The AIC receives many inquiry calls relating to the topics noted below. We have provided answers to most of the common questions asked by Agents, Brokers and Adjusters on the related topics.
Should you have an inquiry which is not addressed below please email us and we will be pleased to respond to your question.
Q: What is CIPR?
Canadian Insurance Participant Registry or “CIPR” for short. www.cipr.ca
CIPR serves a number of purposes:
- It provides a single, secure location where you can maintain and control your personal information;
- It requires you to specify an email address that will act as your login identification rather than your license number. You will use this and your choice of password to log into both CIPR and AIC systems; and
- It gives you a unique business identifier that you can use to identify yourself with other industry players such as insurers, LLQP providers and CE providers.
Q: Which applications do I use to apply for a certificate of authority?
A: All individuals must apply on-line. On-line applications must be initiated by Designated Representatives who are applying to license an insurance agency or adjusting firm or from Designated Individuals who are applying for Restricted Certificates of Authority.
Q: How do I transfer my license to another agency/firm or reinstate my license?
A: The process is the same as “applying for a license.” When completing your application, select “I am changing one or more of the following…”
Q: How can I find out if an agent or agency is authorized to transact business in Alberta?
A: You may search for the agent’s/agency’s name on our web site. Please check the correct spelling of the name when you make your search request. Spaces count as a character. You may enter a partial name to make your search request. If your search request generates no search result, this may suggest that an individual or business with that name is not currently licensed. The status must show “License Issued” to confirm if the agent currently holds a valid certificate of authority. If the status shows “Pending License Application”, this means that an application is “in process” and a certificate has not yet been issued.
Q: How do I change my address information with the Alberta Insurance Council?
A: You must record all residence address changes, including your email address, by logging on to the CIPR web site, and make the changes under your personal profile information. to change your business address, log on to the AIC web site and go to your “Active Licenses.” Click on the check box for each certificate you wish to change the address, click on the “Edit Address” button and make the applicable changes.
Q: I am the assistant to a licensed agent/broker. How can I get access to their information to make changes to the personal profile, to enter their CE courses, or to renew their certificates?
A: Only agents and adjusters who are certificate holders will be provided with a personal logon id and password. The Alberta Insurance Council will not provide administrative support staff with a logon id and password. A lot of the information found under the agent’s personal profile is private and is considered to be subject to privacy legislation.
Q: I am an agent/broker that is resident in another Province other than Alberta. Do I need a certificate of authority in Alberta if I wish to do business in Alberta or will my license in my home jurisdiction suffice?
A: You must obtain a valid certificate of authority for the class of license you wish to transact in Alberta by completing an on-line application by logging into the AIC portal. Check out the License Application Checklist and the How To Tutorials.
Q: We are a wholesale broker, a third party administrator (TPA), or a managing general agent (MGA) in other province. Do we require a certificate of authority in Alberta to do business in Alberta?
A: Yes, wholesale brokers, TPAs, and MGAs are not exempt from the requirements to hold a certificate of authority. If the activities that you perform are consistent with the definition of an “insurance agent” (see Section 1(bb) of the Insurance Act), then you must hold a valid certificate of authority. If you are not certain, please email the Alberta Insurance Council.
Q: I am/was an agent/broker in another jurisdiction. How do I "transfer" my license to Alberta?
A: You do not “transfer” your license to Alberta from another jurisdiction. You must obtain a certificate of authority for the class of license you wish to transact in Alberta by completing the appropriate application and providing the appropriate fee payment. You may review our licensing requirements on our web site.
Q: I am/was licensed in another province/jurisdiction. Your information says that I must provide a criminal record check. I have already done this to obtain my license in my home jurisdiction. Do I have to provide one to the Alberta Insurance Council as well?
A: Yes. The criteria to qualify to apply for an insurance agent’s certificate is set out under the Insurance Agents and Adjusters Regulation. One of those criteria is that you must not have a criminal conviction the nature of which would render you “unfit” to receive a certificate of authority. The Council must have the ability to review your convictions in order to make that determination. The criminal record check or security clearance must either state that there are no criminal convictions in existence for you, or that will list all of the convictions in existence.
