An agent who maintained two insurance licenses, one for general insurance and another for life accident and sickness insurance sales, failed to meet his continuing education (CE) obligations for his general insurance license for more than five years.
Licensed as a life accident and sickness insurance agent since July 2007 and as a general insurance agent since January 2012, Jian Hua (Robert) Que is also a nominee of an agency, which has held a corporate license since May 2010. An investigation into Que’s missing CE credits began when he left all declarations blank in his 2021 annual filing declaration for his general insurance license.
Although he was short six CE credits during each of the audited periods for his general license, it was determined that Que had completed 31.5 CE credits related to his life agent’s license. Being a certified financial planner in good standing, however, he was exempted from the life agent CE program.
“Council reviewed the course contents for each of the life agent CE courses provided by the licensee and determined that some, but not all, could be applied to his level 2 agent CE requirements,” the Insurance Council of British Columbia’s intended decision states. “The licensee stated that he did not do a lot of general insurance business and accordingly had not been aware of the requirements to obtain CE in respect of his level 2 agent license in addition to the CE required for his life agent license.”
Following the council’s investigation, Que made up the CE shortfall by completing additional credits, a measure the council said was significantly mitigating.
Fining Que $500 for each period in which he failed to complete the requisite education, the council levied a $1,500 fine in total, assessed costs in the amount of $750 and required Que to complete the Council Rules Course for general insurance and adjusters, alongside the Continuing Education Guidelines and Requirements Course by August 19, 2024.