The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL Tribune Business Editor SCOTIABANK (Bahamas) and the Bahamas Insurance Brokers Association (BIBA) are close to completely resolving all concerns over the former's group homeowners insurance policy, Tribune Business was told yesterday, both parties moving to put previous controversies "behind us". Tanya Woodside and Vaughn Culmer, BIBA's current and immediate past president, respectively, confirmed to this newspaper that they and Scotiabank (Bahamas) had both agreed to abide by the 'protocol' the two organisations drew up in 2010 for how the bank's group policy would work. The development came after BIBA and Scotiabank (Bahamas) executives met on Tuesday at the offices of the Insurance Commission of the Bahamas, the industry regulator, to resolve complaints from several brokers that the bank was directly contacting its mortgage clients and encouraging them to switch to the group policy, even though they had shown they were already insured through their existing carrier/broker. Telling Tribune Business that "the way forward will be much better", Mr Culmer said that while talks were still ongoing over administrative details, both Scotiabank (Bahamas) and BIBA had agreed to follow the 'protocol' agreed in summer 2010. "We're still in talks," Mr Culmer said. "They're [Scotiabank] taking a look at the letters that they send out to their clients and their branches, so we're still discussing. It's not complete, but everything so far is amicable and both parties are co-operating with each other. "I'm satisfied, because the agreement we did in 2010 was pretty solid. Our members understand that as long as they renew clients' coverage before it expires, they have nothing to worry about as far as business loss. We're satisfied with the way ahead. There is a goo air of co-operation that we left on. I don't see any problems going forward." Describing resolution of the issues as "very important", Mr Culmer added: "The loss of business by the brokers was a concern, and if their clients were placed on the Scotiabank plan with J. S. Johnson, they had to go back and get that reversed once they showed there was proof of coverage. "All that became time consuming and administration heavy. It was timely to put that behind us. Everyone's going to do their best to ensure the proper parties have notification that the policies are renewed on time. I feel the way forward will be much better." Mr Culmer told Tribune Business that both BIBA and Scotiabank (Bahamas) had undertaken to periodically "refresh" their broker members and staff, respectively, as to how the bank's group homeowners policy worked. And the bank had also urged BIBA members to contact it directly "as soon as they encounter any difficulties". The meeting at the Insurance Commission was attended by Ms Woodside and Mr Culmer, together with Peter Cole, representing BIBA, and Scotiabank (Bahamas) managing director Kevin Teslyk, who attended with senior officials that included the bank's in-house legal counsel. Mr Teslyk was said to be in meetings, then travelling, when Tribune Business called seeking comment. The 'protocols' governing the group homeowners policy, and its relationship with Bahamian insurance brokers, had been thrashed out during an August 2010 meeting between BIBA and two Scotiabank (Bahamas) officials, then-managing director, Barry Malcolm, and Leah Davis. The 'protocol' says that if it does not receive proof the client has renewed homeowners coverage one day before it is due to expire, Scotiabank (Bahamas) will then place that client on to its group homeowners insurance plan. The plan is administered by BISX-listed J. S. Johnson, with Island Heritage as the underwriting carrier. Tribune Business revealed earlier this month how Bruce Ferguson, head of Caves Village-based Professional Insurance Consultants (PIC), had complained that two of his Family Island-based clients had been contacted directly by "Scotiabank representatives" urging them to switch to the bank's group homeowners coverage, even though it knew their existing policies were covered. He submitted a formal written complaint to the Insurance Commission over the incident. However, Mr Teslyk denied to Tribune Business that Scotiabank (Bahamas) had entered the insurance business. He said: "Our bank is not in the insurance business. Scotiabank is not in the business of insurance. We're not in the business of soliciting and advising on insurance business."