Q: I have another occupation or employment. Will I still be able to apply for my insurance agent's license?
A: All other occupations or employment are reviewed on a case by case basis. The Alberta Insurance Council does not maintain a list of “approved” or “unapproved” occupations. When you complete your application, you must provide the name of your employer, your title/position, and a brief description of what your responsibilities include. We will need to consider if your other employment or occupation either places you in a conflict of interest position or in a position to use coercion or undue influence to control, direct or secure insurance business. These are the criteria set out in the Insurance Agents and Adjusters Regulation.
Q: What happens to my fee payment for a certificate if my application is not processed?
A: The fees you paid for your certificate will be refunded if your application is not processed. If you have made an over-payment, the Alberta Insurance Council will refund any fees that are not used to process your application. We will not retain over-payments on file for you to use at a future date.
Q: I only obtained my certificate part-way through the year and I paid the full fee. Now my license is up for renewal. Don't I get a partial refund on my license fees?
A: No. Fees for certificates are not pro-rated. All fees are set out in accordance with the Certificate Expiry, Penalties and Fees Regulation. Depending on the date that you apply for and are issued your certificate of authority will determine the amount of fee that the Council requires to process your application. You may amend the name of the business that is currently printed on your certificate, to change recommending insurers, to reinstate, or to “transfer” your license to represent a different business at any time during the year (other than at renewal time) by submitting the appropriate amendment fee with an application.
Q: My certificate has been suspended. How long do I have to re-apply before I must re-take the qualifying exam?
A: For previous holders of a Life, Accident & Sickness, and General insurance agent’s certificate of authority or Adjusters certificate of authority, you must submit a completed application with all supporting documentation and fee payment within 24 months of the date you last held the certificate of authority in order to be exempt from having to re-write the qualifying exam. Depending on when you re-apply, you may also be required to provide a new criminal record check with your application. Requests of this nature must result in the certificate becoming active before the expiry of the 24 month period, the AIC has no discretion to extend this period.
Q: How can I obtain a copy of my license and can I obtain a copy of an old license?
A: You may obtain a copy of any active certificate that you hold by logging on to the AIC web site, selecting the tile “Active Licenses” and choosing the certificate(s) that you wish to view, print, or email.
The Designated Representative of the agency and the Designated Individual of a restricted certificate of authority have access to the active certificates for the agency.
You may obtain a copy of your licensing history with the AIC by logging on to the AIC web site and click on the “Licenses” information. Click on the “License History” button to obtain the report.
Q: I have gotten married or wish to change my name back to my maiden name. What do I need to do change the name on my certificate of authority?
A: Update your name in your CIPR Profile and then log into the AIC portal to complete an on-line application.
- Select “I am changing one or more of the following…”
- Respond to the question “Have you been licensed in Alberta or Elsewhere?” that you are changing your name
- Upload proof of the name change (i.e. Government issued ID such as Driver’s License, Marriage Certificate, etc.).
- Complete your application and “Submit” it for processing with payment.
Q: I am a licensed insurance agent/adjuster. Can I notify the AIC that I wish to have my license(s) cancelled?
A: Yes, the licensed individual may scan (as a PDF) and email a written and signed letter to terminations@abcouncil.ab.ca. Upon receipt of such notification, AIC will suspend the applicable certificate(s). Include your full name and CIPR number with your request.
Q: One of our agents/adjusters has left our employment and no longer represents our agency/insurance company. How do we notify the AIC?
A: The AIC requires a written letter that is signed by an authorized person of your business/insurance company within 14 days. The letter must provide the reason for the termination and may be scanned (as a PDF) and emailed to terminations@abcouncil.ab.ca. Include the agent’s full name and license and/or CIPR number.
If an insurer that has recommended an agent to be issued a certificate cancels the recommendation or if the contract is no longer in force, the insurer must immediately notify the AIC. Upon receipt of such notification, AIC will suspend the applicable certificate(s).
