Insurance Brokers Council (IBC) - AGM

The Insurance Brokers Council (IBC) held their AGM and National meeting last week at Pine Lodge in Port Elizabeth.

Fruitful discussion took place on industry issues some being unification in the industry, striving towards professionalism, a quest for direction and understanding from regulators regarding training and unit standards, and the important role the intermediaries exercise and the value they add to consumers.

This was also emphasised by the Short-Term Ombudsman Mr Brian Martin who addressed the meeting. He reiterated the fact that the majority of claims that cross his desk come from the direct insurers and not the independent brokers who are professional and who do not have a numbers game as their main concern but offer genuine value for their services.

The gala dinner was attended by Mr Charles Pillai the FAIS Ombuds who complimented the IBC as a powerful organisation with an outstanding record and an incredible code of ethics that is subscribed to by all their members. He praised the IBC with its efforts to unify the industry but warned that transformation should be addressed simultaneously.

A golf day was held at the Humewood Golf Club and the proceeds were donated to CANSA Eastern Cape, which was hugely appreciated by the organization and the alleviation it would contribute to many cancer sufferers in the region.

The evening was also the celebration of the re-election of Mr Jay Ramsunder as the President of the IBC and the re-election of Mr Arnold van der Linde as Vice President. The Tygerberg Branch was elected as branch of the year and a floating trophy was presented to Mr John Bezuidenhout, branch chair of the Tygerberg Branch. Mrs Linza van Aswegen Divisional Chair of the Golden Division was presented with the Presidents Award as the person who contributed the most to the organization in 2006.