Best Interest Standards

  • 2023 0520 - Letter - Barry Flagg / Veralytic to Finseca - 2p
    • I regret to have to resign from Finseca … again, for the following reasons.
      • California Best Interest Rule for insurance products (i.e., CA SB 264). 
      • Lobbying against Client’s Best Interest rules is lobbying for preservation of current NAIC-based regulations that permit agents, brokers and insurers to “quote” low premiums while charging HIGH costs withOUT disclosing either those HIGH costs nor the HIGHer risks of future “premium calls” for more than the originally “quoted” premium or total loss due to policy lapse even when all originally “quoted” premiums were paid.
      • Such “bait-and-switch” sales and marketing practices foster DIS-trust blocking financial security for all, and continue to divide the financial security profession.
      • This current regulatory regime creates an environment where the reckless get rewarded and the prudent get punished.
      • I likewise believe Client’s Best Interests rules for life insurance are BOTH needed to protect consumers against “bait-and-switch” sales and marketing practices AND will lead to sales growth.
      • Insurance products are the last, largest, most-neglected and worst-performing assets on client’s balance sheets (e.g., WSJ: Universal Life Insurance, a 1980s Sensation, Has Backfired - [link-f]). - [Bonk: by Leslie Scism]
      • Client’s Best Interest rules harmonize the operating principles necessary to enable more financial advisors to have more conversations like this with more customers, resulting in BOTH greater financial security for all AND growth in sales.