Use this form to apply for a licence:

General Insurance:

• Individual or Sole-Proprietor Application
• Corporate or Partnership Application
• Directors, Officers, Partners, and Controlling Shareholders Exhibit Only Form

Life Insurance (Includes Accident and Sickness):

• Individual or Sole-Proprietor Application
• Corporate or Partnership Application
• Directors, Officers, Partners, and Controlling Shareholders Exhibit Only Form

Adjuster:

• Individual or Sole-Proprietor Application
• Corporate or Partnership Application
• Directors, Officers, Partners, and Controlling Shareholders Exhibit Only Form

Travel Insurance:

• Sole-Proprietor Application
• Corporate or Partnership Application
• Directors, Officers, Partners, and Controlling Shareholders Exhibit Only Form

Motor Vehicle:

• As of March 2021, the Insurance Council has ceased issuing licences restricted to the sale or adjusting of one or more specific products.  See more information here or contact our Licensing Team via email at licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com or via phone at 604-695-2007.

Errors and Omissions Insurance Requirements for Applicants
 
Requirement for Applicants to Confirm They Have Required Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance

Effective March 31, 2023, the Insurance Council will require applicants to confirm they are covered by E&O insurance as per Council Rule 7(11). This requirement will be enforced as of May 1, 2023 for all applications.

For more information please see Errors and Omissions Insurance.
                                                                                                                                                                             
Which Applicants Are Required to Submit Confirmation of E&O Insurance

• Accident and Sickness Licence Applicants;
• Life and Accident and Sickness  Licence Applicants; and
• All agencies and firms, including restricted agencies and sole-proprietors.

 
Which Applicants Are Not Required to Submit Confirmation of E&O Insurance

• Individual General Insurance Agents, and Salespersons Applicants*;
• Individual Insurance Adjuster Licence Applicants*;and
• General Insurance Applicants who are a direct employee of an insurer and only sells the products of that insurer as stipulated in Council Rule 7(11)(b).   

*Note: The above exception applies only if the Insurance Council has current confirmation that the applicant's agency or firm is covered by E&O insurance.
 
What Is Considered Proof

• A fully completed Confirmation of Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance Form; or
• A copy of the applicant’s E&O Certificate of Insurance.

Agencies and firms: to help prevent application delays, please email a copy of your renewed E&O coverage to licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com.
 
Questions:
If you have any questions regarding providing evidence of adequate E&O Insurance, please contact our Licensing Team via email at licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com or via phone at 604-695-2007.



 

The Insurance Council has identified a number of business activities where the potential for a conflict of interest is so significant it is either not prepared to issue a licence, or in other cases, requires conditions or restrictions on the licence to address the conflict. Licence applicants and current licensees should review the Other Business Activity section of the Insurance Council website as the potential for conflict of interest should be considered as a part of the application process for licensing as well as ongoing licensed practice. 
 
The list of Other Employment and Business Activities Considered by the Insurance Council as provided in the Other Business Activity section of our website does not cover every possible conflict of interest scenario. Licenses who wish to request a review of their other business activity and would like to receive guidance relating to their other business activities, can submit the completed Request for Review of Other Business Activities form.

Conflict of Interest - Request for Review of Other Business Activities Form

Use this form to change your home or service address, telephone number, or email address. Provide to the Insurance Council within 30 calendar days of the change:

Change Individual Contact Information Form
Change Corporate Contact Information Form

Supervisor Undertaking Form: Used to declare your new supervisor. This form should be provided to the Insurance Council within 5 business days of the change.

Supervision Period Confirmation of Completion Form: As of January 1, 2020, this form must be submitted when the New Life and/or Accident & Sickness agent has completed the mandatory amount of time under supervision and their supervisor is ready to recommend them for unsupervised practice. Please note that supervision must continue until the form has been submitted and reviewed by the Insurance Council.
Note: Use this form when the supervisee has completed the mandatory 2 year supervision period

End Authorization to Represent and/or End Supervision Form: Supervisors and supervisees must complete this form to notify the Insurance Council when a supervision is ceased, while the supervisee is under the mandatory supervision Period.
Note: Use of this form will not release a supervisee from the supervisor requirement


Process Review Statement: Although not mandatory, it is recommended that this form, or something similar be completed for every file the supervisor reviews. You do not need to submit these forms, but are encouraged to retain them for your records.


For more information about New Life and/or Accident and Sickness Agent supervision requirements, see the Insurance Council's notice ICN 19-004 Guidelines for Supervision of New Life and/or Accident & Sickness Agents.

