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Reminder |
| Life and A&S agents in Alberta
are reminded they must have all CE hours in place by February
15 in order to renew their license.
Call 1-800-404-2211 or visit www.ilscorp.com
if you need hours.
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Industry Briefs |
| New Brunswick auto
insurance rate cuts to vary greatly When
New Brunswick Justice Minister T.J. Burke announced
earlier this month that drivers in that province would
receive “average” reductions of 13.5 percent
on their car insurance by March 2007, the New Brunswick
Insurance Board maintains that the actual discount for
consumers will vary greatly from company to company.
For example, AXA, the sixth largest seller of auto
insurance in New Brunswick, will offer a rate reduction
of 7.6 percent, far lower than Burke’s stated
average.
Customers of ING, Economical, Royal and Sun Alliance,
State Farm, Unifund and Dominion will also see reductions
of less than 13.5 percent.
However, customers with Allstate policies will see
big rate reductions. The board ordered the company to
reduce its rates by 18.35 percent for 2007, though the
actual reduction could be even lower.
--
Insurance Bureau of Canada releases list of
Canada’s Top Ten Stolen Vehicles
For the second year in a row, 1999 and 2000 Honda Civic
SiR 2-door vehicles top the list of the most frequently
stolen vehicles in Canada.
As well, these two models also had the third and fourth
highest theft claims cost per vehicle. The 2004 Subara
Impreza WRX/WRX STI 4-door all-wheel drive, the third
most stolen car in Canada, reported the highest theft
claim cost per vehicle.
None of the vehicles making the top ten most frequently
stolen list had a standard immobilizer system in place.
Below is the top ten list of stolen vehicles in Canada:
- 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
- 1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
- 2004 Subara Impreza WRX/WRX STI 4-door all-wheel
drive
- 1999 Acura Integra 2-door
- 1994 Honda Civic SiR 2-door hatchback
- 1998 Acura Integra 2-door
- 1993 Dodge Shadow convertible
- 1996 Honda Civic Si 2-door hatchback
- 2000 Audio TT Quattro 2-door coupe
- 1996 Chev/GMC Blazer/Jimmy S Series 2-door four-wheel
drive
In 2006, over 160,000 vehicles were stolen in Canada.
Annually, vehicle theft costs Canadians more than $540
million in premiums and more than $1 billion when other
costs such as ambulance, police and court costs are
considered.
--
Most Canadians happy at work
Kelly Services, a personnel provider, recently surveyed
over 70,000 employees in 28 countries. The survey shows
that 59 percent of Canadians questioned said that they
were “happy” or “very happy”
in their current positions.
Canadians rated their bosses at an average of 7.2 out
of 10, the third-highest level of satisfaction with
supervisors, following only Mexico and the United States.
However, the 90 percent of people who are happy in
their current jobs ranks 18th out of the 28 surveyed
countries. Employees in Denmark, Mexico and Sweden reported
being the most content while employees in Hungary, Russia
and Turkey are the least happy.
Out of all Canadian workers surveyed, government employees
say that they’re the happiest (72 percent happy
or very happy) followed by those in the education sector
(68 percent) and financial services (64 percent).
-- |
|
We have a winner!
Is it you?
Visit www.ilscorp.com/cruisewinner
to see if you are the lucky one to have won your way aboard
the Advantage Performance Series (at Sea) Caribbean Cruise
presented by ILS Learning Corporation!
Good luck!
Have a safe and happy holiday
With the holidays rapidly approaching, ILS Learning Corporation
would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy
holiday season. Whether you are staying close to home or have
a winter vacation planned, we hope that you will find the
time to relax and enjoy the season.
ILS’ offices will be closed on December 25 and 26,
as well as January 1. However, you can still access your courses
through www.ilscorp.com
and earn your CE credit hours!
Canadians are getting wealthier, but more in debt
 In
the last six years, Canadian families have watched as their
wealth has grown exponentially.
According to a recent survey from Statistics Canada, the
median net worth of Canada’s 13.3 million “family
units” – which includes families, couples and
unattached singles – was $148,350 in 2005. This is up
almost 41.7 percent from 1999 and up 23.3 percent after considering
inflation.
The rise in Canadian’s wealth could be due to any number
of reasons or hypotheses. Nearly half of all Canadians are
employed, bringing the family unit salary up. Canadian’s
total assets, combining everything from stocks and bonds to
real estate, amounted to almost $5.6 trillion, more than 1.4
times the estimate in 1999. Favourable economic conditions,
a strong real estate market and rebounding stock markets are
likely to be the driving force behind this surge.
Despite the rise in wealth, it’s not all good news
for Canadians. The total debt load carried by Canadian families
grew almost 50 percent in the same six years. After considering
inflation, the median debt load rose 38 percent to $44,500
per family.
Total debt load on lines of credit doubled between 1999 and
2005, bringing the total for all Canadians to $68 billion.
Mortgage debt tends to account for about three-quarters of
all debt. It also rose by 47.5 percent to $572 billion.
Looking towards the future, not all Canadians have retirement
plans in place. Almost three in every 10 Canadian families
have no pension savings, meaning no company plan or RRSPs.
Roughly two-thirds of families with incomes below $30,000
had no pension savings at all.
How are you doing? Does the Statistics Canada survey reflect
your own life? Let us know by emailing us at newsletter@ilscorp.com
or by filling in the comments box in this issue of On Track.
Do men and women lead differently?
We asked over 175 of our subscribers and the answer was a
resounding YES!
96% of respondents believe that men and women have different
leadership styles.
Finally, female leaders have the resources they need to succeed.
Elaine Allison’s online course - How and Why Women
Can and Do Lead Differently; Leadership Skills for Women in
Insurance – is available through ILS Learning Corporation.
Sign
up online or call 1-800-404-2211 a must see for women
who want to fast track their careers.
Watch your business grow with “Guerrilla Marketing
for Financial Advisors” online video course
Grant Hicks, co-author of the best-selling book “Guerrilla
Marketing for Financial Advisors” has created an
online video course that offers over 40 dynamic marketing
ideas. The course, presented by ILS Learning Corporation is
recommended for Financial Advisors, insurance agents, wholesalers,
stockbrokers and their assistants who want to see results.
After taking the course, you will be able to:
- Add marketing to your skill set
- Stand out among a crowded marketplace
- Understand your target market
- Create strategic plans to help grow your business
- And lots more!
Receive 12 CE credits towards your Accident and Sickness,
Life and CFP mandatory licensing requirements by taking “Guerrilla
Marketing for Financial Advisors.”
For more information on this course or to sign up, contact
us today at 1-800-404-2211 or by email at info@ilscorp.com
Employee has one for the road? Ends up in the ditch!
By Todd Hochban
There are long established precedents that hold employers
responsible for injuries received by employees when acting
on direction of employers. Typically, these injured employees
are eligible for benefits with provincial worker’s compensation
plans. When eligible for these benefits, employees generally
cannot sue their negligent employer.
In Jacobson v. Nike, an employee was erecting a
trade show booth. The employer supplied alcohol during this
early evening activity. The employee was injured when driving
home intoxicated. The court ruled that Nike breached their
standard of care by supplying alcohol and failing to ensure
Jacobson did not drive.
When Workers Compensation denies benefits, employees may
seek damages from their employers. Standard CGL wordings may
not insure these actions, leaving employers uninsured.
Do any of your clients have “one for the road”
with staff on Friday afternoons?
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