Corporate or Partnership Restricted Travel Insurance Agency Licence

Previously, entities who were licensed with another financial regulator (i.e. mutual fund dealers, securities dealers, and mortgage brokers) were not granted insurance licences in BC as Council had determined that this could be problematic in the event of an investigation or inspection and it had the potential to cause confusion for clients with regard to their rights and protections.

Council reviewed this policy at its July 2018 meeting and, in light of the fact that other Canadian jurisdictions allow joint licensing and that Council Rules address concerns related to inspections, investigations, and public confusion, Council determined that effective immediately, it will consider applications from entities registered with another financial regulator. Before applying for a licence, Council recommends that you consult with your other regulator(s) first, as it may have its own rules and restrictions in place.

• Requirement to register with Consumer Protection BC: Council will only issue restricted travel insurance licences to agencies registered to act as a travel agent with Consumer Protection BC.
• Requirement for Business Name Registration: The Insurance Council requires all names, including operational names or "doing business as" names (i.e. trade names), to be registered with the BC Corporate Registry, and be approved by the Insurance Council. The business name must be a name that will not likely be confused with the name of an insurer, another licensed insurance agency or an adjusting firm. Furthermore, an insurance applicant or licensee is required by the Financial Institutions Act (the “Act”) to have a name that is neither misleading, nor likely to cause confusion for the public. Section 12.1 of the Act also requires that anytime the word “insurance” or “assurance” or “insurer” is used, the name cannot be used in a manner that would cause a member of the public to believe the entity is an insurance company. As this section falls under the jurisdiction of the BC Financial Services Authority, further information regarding name requests can be found on their website here.

Employees or commissioned salespeople of the licensed restricted travel insurance agency do not need to hold a licence if their only insurance-related activity is to sell travel insurance incidental to the ordinary business of the travel agent or wholesaler.

Employees of the licensed restricted travel insurance agency or wholesaler must meet education requirements to qualify for the individual licensing exemption:

• Pass the Council-approved travel insurance exam  (can be taken online) from the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies ACTA — formerly Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors):

2560 Matheson Blvd. East, Ste 226

Mississauga, ON L4W 4Y9

Telephone: 1-888-257-2282│1-905-282-9294 (ext. 128)

Facsimile: 1-905-282-9826

Web: www.acta.ca 

Email: certification@acta.ca

• Exam results are valid for a period of 1 year. An individual is not eligible for the licensing exemption and must retake the exam, if:
  • He or she has not worked in the travel insurance industry for 1 year after successful exam completion.
  • He or she has not been actively involved in the travel insurance industry for 2 or more years.
• The licensed restricted travel agency or wholesaler is responsible for ensuring its exempt employees meet these education requirements.
• Exempt employees must also complete a minimum of 2 hours of continuing education each calendar year, following specific content and record-keeping requirements.

*Council does not have information regarding course costs, delivery methods, or scheduling.

• Complete the application yourself, following the instructions in the application package. 
• Answer all questions and attach all required documents, including the application fee, before submitting your application, as incomplete applications may take longer to process.
• If your application has been pending for more than our displayed processing times, please feel free to contact Council's Licensing Department.

Apply Online (See Instructions)

View and download the Corporate or Partnership Restricted Travel Insurance Agency Licence Application
View and download the Directors, Officers, Partners, and Controlling Shareholders Exhibit Only Form
View the Corporate or Partnership Restricted Travel Insurance Agency Licence Fee Schedule