Add/Update Agency Nominee

Complete this form to add/update the nominee information of a licenced agency or firm. The Insurance Council must be notified within 5 business days of the change: Agency Nominee Amendment Application Form

Effective August 1, 2023, new nominees must be approved by the Insurance Council and have taken the prerequisite course: Nominee Responsibilities and Best Practice. The course is administered by the Insurance Council and is available in two streams:

• Nominee Responsibilities and Best Practice Course for Life and/or Accident & Sickness Nominees and Applicants
• Nominee Responsibilities and Best Practice Course for General Insurance and Adjuster Nominees and Applicants

Current nominees do not need to take the nominee course unless they are submitting a request to be appointed as a nominee for another agency or firm.

More on how to register for the course here.


Add/Update Temporary Agency Nominee

In exceptional circumstances, where an insurance agency or adjusting firm ceases or will cease to have a nominee, the insurance agency or adjusting firm may apply to nominate, on a temporary basis to be determined by Council if accepted, an individual who does not meet the requirements under Council Rule 2(11). The temporary nominee is responsible for all insurance activities of the agency or adjusting firm per Council Rule 7(6). Please refer to the Temporary Nominee policy on the Insurance Council’s Policies & Other Documents page for more information.

Complete this form to add/update the temporary nominee information of a licenced agency or firm. The Insurance Council must be notified within 5 business days of the change: Temporary Agency Nominee Application Form 

If an insurance agency or adjusting firm requires an extension to the one month appointment, a request must be made in writing, which will be considered by the Licensing Committee.

Agency Purchase or Amalgamation

Download and complete this form to notify the Insurance Council of an Agency/Firm purchase or amalgamation. Please note, there is a fee for amendment of corporate ownership information.

Purchase and/or Amalgamation Notification Form
Fee Schedule

Individual licensees who are leaving one agency or firm and moving to another, adding an additional agency or firm, or ceasing authorization to represent an agency or firm must notify the Insurance Council in writing by email within five business days.


Corporate licensees/nominees (or authorized delegates) can update authorizations to represent through the portal, by signing into the corporate licence account.

Add ATR:
 

• Log into the portal.
• Click the Profile icon in the top right-hand corner and select Switch Profile.
• Select Switch for the agency/firm.
• Select Add ATR.
• Complete the required information. If you receive any error messages, correct the information or contact the licensing department for assistance.
• Review the information, make any necessary changes, and click Save and Continue.
• A confirmation message will display, confirming that your request has been submitted.

 
A notable process update will affect agencies and firms managing licensees’ authorization to represent (ATRs): starting February 4, requests to add or end ATRs via the portal will no longer receive automatic approval. Instead, these requests will be subject to review and approval by the Insurance Council, following standard processing times.


End ATR:

• Log into the portal.
• Click the Profile icon in the top right-hand corner and select Switch Profile.
• Select Switch for the agency/firm.
• Under Nominee Review Items, select Authority to Represent (ATR).
• Search for the licensee name and, using the drop-down arrow, select End ATR.
• Complete the required information. Please note that you may enter a future end date, and the representation will be removed from your agency or firm as of the selected date. If you receive any error messages, correct the information or forward your request to licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com for processing.
• Review the information, make any necessary changes, and click Save and Continue.
• A confirmation message will display, confirming that your request has been submitted.

If you are unable to complete the request online, or if you are a Life and/or Accident and Sickness insurance agent who is not an authorized representative of an insurance agency (previously referred to as unaffiliated), please use the following forms and email the completed form to us. 

• Add Authorization to Represent Form:
  • Complete this form to add a new agency or firm. Note that your agency or firm must approve your request to represent them. This form is also required if you are a Life and/or Accident and Sickness insurance agent who is not an authorized representative of an insurance agency. If this applies to you, please include the following with your request:
    • Proof of a contract with an insurance company (eg. a letter from the insurer or a copy of the contract dated within 90 days)
    • Evidence of valid E&O insurance
• End Authorization to Represent and/or End Supervision Form:
  • Complete this form when you cease to represent an Agency or Firm. Life and/or Accident and Sickness agents can use this form to indicate they are ceasing to act as indepedent agents (not an authorized representative of an insurance agency).
    • Please note that the licence status will become inactive if there is no other authorization to represent attached to your licence. 

Licence Cancellation:
Individuals and agencies/firms can request a licence cancellation through the Insurance Council's online portal:
 

1. Go to the online portal and log into your account.
2. From the main menu, click View My Licences. For agency/firm licences, click the Profile icon in the top right-hand corner, select Switch Profile, and then click View My Licences.
3. Click the drop-down arrow for the licence you intend to cancel and select Cancel.
4. Follow the steps to enter all required information. Once complete, you will receive a message confirming that your licence cancellation request has been submitted.
5. Once your request is approved, you will receive a confirmation email from the Insurance Council’s Licensing team.

