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A PUBLICATION OF ILS LEARNING CORPORATION

Friendly Reminders

General Insurance Agents in Manitoba are reminded that they must have all CE hours in place by May 31 in order to renew their license. Insurance Adjusters in this province must also have their required CE hours completed by June 1.

Insurance Adjusters in Alberta must have their CE hours by May 31.

Call 1-800-404-2211 if you need hours.

Live Preparation Courses at BCIT throughout June

West Coast Training’s Todd Hochban is teaching a number of preparation courses this June for students who wish to challenge the CAIB 3, CAIB 4 or Fundamentals of Insurance exams.

The live, in-class courses take place at BCIT.

From June 11 to 16, Hochban will be teaching the CAIB 4 Preparation Immersion Course. It should be noted that the exam registration deadline is June 8.

From June 18 to 22, Hochban will be teaching the CAIB 3 Preparation Immersion Course. The registration deadline for the CAIB 3 exam is also June 8.

Each of the CAIB Preparation Immersion Courses cost $561.75.

Also, from June 4 to 8, Hochban is teaching the Fundamentals of Insurance Preparation Course for students who wish to pass the licensing exam. The cost for this five-day school is $454.50.

For more information or to register for any of these courses, visit: http://westcoasttraining.ca/

May Holiday Hours at ILS

The ILS Learning Corporation office will be closed on Monday, May 21 for Victoria Day. We will be open again for business as usual on Tuesday, May 22.

Though our office will be closed, you can still take any of our courses online on this day!

Have a good and safe long weekend!

Industry Briefs

Insurance Bureau of Canada wants federal MPs to toughen auto theft punishments

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is urging federal MPs to support Bill C-343 which would make auto theft a separate offence under the Criminal Code and would also implement mandatory prison sentences for repeat offenders.

Currently, auto theft falls under theft of property over or under $5,000 in the Criminal Code of Canada.

IBC says that this is not enough. "[Auto theft] is a crime that is both a serious and violent offence that threatens the safety and security of our communities," said Rick Dubin, vice-president of IBC’s Investigations branch.

According to reports by both Statistics Canada and the RCMP, the national rate of auto theft is 56 percent higher than it was 20 years ago and is quickly becoming a crime associated with crime rings compared to random acts.

In 2005, over 160,000 cars were stolen in Canada. With the highest rate of vehicle theft in the country, Manitoba reported over 14,200 stolen vehicles that year.

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Chubb Insurance doubles coverage limit and expands coverage for more risks

Chubb Insurance began to sell identity fraud coverage in Canada almost six years ago. As identity theft and other personal frauds continue to affect thousands of Canadians each year, Chubb has decided to expand its coverage.

Now, Chubb has increased the Identity Fraud coverage limit to $50,000 for reimbursement of expenses related to restoration of an individual’s identity.

As well, coverage has been expanded to include expenses resulting from real estate and mortgage fraud, two increasing threats to the privacy of Canadians.

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More than two-thirds of Canadians are using cellphones

At the end of 2006, Statistics Canada found that 90.5 percent of Canadian households have a landline, while 66.8 percent of households also have at least one cellphone.

Albertans are the most likely to take their calls on the road, with about 80 percent of residents using cellphones. In New Brunswick and Quebec, however, residents are not as keen on the mobile technology with 57.5 percent and 57.9 percent respectively owning cellphones.

While a large number of Canadians are using cellphones, they are also paying quite a bit. In fact, according to the Seaboard Group, a Canadian research and consulting company, the average cellphone bill in Canada was the highest of the 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international trade agency.
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A Brief Message from ILS

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What will you be doing eight months from now?

It will be January. Most of Canada will be enduring sub-zero weather. You will turn on the radio and hear "cold with flurries" – for the fourth day in a row. What will you be doing?

Shoveling snow or catching some sun on one of the ship’s patios?

Trying to get salt stains off of your pants or slipping into a bathing suit?

Watching your windshield wipers freeze to the glass or getting an aromatherapy massage at the AquaSpa?

Well… where would you rather be? Why not join us on the Second Annual ILS Caribbean CE Cruise from January 27 to February 3, 2008?

Not only will you have a chance to get away for a week this coming winter, you’ll also be able to attend our exciting seminars where you can earn up to 12 CE credits. Afterwards you can grab some old colleagues or new friends and hit the virtual links on the ship’s golf simulator. Maybe you will take in a live show or a movie while at sea. Your options are almost endless!

Don’t forget to talk to your financial advisor about the tax benefits of attending the ILS Caribbean CE Cruise.

For more information or to book now, visit www.ilscorp.com/cruise

Your May promotional code to win $200 cash!

Your promo code for May is: CRUISENEWS5

Take this promo code and visit www.ilscorp.com/cruise. Enter it and answer a few quick questions and you will be entered to win $200 cash!

