RIBO notes increasing privacy complaints

The Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario (RIBO) says it has received an increasing number of new complaints in which the privacy of brokers’ clients has been breached.
In its spring newsletter, RIBO notes a large portion of these complaints come from clients that are going through a divorce. The regulator cautions brokers to treat these files “with kid gloves.”
Often these scenarios involve a broker who has had a married couple as clients for home and car insurance for 10 to 15 years or more, RIBO says in its bulletin.
“Frequently in the early days of separation, the broker has not been advised by the client of the pending divorce and may in fact be unaware of the situation,” the newsletter says.
“Emotionally charged clients” may “no longer be rational in thoughts or actions,” and the broker may experience an increase in calls from the wife or husband asking specific, related insurance questions about their spouse that should be directed to the spouse, RIBO’s newsletter says.
“Often in the fight that ensues in the marriage break-up, the broker is dragged into the battle for breaching confidential information to one or the other party,” it continues.
Early recognition of this scenario will go a long way to reducing the possibility of a complaint being lodged at RIBO.
The files must be separated from the daily routine and handled with extreme care, RIBO advises. Plus, regular meetings with customer service representatives and brokerage staff to remind them of potential scenarios would help to identify a situation earlier, the regulator notes.