Alternatively, you may submit the Cancellation of Licence Form (PDF) by emailing the Licensing Department at licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com.

Download and complete the Name Change Request Form to request a legal name change or an AKA (Also Known As) name, and attach any required supporting documentation. A fee applies to legal name changes only (see form for details).

Submit your request to the Insurance Council within five business days.


Change of Name Form and Fee Schedule


For Individual Licensees

Submitting a Name Change Request Online
Individuals can submit a request to change their name on their licence through their online portal account:

1. Under Licences, select More Options.
2. Click Apply for Name Change.
3. Follow the steps to enter all required information. Once complete, you will receive a confirmation message that your name change request has been submitted.

Individual legal name changes
Licensees must notify the Insurance Council within five business days of any legal name change.
Supporting documentation is required and may include:

• Certificate of Change of Name
• Updated government-issued photo ID
• Marriage certificate
• Divorce documentation

The legal name recorded with the Insurance Council must match government-issued identification and be used consistently in all Insurance Council records.


Using an AKA name
An AKA (also known as) is an alternative personal name a licensee may request approval to use in addition to their legal name (for example, a nickname or shortened first name).

Key requirements:

• The Insurance Council approval is required before an AKA may be used
• The AKA may replace the legal first name only
• The legal last name (surname) must always remain unchanged and visible
• In legal documents (e.g., insurance policies), both the full legal name and the approved AKA must appear

An AKA cannot:

• Replace or change the legal surname
• Impersonate another individual
• Include business or trade names
• Contain misleading, offensive, or unprofessional wording
• Duplicate or closely resemble another licensee’s name

The Insurance Council may refuse any proposed AKA that could cause confusion or mislead the public.



Notes for Trade Name/Operating Names:
 

A trade / doing business as (DBA) / or operating name,

• is a name other than your given name under which you conduct your business.  

• is the identifier that most people will use to refer to your business.  

• can optionally be the full or shortened version of your corporate name.  

Trade names must meet the following requirements for approval by the Insurance Council: 

• Must be registered with BC Registry. 

• Must not be a name that could lead the public into believing it’s an insurance company. 
   
• Must not be similar to an existing licensed agency or firm, or another trade name. (including similar-sounding names).

• Must not imply the business has expertise in a specific area (unless its licensee or authorized representatives are qualified). 

• Must not purport to be a financial planner unless the licensee meets the requirements of a financial planner. 

• Must not use the term and Associates unless there are two or more licensees in the business. 

Must only use Council-approved corporate, trade name, doing business as, or operating names in advertising, public representation, and online presence.

Name approvals are governed by the Insurance Council Rules, applicable legislation, and the Code of Conduct.

Licensees must notify Council within 5 business days of any personal or business name change.

 

1. Go to the online portal and log into your account.
2. From the main menu, click View My Licences.
3. Click the drop-down arrow for the licence you intend to upgrade and select Upgrade.
4. Follow the steps to enter all required information. Once completed, you will receive a message confirming that your licence upgrade application has been submitted. Please review the qualification requirements for general or adjuster licence upgrades to ensure you have completed all necessary requirements before applying.
5. Once your request is approved, you will receive a confirmation email from the Insurance Council’s Licensing team.

Alternatively, you may submit a New Licence Upgrade Application Form by emailing the Licensing Department at licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com.

 

In an effort to increase accessibility and fairness, the Insurance Council will accommodate a properly identified and documented limitation of an Accommodation Applicant which is associated with or caused by a Protected Characteristic under the BC Human Rights Code.

In addition, the Insurance Council may also accommodate:

• A properly identified and documented medical condition of an Accommodation Applicant, which includes illness and other temporary and treatable conditions such as broken bones; and
• Other circumstances that are not related to an Accommodation Applicant’s Protected Characteristic or medical condition, including a family member’s medical condition or other extenuating circumstances impacting the Accommodation Applicant.

Accommodation does not mean that an Accommodation Applicant will be excused from having to meet Insurance Council requirements, or that the requirements will be lowered.

• Accommodation means that the Insurance Council will seek to provide reasonable options to remove any barriers to an Accommodation Applicant that is trying to meet an Insurance Council requirement.

Accommodation Applicants must make a request for accommodation as soon as possible by submitting an Accommodation Request Form by emailing the Licensing Department at licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com. Once all of the relevant information is received by the Insurance Council, including any additional supporting documents that are requested, the Insurance Council will make a reasonable effort to provide a decision to the Accommodation Applicant within 30 calendar days.

For more information about the types of accomodations considered, required documentation, process and timelines, see our Accomodation Policy.

If you have any questions,  please contact our Licensing Team via email at licensing@insurancecouncilofbc.com or via phone at 604-695-2007.