On Nov. 19, 2019, the Discipline committee of the Chambre de l’assurance de dommages (ChAD) found ex-broker Sébastien Verret (licence no. 204 131) guilty on twelve counts of another disciplinary complaint. The penalty will be determined at an upcoming hearing.

In April 2019, Verret was temporarily deregistered for five years by the Discipline committee. Although duly notified, he was absent and unrepresented at the hearing for this second complaint on August 26.

The acts of which Verret was accused took place between October 2017 and February 2018 and involved various clients in the Brome-Missisquoi regional municipal county in Montérégie. The respondent had worked as a broker since April 2014 and, at the time of the events, was employed by Assurancia Groupe Confiance. Verret was dismissed in March 2018 and is now inactive and unable to practice.

Vincent Boulanger, the company’s founder, testified before the Discipline committee, along with one of the clients mentioned in the complaint, who described the events outlined in count 10 of the complaint. The client was dissatisfied with his insurer. The respondent told him that he had stopped payments on his insurance policies and would look after transferring them to another insurer. Despite his claims to have done so, this was not, in fact, done. These actions violated section 37 (7) of the Code of ethics of damage insurance representatives.

The respondent also violated section 37 (8) of the Code by appropriating the amount of $2, 519.77 entrusted to him by clients to pay the renewal premium for their home insurance policy (count 1).

In addition, the respondent violated section 26 of the Code seven times by failing to carry out the mandate entrusted to him by clients. He was also found guilty of making inappropriate comments and using improper language with an insured (count 4). Contrary to section 14 of the Code, his conduct was not characterized by objectivity, moderation, and dignity.

Finally, under counts 2 and 11, the respondent was found guilty of neglecting his professional duty to keep records in accordance with section 21 of the Regulation respecting firms, independent representatives and independent partnerships. The Discipline committee ordered a conditional stay of proceedings on the other alleged dispositions in support of the various counts.