Q: How do I apply for a Full Life or Accident & Sickness license?
A: You must complete an on-line application by logging into the AIC portal. A separate application is required for each class. Check out the License Application Checklist and the How To Tutorials.
Q: How do I apply for a General license?
A: You must complete an on-line application by logging into the AIC portal. Check out the License Application Checklist and the How To Tutorials.
Q: How do I transfer my license to another agency/firm or reinstate my license?
A: The process is the same as “applying for a license.” When completing your application, select “I am changing one or more of the following…”
Q: How do I change my personal name that is printed on my license?
A: Update your name in your CIPR Profile and then log into the AIC portal to complete an on-line application.
- Select “I am changing my agency or sponsoring company.”
- Respond to the question “Have you been licensed in Alberta or Elsewhere?” that you are changing your name
- Upload proof of the name change (i.e. Government issued ID such as Driver’s License, Marriage Certificate, etc.).
- Complete your application and “Submit” it for processing with payment
Q: How do I apply for a license for a NEW agency/firm?
A: On-line applications must be initiated by Designated Representatives (‘D/Rs’) for businesses (agency/firm) by logging into the AIC portal. Check out the License Application Checklist and the How To Tutorials.
Q: How do I apply for a license for a NEW agency for a Restricted Licensee (i.e., auto dealership, travel agency, sales finance company, etc)?
A: On-line applications must be initiated by the Designated Individual (‘DI’) for the business by logging into the AIC portal. Check out the How To Tutorials. If you are new, ensure you have registered for your own CIPR number.
Q: We need to replace the D/R for our agency/adjusting or change our recommending insurer. How can we do this?
A: For further details on how to change the D/R of an agency/firm or change the recommending insurer click here.
Q: We need to replace the Designated Individual (‘DI’) for our Restricted Licensee and/or change our sponsoring insurance company. How do we do that?
A: You must submit a new on-line application that is initiated by the Designated Individual (‘DI’). If you are replacing the previous DI, ensure you have registered for your own CIPR number.
Q: How do I check my application status?
A: Log in to the AIC Portal and click on Licenses to locate your pending application(s). Click on the “Actions” button to view/open your application to check the status. Refer to the following Q&As as to what each application status means.
Q: My on-line application status shows “Awaiting Candidate Input.” What does that mean?
A: The application is still with you. You will receive an “Incomplete Application” message and a red flag will appear next to the applicable section(s) that is not complete. Ensure all sections have been answered and you have clicked “Submit.”
Q: My on-line application status shows “Awaiting Approver Review.” What does that mean?
A: Your application is with your recommending insurance company (Life or A&S, or General agent if applying as an employee of the insurer) or with the Designated Representative (‘D/R’) (General or Adjuster). Please contact them for the status of your application.
Q: My on-line application status shows “Submitted to Regulator.” What does that mean?
A: Your application has been received but not processed because you have not paid. If your Sponsor or agency is paying, contact them to complete the payment process.
Q: My on-line application status shows “Under Regulator Review.” What does that mean?
A: Your application has been successfully paid and submitted to the AIC for final review. Check your email in case a Licensing Officer has contacted you requesting additional information. Check your “junk” and “spam” email folders as well.
Q: My application(s) is no longer showing when I log into my AIC license profile. Where is it?
A: An application that is not submitted to the AIC within 30 days, will automatically become abandoned. You must re-apply for the license on-line.
Q: My previous application(s) that I paid for was abandoned. I don’t want to pay again. How can I use the fees I already paid?
A: When you start a new on-line application, select your name as the person paying for the invoice under Payment Options. You may review the How-To Tutorial on “How to Pay with Money on Account.”
Q: I have selected the agency to pay for my application, but it is not on an invoice yet. How does the invoice get paid?
A: You may review the How-To Tutorial on “How to Pay an Agent/Adjuster Application Fee.”
Q: I entered the wrong agency name/sponsoring company on my application. How do I change this?
