Agent suspended one year for cheating on qualification exams

The Insurance Council of British Columbia has suspended general insurance agent Kuljit Kaur Pannu for 12 months after she was disciplined twice for cheating on her qualification exams.

Pannu was first licensed with the council in May 1999 as a level one general insurance salesperson, and has represented the same agency ever since, holding a management role there since January 2010.

The agent was first disciplined in July 2009 for cheating on her Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker 2 examination.

Life license cancelled

After being disciplined, Pannu later upgraded to her level two general insurance agent license in May 2015, before attaining her life accident and sickness insurance license in May 2017. Her life license was then suspended in August 2017 while council staff investigated allegations that she had cheated on her life licensed qualification examination (LLQP). Her life license was cancelled the following year. At the time, Pannu was told that her suitability to hold a general insurance license would be reconsidered by council in light of her cheating.

During the council’s investigation, Pannu’s position was that the cancellation of her life agent license should have no bearing on her suitability to hold a general insurance license. In her support, a director at her agency provided an affidavit stating the Pannu was a trusted and invaluable part of their team, managing the firm’s largest office. The affidavit also states that the agency would be harmed by a lengthy suspension of Pannu’s license.

“Council determined that the licensee’s action in cheating on her LLQP exam is relevant to her overall suitability with regard to her general insurance license. Furthermore, council was troubled by the fact that this was the second time the licensee cheated on an exam,” say the order’s authors. “Council was further concerned by the degree of managerial power held by the licensee in light of her failure to act in a trustworthy manner and in good faith on two previous occasions.” The council concludes that due to the serious and repeated nature of Pannu’s conduct, and in light of her position of control at the agency, “a significant suspension of her general insurance license is required to meet the objectives of parity and deterrence.”

In addition to her 12-month suspension, Pannu must also successfully complete the Council Rules Course and an ethics course approved by council before February 5, 2020.