Good luck!

Streaming-video licensing courses now available for students in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick

ILS is happy to announce the launch of two new streaming-video licensing courses. Students in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick who wish to challenge the Level 1 Licensing Exams in their provinces will benefit from these innovative new courses.

"We’ve been offering video licensing courses to brokers in various parts of the country for a few years now," says company president Steve Hawrishok. "We’re excited to be able to offer the same online learning opportunities for students in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick."

Each course combines the dynamic instruction of long-time insurance educator Todd Hochban with easy-to-read text and interactive exercises. Sample quizzes and exams will provide students with all they need to successfully challenge the licensing exam in their province.

Mr. Hawrishok says that these courses provide students with all the knowledge and tools needed to pass the licensing exam at their own convenience. "With these streaming-video courses, students will benefit from having an experienced instructor, yet be able to take the course whenever they want, from wherever it is convenient for them to do so. All that’s needed is an internet connection."

"This is a complete study package at a very competitive price," says Mr. Hawrishok. Each course is available for $399.95 plus GST and offers unlimited access for six-months.

"We’re confident that students in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick will benefit from these licensing preparation courses as much as our students in other parts of Canada have," adds Mr. Hawrishok.

For more information on these courses or to register, please contact ILS at 1-800-404-2211.

The results are in!

Last month's On Track poll asked our readers when they plan on retiring. Almost 300 people responded and the results are in – and are somewhat surprising. Take a look for yourself:

The Question: When do you plan on retiring?

The Responses:

Within the next year – 4.8%
Before 2010 – 8.8%
In 4 – 5 years – 11.5%
In 6 – 10 years – 18.4%
In 11 – 15 years – 16.3%
In 16 – 20 years – 13.2%
In more than 20 years – 27.5%

So what does this all mean? Judging by the votes, in five years or less, just over 25 percent of our readers will be retired. By 2017, 43.5 percent of our respondents will be filling their days with activities that do not include work. These departures from the working world will undoubtedly leave some very noticeable gaps in the industry. Are you ready?

We thank you very much for taking part in our polls!

Forest fire season has begun

May is here. The weather is getting warmer across the country, the trees are starting to get their leaves back and the flowers are beginning to bloom. Unfortunately this means that forest fire season has begun as well.

Forest fire season in Canada generally runs from April through October, with the most fires and the largest areas burned occurring in June, July and August. Now is a good time to learn about or brush up on forest fires and possible risk management steps that can be taken to reduce the risk or minimize damages caused by fires.

During a typical year, there are over 9,000 forest fires in Canada which burn an average of 2.5 million hectares or 25,000 square kilometers. Regrettably, there is no way to predict how this year might fare in terms of forest fires. They are unpredictable and while weather can be a factor, long-range forecasting is still rather unreliable for determining what will or will not burn.

In Canada, two-thirds of all forest fires are caused by humans with the remaining third caused by natural forces, especially lightning. No two forest fires are the same: the average fire moves at less than 0.5 km per hour but the fastest-spreading blaze might burn at 6 km per hour or more. The speed that a fire burns depends largely on the type of trees in the area and the amount of moisture in the area. Coniferous (evergreen) trees burn approximately five to ten times faster than deciduous trees due to the resin in the bark and needles.

Forest fires threaten the surrounding environment, local birds and animals and, of course, humans and their properties. Public agencies in Canada spend an average of more than $400 million each year on fighting forest fires.

Some simple preventative work, such as clearing vegetation from around the home, building with fire-resistant materials, and identifying and dealing with risks before fire occurs can greatly reduce the risk of forest fires in your own area.

Be alert this summer. Pay attention to warning signs and do what you can to minimize the risk of forest fires. If you’d like to know more about forest fires in Canada or find out ways that you can protect your property or the property of your clients, ILS Learning Corporation has developed an online course entitled "Forest Fires – Making Property 'Fire Safe" This course is worth two General Insurance CE credits.

Front Line Challenges = Opportunities for Profit

by Todd Hochban

Businesses succeed or fail based on customer interactions. Serving the last customer of the day as well as the first customer of the day is challenging. Customer service professionals understand many customers challenge and demand. Customers' needs and wants are moving targets. What was incredible service yesterday is expected today.

Organizations must have ongoing programs to "delight" customers. Standing still or doing things the same way as last year are not options. Taking chances, listening to customers, accepting mistakes and being proactive are some of many traits successful customer service professionals possess.

When front line challenges are met head on, organizations profit. Profit takes on many forms other than monetary. Satisfied customers, satisfied staff and positive work environments also add value to any organization.

Have a brainstorming session this week to develop new ways to exceed customers' expectations.

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