A: Once you have selected the agency name/sponsoring company and saved the application you may not edit the record. Log into your AIC Profile and then:
- Click on Licenses to find your pending application(s).
- Click on the “Actions” button to view and open your application and click on the red “Delete Application.”
- Re-apply choosing the correct agency/sponsor name.
If you have already submitted your application to your “Recommender”, you can no longer delete the application. Contact the “Recommender” and ask that they ‘Decline’ or ‘Send Back’ the application to you so that you can delete it.
Q: How do I obtain a copy of my license history?
A: Login to the AIC Profile, then select “Licenses” and then “License History” to obtain the report.
Q: One of our agents/adjusters has left our employment and no longer represents our agency/insurance company. How do we notify the AIC?
A: The AIC requires a written letter that is signed by an authorized person of your business/insurance company within 14 days. The letter must provide the reason for the termination and may be scanned (as a PDF) and emailed to terminations@abcouncil.ab.ca. Include the agent’s full name and license and/or CIPR number.
If an insurer that has recommended an agent to be issued a certificate cancels the recommendation or if the contract is no longer in force, the insurer must immediately notify the AIC. Upon receipt of such notification, AIC will suspend the applicable certificate(s).
Q: I am a licensed insurance agent/adjuster. Can I notify the AIC that I wish to have my license(s) cancelled?
A: Yes, the licensed individual may scan (as a PDF) and email a written and signed letter to terminations@abcouncil.ab.ca. Upon receipt of such notification, AIC will suspend the applicable certificate(s). Include your full name and CIPR number with your request.
Q: How do I update E&O on my issued licenses?
A: You may review the How-To Tutorial on “How to add or update the E&O policy information.”
Tip: If you are the Designated Representative for the agency/firm, review the How-To Tutorial on “How to add bulk E&O policy information to Agency.”
Q: When will I be able to renew my license?
A: License renewals for the current term will be available on May 1st. You may not attempt to renew your certificate until access to the renewal application has been made available. The AIC will send you an email.
Q: What do I do if I have forgotten my Username or CIPR number, forgotten my password, or changed my email address?
A: Answers to these Frequently Asked Questions may be found in the Help Section.
Q: Why didn’t I receive an email notification about renewing my license?
A: Your CIPR registered email address must be up-to-date. Also check your “junk” and “spam” email folders and, if applicable, consult with your company’s IT department to ensure that email messages sent from the “abcouncil.ab.ca” domain address are allowed to be received through your company’s mail server.
Q: Where do I log on to renew my license?
A: The “Login” link is located right on the AIC home page.
Q: When I try to log in, why do I get a page that lists some browsers that are not supported?
A: Some content on the page you requested is not compatible with the browser you are using. Speak with your organization’s IT department for assistance to ensure you have the appropriate browser. You may also try a different computer such as your home computer, your mobile phone, or tablet.
Q: We are a business that holds a Restricted Certificate of Authority (auto dealership, travel agency, sales finance company, etc.). Why can’t I renew our license on-line?
A: If you are not the Designated Individual (“DI”) for the license, the Restricted Agent must change the DI by completing a new application appointing a new person to act as DI. The licensing requirements for Restricted Licenses are found in the For License Holders section of our web site.
Q: I am the assistant to an agent and I am trying to renew their license for them. Can you give me logon access so I can renew their license for them?
A: The information found under any profile is confidential. The Council will not share information with any third party that we are obligated to keep private.
Q: I need to add/update my E&O policy. How do I do that?
A: Information regarding E&O is found in the Help Section of our web site.
Q: I renewed my license on-line so why does it still show as “Pending?”
A: You may have answered “yes” to at least one of the renewal questions. The application(s) must be reviewed by a Licensing Officer and will be processed shortly. Please check your email as a Licensing Officer may have requested further information from you and/or check back within 2 business days.
Q: I have changed my employer/recommending insurance company. How can I edit these changes on my on-line renewal application(s)?
