These Terms of Business set out the general terms under which our firm will provide General Insurance business services to you. It details the respective duties and responsibilities of both the firm and you in relation to such services.

Please ensure to read these terms thoroughly and if you have any queries, please contact us at the above address and we will be happy to clarify any questions you may have. If any material changes are made to these terms we will notify you, at the earliest opportunity.

We commit to providing you with an excellent and professional level of service. We believe in acting only in the best interests of our clients to ensure that a relationship as important and fundamental as ours is maintained for life.

Central Bank of Ireland Authorisation

Berns Brett Ireland Ltd T/A BBi Ireland is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland under the European Communities (Insurance Distribution ) Regulations, 2018. A copy of our Registration  is available on request; alternatively the Central Bank of Ireland holds registers of regulated firms which can be viewed on their website www.centralbank.ie. BBi Ireland is a branch of the Berns Brett Group (BBi) and is part of The BBi Group of Associated Companies.

Statutory Codes

Berns Brett Ireland Ltd T/A BBi Ireland is subject to and complies with the Consumer Protection Code, the Minimum Competency Code and the Fitness and Probity Standards. These Codes offer protection to consumers and can be found on the Central Bank of Ireland website www.centralbank.ie

Our Services

As Insurance Intermediaries we provide advice in relation to General Insurance products and services. We offer advice on a fair & personal analysis basis. This means that we offer products from a wide range of providers, are able to recommend the best product to meet your individual needs and, on receipt of your instructions,  will transmit orders on your behalf to one or more product producers (a list of such providers is available upon request).

We do not guarantee nor make representations in regard to, and expressly disclaim responsibility for the financial security of Insurance Companies and Product Producers with which we place business.  Berns Brett Ireland Ltd T/A BBi Ireland are members of Brokers Ireland.

General Insurance Services: Inception & Renewal

We provide advice in relation to the following general insurance products: Household, Motor, Commercial, Public Liability and Employers Liability. Depending on your instructions we can advise you in relation to the products of the Insurance Companies and Product Producers with whom we hold appointments and we will work on your behalf to negotiate competitive renewal terms on your insurance cover.

We will also offer assistance to you in relation to processing claims, on policies taken out through with our firm.  This assistance is provided either directly by our staff and/or with the assistance of an appointed loss assessor.

Important Notice: To ensure continuity of cover, where you have an existing policy which is due to expire and we have been unable to contact you, we may put continuing cover in force whilst awaiting your instruction. You will be liable for any premiums payable to the relevant insurer for the period of time between renewal and when we receive your instruction. You have the right not to avail of this service and should advise us accordingly.

Credit Finance

Berns Brett Ireland Ltd T/A BBi Ireland is subject to and complies with the Consumer Protection Code, the Minimum Competency Code and the Fitness and Probity Standards. These Codes offer protection to consumers and can be found on the Central Bank of Ireland website www.centralbank.ie

Conflicts of Interest

It is the policy of our firm to avoid conflicts of interest in providing you with insurance services. If this is not possible, we will notify you as soon as is practicable after we become aware of the conflict of interest and you may rest assured that you will be treated fairly where such a conflict is unavoidable.

Complaints

We have a written complaints procedure for the effective handling of all complaints. We will acknowledge receipt of your complaint in writing within 5 working days. A written update will be issued to you every 20 days by a nominated individual within our firm. A comprehensive response to your complaint will be issued within 8 weeks of receipt of your initial complaint. In the event of failure to resolve your complaint you may raise the matter with the Financial Services Ombudsman Bureau Lo Call: 1890 88 20 90 enquires@financialombudsman.ie or the Pension Ombudsman.

Our full Complaints Procedure is available on request.

Default

Our firm will exercise its legal rights to receive payments due to it from clients for insurance business services provided. In particular, without limitation of the generality of the foregoing, the firm will seek reimbursement for all payments made to insurers on behalf of clients where the firm has acted in good faith in renewing a policy of insurance for the client. Insurers and other product producers may withdraw benefits or cover in the event of default on payments due under policies of insurance or other products arranged for you. We would refer you to policy documents or product terms for the details of such provisions.

Disclosure of Information

It is your responsibility to provide complete and accurate information for Insurers when arranging an insurance policy and/or where a Statement of Fact is completed on your behalf. Failure to disclose any material information to your insurers could invalidate your insurance cover; all/or part of the claim may not be paid.

