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IFSRA ... likely impact on main distribution channels

IFSRA ... likely impact on main distribution channels. Tony Gilhawley F.I.A. Technical Guidance Ltd. “A new era for life assurance supervision” 4 March 2003. Outline. Main components of IFSRA legislation Retailers of personal financial products Possible impact on distribution outlets.

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IFSRA ... likely impact on main distribution channels

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  1. IFSRA... likely impact on main distribution channels Tony Gilhawley F.I.A. Technical Guidance Ltd. “A new era for life assurance supervision”4 March 2003

  2. Outline • Main components of IFSRA legislation • Retailers of personal financial products • Possible impact on distribution outlets

  3. IFSRA legislation

  4. Legislation • The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI) (No 1) Bill, • The Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland (CBFSAI) (No 2) Bill, • Financial Services (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill

  5. General approach • Legislative framework maintained • Reallocation of responsibilities • Central Bank ----- CBFSAI • DETE --- CBFSAI • CBFSAI functions allocated to IFSRA • IFSRA may allocate some functions to Consumer Director

  6. IFSRA Consumer Director CBFSAI IFSRA Consumer Director

  7. Consumer Director ...specific responsibilities • Mortgage intermediaries • Some powers retained by Minister for Finance • Codes of Conduct • Investment business firms • Stockbrokers • Credit Institutions • Subject to consultation with the Minister for Finance • Insurance Act, 1989 • Duty of disclosure and warranties • Subject to consultation with the insurance industry and consumer representatives

  8. Consumer Director ...specific responsibilities • Insurance Act, 2000 • disclosure of information • Client money requirements • investment business firms • Stockbrokers • Retail Investment & Intermediary Supervision (RIIS)?

  9. Restrictions on Consumer Director • Other members of IFSRA may allocate responsibilities to Consumer Director • IFSRA can undertake functions itself

  10. Restrictions on Consumer Director • Must manage functions consistent with • Orderly and proper functioning of financial markets • Prudential supervision of providers • Codes of Conduct can only be made in the name of IFSRA • Must first be approved by other members of IFSRA • Is ‘subject to the control of other members of IFSRA’

  11. Broad scope of Consumer Director's role • Monitor the provision of financial services to consumers • Promote the best interests of users of financial services • Increase awareness of consumers of financial services • costs to consumers, • risk and benefits

  12. Broad scope of Consumer Director's role • Monitor the extent to which competition exists among providers of financial services • in so far as it affects consumers of those services • Monitor developments that have taken place with respect to the provision of financial services, • in so far as these developments affect consumers.

  13. Power to control insurance commission payments • Section 37, Insurance Act, 1989 • Reduction in commission payments • Power transferred to IFSRA • Subject to consent of Minister for Finance

  14. Power to control insurance commission payments • Section 38, Insurance Act, 1989 • Non cash payments • Indemnity commissions • Can now vary by type of intermediary • Power transferred to IFSRA • Subject to consent of Minister for Finance

  15. Summary

  16. Summary

  17. Summary

  18. CBFSAI Governor Director General Chairperson of IFSRAChief Executive of IFSRA4 Members of IFSRA4 Other Directors IFSRA Joint Committee of the Financial Services Consultative Panels ChairpersonChief ExecutiveConsumer Director5-7 other Members Consumer Consultative Panel Industry Consultative Panel Consumer Panel Advisory Group Industry Panel Advisory Group

  19. Barnacles • Pensions Board • Regulator of PRSA product • IFSRA regulation of PRSA providers • Where does the Consumer Director fit in? • Lack of regulation of insurer direct sales? • Continuation of ‘approved professional body’ form of self regulation • Exemption of Solicitors from IIA

  20. Impact on main distribution channels

  21. Facts • ‘One stop shop’ for Codes of Conduct • Consistency of treatment across all distribution outlets? • Current inconsistencies • Consumer Director has clear statutory role for protecting and promoting the interests of the consumer

  22. Impact on main distribution channels • Intermediaries • Credit institutions • Life assurers

  23. Independent intermediaries • A lot of pain currently • Adapting to comparing products, reason why, etc.. • Not the prevailing culture for a long period

  24. Quotation from intermediary • ‘..once an MAI has a range of agencies, you must consider all the products available from those agencies before you make a recommendation. You must also explain the reasons why you are recommending one particular product. In this sense, being an MAI is quite different from being an old style insurance broker.’’

  25. Quotation from intermediary • ‘I can understand why some intermediaries are concerned about being an AA. Offering truly impartial advice is a big culture change and the advantages to intermediaries are not always clear’.

  26. Quotation from Central Bank • " Please put in place procedures to ensure all reason why letters will clearly state why a particular product is considered suitable for a client and include reasons why the product recommended is more suitable that similar products available from other product producers. The reason why letter should also show the market research conducted by the firm".’.

  27. Unfair criticisms of Central Bank Codes • Simply restate the legal position of independent intermediary acting as the agent of the client

  28. Misunderstanding of Authorised Advisor role • Can advise on Ark Life, if I want to • Broker • Must advice on Ark Life • Central Bank

  29. Consumer Director • Enforcement of intermediary acting as the agent of the client • Use of Section 38 to ban non cash commission payments? • EU Insurance Mediation Directive • Higher level of enforcement of Codes?

  30. What might happen? • AA category abandoned or modified • Large fall in number of AAs...down to 50? • One person MAIs increasingly look to tied agency arrangements • Reduction in agencies held by MAI • Reduce burden of product comparison • EU Insurance Mediation Directive influence?

  31. Credit Institutions • Mainly ‘tied houses’ for investment business services • EU Insurance Mediation Directive • Closer harmonisation of credit institution and independent intermediary Codes • Harmonisation up or down • Mortgage protection • Some may attempt to run tied branches and ‘higher net worth’ AA operation, concurrently? • Will this be possible

  32. Life assurers • Least affected • No statutory regulation of sales process?

  33. Impact • Credit institutions and insurers increase market share • Independent intermediaries lose out • Burden of product comparison • Burden of regulation compliance • Poor investment returns for 3-4 yrs • PRSA downward pressure on pension commissions • EU Insurance Mediation Directive

  34. But... • This has been said before! • Independent intermediaries are resilient • Can they do it again???

  35. IFSRA... likely impact on main distribution channels Tony Gilhawley F.I.A. Technical Guidance Ltd. “A new era for life assurance supervision”4 March 2003

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