A: You may not “edit” your employer name or sponsoring insurer on your renewal application. These changes must be updated through a new online application that is approved by your new recommending insurer or the Designated Representative of your new agency/employer (as applicable). Do not complete your renewal application if you are making these changes.
Q: Our agency is replacing the current Designated Representative (‘D/R’) during license renewals (May 1 – June 30). How can we do that?
A: Your agency must 1) notify the AIC in writing that you are terminating (‘suspending’) the current D/R’s certificate(s) by emailing a signed letter (as a PDF) to terminations@abcouncil.ab.ca then 2) have a qualified individual submit an online application that is approved by the same recommending insurer that has sponsored the agency.
Q: We wish to change the sponsoring insurance company of our agency or change our agency name during renewals. Can we do that?
A: Yes, you can. However, the D/R and every agent of the agency will be required to complete a new online application that must be approved by the same insurer that will be sponsoring the agency.
- Starting May 1st, all agents of the agency must have their CE completed and reported under their profile before a certificate of authority can be issued.
- Do not complete the renewal application(s) if you are changing agency name or sponsoring insurer.
Q: I have changed my name. Can I renew my license in my new name?
A: No. You will need to:
- change your name under your profile on the CIPR web site,
- submit a new on-line application that is approved by your recommending insurance company or Designated Representative (as applicable), and
- provide supporting documentation showing evidence of your new name (e.g., copy of marriage certificate, driver’s license, passport, etc.). If you have already renewed your certificate on-line, we will require a $25 amendment fee per certificate.
Q: My previous license was terminated. How can I renew my license?
A: If you do not hold an active license, there is no certificate to renew. You must submit a new on-line application that is approved by your recommending insurance company or Designated Representative (as applicable), and submit it with the appropriate fee payment.
Q: How do I know that I have satisfied my CE requirement and how do I enter my courses?
A: You must log in to AIC and check your CE Summary Report. You are required to have completed 15 CE hours of approved courses each year in order to process the renewal of your license. All approved courses can be found in the CE Course Lookup Section on our website. Contact your course provider directly for assistance if you are unable to find a course. For help on how to enter your courses, check out the How To tutorial on “How to Add CE courses or view CE status.”
Q: I am a non-resident agent/adjuster. Do I have to satisfy CE requirements in Alberta to renew my license?
A: If you currently hold a license in your resident jurisdiction for the same class of insurance license that you hold in Alberta and if you have satisfied the CE requirement in your resident jurisdiction for which you are not exempt, you will have satisfied Alberta’s CE. You will be required to report your non-resident license number on the CE status page to receive the CE exemption. A list of jurisdictions that have been determined to have a satisfactory CE requirement is posted on the AIC web site. If your jurisdiction is not listed, then you must satisfy Alberta’s CE requirement of completing 15 hours of approved courses CE per year.
Q: I have renewed my license on-line. When will I receive a copy of my license?
A: You may print a copy of any active certificate that you hold by logging in to AIC, selecting the “Active Licenses” tile and choosing the certificate(s) that you wish to print to your local printer. If you are the Designated Representative of an agency/firm or if you are the Designated Individual of a restricted certificate of authority, you have access to the active certificates for the agency/firm. The Council does not mail out renewed certificates.
Q: If I do not renew my license on-line by June 30th, is there a grace period or can I pay a late penalty/filing fee?
A: There is no “grace period.” Once your certificate has expired automatically on June 30th, you are no longer authorized to act as an insurance agent/adjuster until a certificate has been issued. You will be required to submit a new on-line application that is approved by your recommending insurance company or Designated Representative (as applicable), and submit it with the appropriate fee payment.
Q: I just received my first license(s) earlier this year. Why do I have to pay again to renew my license(s)?
A: The expiry dates of certificates is set out in Regulation. All certificates issued prior to May 1st expire automatically by the upcoming June 30th and must be renewed prior to that date. Certificates issued on or after May 1st will expire on June 30th of the following year. If your first license was issued on April 1st, you will not be required to complete a CE requirement until you renew your certificate in the following year (click here for CE FAQs).