BridgeForce News | March 12, 2018
HEADLINES
Help your clients avoid a common market danger
When Ian Hardacre from Empire Life is articulating what he believes to be the best approach in the current market environment, there is one word that keeps coming up: caution. Political uncertainty continues to dominate the news agenda, valuations continue to rise and rates remain low. Yet, despite all of the risks on the horizon, investors haven’t really reacted.
COMPLIANCE
Beware of unforgiving and aggressive regulators
The main focus of most advisors is building their businesses. This task has been made more difficult now with the increased pressure from other hungry advisors and the emergence of robo-advisors. Thus, advisors tend to forget that there’s an even bigger threat that they need to attend to: unforgiving and aggressive regulators. Specifically, regulators can now impact your otherwise squeaky-clean reputation more than ever before with the increasing publicity given to infractions and penalties, which can affect your licence and your employment/agency agreement. Don’t be a victim of regulatory circumstances — be aware.
FSCO issues $1.1 million in fines over syndicated mortgages
Ontario’s Superintendent of Financial Services has issued a series of fines totalling more than $1.1 million following an investigation into syndicated mortgage investments. The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) announced on Friday orders against eight parties that were involved with syndicated mortgage investments for real estate projects developed by Fortress Real Developments Inc.
FINTRAC Publishes Operational Alert on Laundering of the proceeds of fentanyl trafficking
FINTRAC today published a news release and an Operational Alert, Laundering of the Proceeds of Fentanyl Trafficking, to assist businesses subject to the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act in reporting suspicious financial transactions that may be linked to the trafficking of illicit fentanyl, an opioid that is devastating many Canadian communities. (Operational alert)
Sample Reasons Why client letters now available
As communicated in the October 19 NewsFlash, effective January 1, 2018, all advisors should have best practices in place to follow the elements of needs-based sales practices as described in The Approach, including providing clients with a Reasons Why letter.
SUPPLIER COMPANY NEWS
Assumption Life
Market Volatility Letter
If you’ve been thinking of discussing the volatility of the current market with your clients but aren’t sure how to approach them, we’ve prepared this informal marketing document to help you reassure your existing and prospective clients.
Sales Contest: OK Google, How can I increase my sales? (February 19 – March 30)
Sell any non-medical product, as a policy or rider, and earn 1 ballot for a chance to win 1 of 6 Google Homes.
Blue Cross
Meeting: Spring Roadshow: Meet the Blue Cross SME Plan (March 19 – 29)
Combining the best features of traditional employee benefits with the flexibility and lifetime coverage of individual health plans. Register now.
Canada Life
2018 Federal Budget Analysis
Our tax experts — onsite at Parliament Hill — have created a report to help detail the Federal Budget’s impact to you and your clients. We strive to provide you the best information so you can help your clients with their financial security needs and achieve their retirement goals.
Canada Protection Plan
3rd National Sales Conference
Coming in 2019. You continue to work hard by protecting families with Canada’s leading name in No Medical & Simplified Issue Life Insurance. Why wouldn’t we continue to reward your success?
Loyalty bonus program 2018
Our Loyalty Bonus Program (LBP) for 2018 is here. To qualify, advisors must earn a minimum Net FYC of $10,000. Applications must be settled between January 1st 2018 and December 15th 2018.
Desjardins Financial
8 Reasons to choose CI insurance
On February 23, we launched our newly revamped Critical Illness products call Health Priorities. Here are 8 reasons why you should be selling Health Priorities today.
Instant Insight
The most comprehensive cancer protection on the market
Insurance Roadshow (March 5 – March 22)
Desjardins Insurance specially invites you to its school on critical illness insurance where you will receive exclusive insights and tools to successfully boost your CI sales within the family and business-owner client segments. In addition, you’ll receive an introduction to our new critical illness product line and also have the chance to earn CE credits.
Webinars: A new beginning (January 23 – March 20)
We are excited to bring you Desjardins’ #2018, A New Beginning Webinar Series. We had an overwhelming response to our first webinar on “Introducing Our NEW CI Health Priorities.” Desjardins’ Living Benefits Specialist, Micah Neale discussed, why you should be selling Critical Illness with Desjardins Insurance today! Also, he provided a sneak preview to our NEW CI, Health Priorities.
The EDGE Benefits
Meeting: National March Seminars (March 6 – 29)
The EDGE’s National March Seminars are fast approaching. Seats are limited so be sure to reserve your spot by registering now.
Empire Life
Insight
Fast & Full Life App. earns 10% more than paper, Underwriting introduces a new optional authorization for genetic information, Earn a $50 Bonus this RRSP Season for your 1st Fast & Full Investment App, Premium rate decreases for Solution 20 term life insurance, 2017 year-end distributions for Empire Life Investments mutual funds.
Equitable Life
Interactive UL investor profile questionnaire
We’ve just made it easier to guide your clients’ investment choices. Our new universal life investor profile questionnaire will assess your clients’ comfort with risk and provide investment opportunities you can review with your client to suit their unique situation. This fillable PDF calculates their score automatically – no adding necessary! Once you download the file, you do not require internet access to use it. Reuse it as many times as you want by simply saving it with a new filename each time. There’s also no need to print it but, if you do, we’ve optimized the layout to save ink. Download the new and improved 1190 investor profile questionnaire now.
ExamOne
Expanding in Canada: Committed to helping you protect more families
With the acquisition of Watermark Insurance Services, Inc. and BW Underwriting Services, Inc., ExamOne is proud to serve even more clients in Canada.
Foresters Financial
Sales Campaign: 2018 Honda Indy Toronto (March 1 – June 29)
We’re very excited to offer Ontario’s top advisors the opportunity to join us for a weekend of excitement at the 2018 Honda Indy Toronto. This is an exclusive promotion for advisors in Ontario only.
ivari
Helping clients prepare for their life insurance paramedical or phone interview
Your clients have taken an important first step towards providing financial security for their loved ones by completing the life insurance application. Now it’s time for step two – preparing for the paramedical or phone interview.
Help your client understand their investment profile
Getting clients motivated to talk about the investment options offered through their ivari universal life insurance policy can sometimes be trying. But that discussion gets much easier when you start by letting clients complete a short online questionnaire from ivari called My Investment Profile. This 10-question tool helps clients understand their investment style and risk tolerance so choosing investment options can be much easier.
Manulife Financial
March 2018 Segregated fund line-up changes
Please be advised that effective Friday, March 9, 2018 4pm ET, changes will be made to the investment options within the following contracts…
SSQ Insurance
Newsletter
Pay down your mortgage or contribute to your RRSP?, Change of name and manager for the SSQ OAM Treasury GIF, Universal Life insurance and estate protection: a winning combination, 2018 RRSP Campaign draws to a close – Important dates to remember.
Universal Life insurance and estate protection: a winning combination
Universal Life policy is an excellent financial planning tool and an effective tax shelter for investments purposes. A comparison between savings in a tax exposed environment and investments in a tax-exempt Universal Life policy shows in a concrete way the differences between the two investment options.
Information and links to other websites contained in this document are solely for the information and convenience of BridgeForce Financial Group brokers. This information is not intended to provide financial, legal, accounting or tax advice and should not be relied upon in that regard. No endorsement of any third party products, services or information is expressed or implied by any information, material or content referred to, included in, or linked from this bulletin. The approved materials are the property of individual companies used under license and may not be copied, transmitted or used without express written approval. E. & O.E.