Premium Handling and Receipts

When receiving and transmitting orders in relation to insurance policies Berns Brett Ireland Ltd T/A BBi Ireland may accept payment from clients payable to itself where an insurance undertaking has invited renewal of a policy of insurance, or the proposal for insurance has been accepted by an insurance undertaking. A Section 30 receipt is issued for all monies received.

Data Protection

We are subject to the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation 2018 and the Irish Data Protection Act 2018.

Berns Brett Ireland Ltd is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We wish to be transparent on how we process your data and show you that we are accountable with the GDPR in relation to not only processing your data but ensuring you understand your rights as a client.

The data will be processed only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given and as outlined in our Data Privacy Notice.

We will ensure that this Privacy Notice is easily accessible. Please refer to our website www.bbiireland.ie If this medium is not suitable we will ensure you can easily receive a copy by hard copy.

Please contact us at enquiries@bbiireland.ie if you have any concerns about your personal data.

Investor Compensation Scheme

We are members of the Investor Compensation Scheme established under Section 38 of the Investor Compensation Act 1998. The Act provides that compensation shall be paid to eligible investors (as defined in the Act) to the extent of 90% of an investor’s net loss or €20,000, whichever is the lesser and is recognised as being eligible for compensation.

Schedule of Fees and Charges

Berns Brett Ireland Ltd T/A BBi Ireland may be remunerated by the Insurance Companies and Product Producers to whom orders are transmitted for new business, on renewal of existing business and/or based on the levels of business introduced; remuneration details are available on request.

Commercial Ireland – current
Date effective Jan-24

New Business or Renewal Placement €60
Mid-term Adjustment €30
Cancellation €30
Maximum aggregated administration fees chargeable per annum €300

Consumer Ireland – current
Date effective Jan-24

New Business / Renewal Placement – under £1,500 (excl IPT) €60
New Business / Renewal Placement – over £1,500 (excl IPT) € 60
Mid-term Adjustment €30
Cancellation €30
Maximum aggregated administration fees chargeable per annum €300

Brokers Ireland

We are also members of the Irish Brokers Association (IBA) Compensation Fund. Subject to the rules of the scheme the liabilities of its members firms up to a maximum of €100,000 per client (or €250,000 in aggregate) may be discharged by the fund on its behalf if the member firm is unable to do so, where the above detailed Investor Compensation Scheme has failed to adequately compensate any client of the member. Further details are available on request.

Commission Summary Document

FEES FOR RESEARCH AND PLACEMENT OF BUSINESS

Remuneration & Administration Fees

Berns Brett Ireland Ltd t/a BBi Ireland act as intermediary (Broker) between the consumer, and the product provider with whom we place their business. BBi Ireland is usually remunerated by way of commission and other payments from product producers on the completion of business. Details of these commissions are set out below.

The Background Pursuant to provision 4.58A of the Central Bank of Ireland’s September 2019 Addendum to the Consumer Protection Code, all intermediaries, must make available in their public offices, or on their website if they have one, a summary of the details of all arrangements for any fee, commission, other reward or remuneration provided to the intermediary which it has agreed with its product producers.

What is Remuneration? Remuneration is the payment earned by the intermediary for work undertaken on behalf of both the provider and the consumer. The amount of remuneration is generally directly related to the value of the products sold.

What is Commission? Commission is payment that may be earned by an intermediary for work undertaken for both provider and consumer.

There are different types of remuneration and different commission models:

• Single commission model: where payment is made to the intermediary shortly after the sale is completed and is based on a percentage of the premium paid.
• Renewal commission model: Further payments at intervals are paid throughout the life span of the Policy.

General Insurance Products General insurance products, such as motor, home, travel, health, retail or liability insurance, are typically subject to a single or standard commission model, based on the amount of premium charged for the insurance product.

Partnership Arrangements In some cases, BBi Ireland may be a party to a partnership arrangement with a product provider and will earn additional commission. Any business arranged with these product providers on a client’s behalf will be placed with the product provider because that product provider is at the time of placement, the most suitable to meet the client’s requirements, taking all the client’s relevant information, demands and needs into account.

Credit Products Commission may be earned by intermediaries for arranging credit for consumers, such as Premium Finance. Where a credit agreement is put in place, we may earn commission of up to 5% of the premium amount financed.

Fees We also charge a professional administration fee (our Administration fee) for services provided. Our Administration fee is deemed earned at inception/renewal/mid-term amendment/cancellation of a policy and is therefore non-refundable in respect of non-life insurance products and services.