Certification and registration
Certification is the basis of the damage insurance professional’s right to practice. Section 12 of the Act respecting the distribution of financial products and services (ADFPS) states that “(…) no person may act as or purport to be a representative without holding the appropriate certificate issued by the Authority [des marchés financiers] (…)”.
The sectors and classes of sectors in damage insurance are as follows:
| Damage Insurance Representative | Claims Adjuster |
|---|---|
| Damage insurance – 3a (agent) – 4a (broker) | Claims adjustment – 5a |
| Personal lines damage insurance – 3b (agent) – 4b (broker) | Claims adjustment in personal lines damage insurance – 5b |
| Commercial lines damage insurance – 3c (agent) – 4c (broker) | Claims adjustment in commercial lines damage insurance – 5c |
A certified professional cannot act in a sector or class of sector for which they do not hold a certification from the Autorité. Section 13 of the ADFPS states that “representatives pursue their activities in the sectors or classes of sectors in which they are authorized to act by a certificate issued by the Authority.” As a damage insurance agent or broker, you can obtain the claim adjuster certification, enabling you to handle claims. Vice versa, a claims adjuster can acquire the certification as a damage insurance agent or broker. Here’s how to get certified in more than one discipline: Certification in more than one discipline (French only).
In order to obtain certification, professionals must:
- Meet the minimum qualifications required by the Autorité;
- Pass the damage insurance or claims adjustment examinations required by the Autorité;
- Pass the probationary period;
- Submit an application for a certificate to the Autorité before the validity of the examinations expires.
After obtaining certification and the necessary qualifications, damage insurance brokers may submit a request to the ChAD to obtain a professional designation : chartered insurance broker or associate insurance broker. To learn more.
In order to maintain certification, professionals must:
- Respect their professional development obligations;
- Comply with their code of ethics;
- Pay to renew their certificate annually.
Employer responsibility
Employers at damage insurance companies and firms must ensure that their employees’ damage insurance certificates are valid and that they have the right to practice their profession.
Annual fee
The annual fee for issuing or renewing a representative certificate for the year 2024: $380, plus applicable taxes.
The annual fee is indexed to January 1stof each year according to the increase rate of Quebec’s consumer price index, for the period ending on September 30 of the preceding year.
Incompatible occupations and professions
Certain occupations are incompatible with the profession of representative, such as judge or police officer. The non-exhaustive list of activities or professions that are incompatible with the practice of damage insurance agent, broker, or claims adjuster, as well as the rules governing the practice of dual employment, are described in sections 5.1 to 5.5 of the Regulation respecting the pursuit of activities as a representative.
For more information, see the article Quelles sont les occupations incompatibles avec la profession de représentant? (In French)
Declaration of an Outside Activity
In certain cases, representatives must declare any outside activities they engage in to the Autorité des marchés financiers by completing the Declaration of Outside Activity form, available at lautorite.qc.ca. For more information, visit the Autorité des marchés financiers website. Representatives who engage in outside activities must also declare them in writing to the firm or independent company on whose behalf they are acting.
