the Customer in order to understand and identify their unique needs. Intermediaries are expected to provide objective, accurate and thorough advice that enables the Customer to make an informed decision. Advice is expected to be suitable for the needs of the Customer based on the Customer’s disclosed circumstances.

5. Disclosure: Intermediaries are expected to provide Customers with objective, appropriate, relevant, timely and accurate information and explanations so that they can make informed decisions. Intermediaries are expected to:
• Properly disclose the information to all necessary parties, including the insurer; and
• Disclose information and explanations in a manner that is clear and understandable for Customers, regardless of the distribution model or medium used.

6. Product and Service Promotion: Intermediaries are expected to ensure that products and services are promoted in a clear and fair manner. Regardless of the distribution model or medium used, Intermediaries are expected to ensure that promotions are not misleading, and are easy to understand. Product promotions are expected to disclose all necessary and appropriate information.

7. Claims, Complaints Handling, and Dispute Resolution: Intermediaries are expected to handle or cooperate in the handling of claims, complaints and disputes in a timely and fair manner.

8. Protection of Personal and Confidential Information: Intermediaries are expected to take necessary and appropriate measures to protect and manage personal and confidential information. They must comply with all applicable privacy legislation. Customers should be confident that Intermediaries:
• Only collect and retain information that is necessary and appropriate for the fulfillment of the service or
product provided; and
• Use and disclose the information only for purposes and for the duration for which the Customer has given
consent or as required by law.

9. Competence: Intermediaries are expected to maintain an appropriate level of professional knowledge, and should stay current through continuing education to ensure the fair treatment of Customers. Where applicable, continuing education requirements must be fulfilled. Intermediaries are expected to not misrepresent their level of competence or conduct business beyond their level of professional knowledge and experience, and duties must match training/education.

10. Oversight: Intermediaries with contractual or regulatory oversight obligations are also responsible for the conduct of any employee or third party involved in the marketing, distribution or servicing of an insurance product. Intermediaries are expected to have tools at their disposal such as policies and procedures, training and control mechanisms to ensure the fair treatment of Customers is achieved in relation to their oversight obligations.

 

RIBO: Fact Sheet About Your Registered Insurance Broker

(Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario)

Registered insurance brokers offer independent advice and Property & Casualty (P&C) insurance products from a variety of companies. Brokers must be licensed by the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO). All RIBO licensees must carry an errors & omissions policy, as well as a fidelity bond, which is designed to provide customers coverage in the unlikely event that a broker mishandles their premiums. RIBO licensees are required to follow the RIBO Code of Conduct, which establishes rules and standards of professional conduct.

As a customer, you have the right to professional advice from a broker who is well informed about the products they are selling. You have the right to be treated with fairness and integrity.

• How Insurance Works – You have the right to be informed about how your insurance premiums are calculated. You have the right to access your policy and be clearly informed about the coverage and the claims settlement process.

• Broker Compensation – You have the right to ask how a broker is paid, the insurance companies they represent, and be informed about any potential conflicts of interest the broker may have. All RIBO licensed brokers must disclose commission information at the point of sale which outlines how they are paid.

• Understand Your Insurance Needs – You should consider your insurance needs and prepare relevant questions before you talk to a broker. Ask yourself if there have been changes in your personal or business life that could impact your insurance needs. Make sure you provide a detailed and accurate explanation of your circumstances to your broker so they can provide informed recommendations that meet your needs.

• Insurance Quotes – When obtaining a quote, your broker should always present the best value products available based on your current needs, and document why certain coverage and product options, including lower cost options, which may or may not be appropriate for you. Brokers are also expected to comply with the Take-All-Comers rule. For more information on buying auto insurance and the Take-All-Comers rule, visit here

• Personal Information – You have the right to understand how your personal information is used and protected. Ask for a copy of the privacy statement from your broker and the insurer.

• Customer Obligations – You need to ensure that you know and understand your obligations under your insurance policy. For example, your policy will require you to provide updates to your broker and insurer regarding any material changes in your circumstances.

• Insurance Claims – If you need to file a claim, you have the right to be informed about the procedures and typical timelines for settling your claim, and you may inquire about the status of your claim throughout the process. If your claim is denied, you have the right to an explanation as to why it was denied. Your broker is your advocate as you work through your claim with
the insurance company and will liaise as required.

• Making a Complaint – You can submit a complaint to RIBO if you believe your insurance broker failed to comply with the Registered Insurance Brokers Act, its regulations, or RIBO by-laws. File a complaint here.

• OmbudServices – In the event you have an insurance claim, your broker will provide you with information about the insurer’s claims process. For any unresolved disputes with an insurer, you may contact the insurer’s Ombudsman, who will attempt to resolve the conflict. If the conflict is not resolved, you will be referred to the General Insurance OmbudServices for P&C insurance.

 

 

Last updated – April 2022

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