Welcome to the IFB Website! We are an Association exclusively devoted to the independent financial services advisor. For over 20 years, IFB has proudly represented such advisors by ensuring government, regulators and other industry participants understand their unique needs and the unique contribution that independent brokers make to consumers in planning for their financial future in communities across Canada.

The majority of our members are licensed to provide advice and products related to life/health insurance and mutual funds. Many hold licenses permitting them to offer other financial products like securities, property & casualty insurance, mortgages, etc. What they all share is a belief that their clients are best served by a professional advisor who has access to a variety of financial products from different suppliers.

IFB provides these independent business men and women a united voice. Independent advisors are under pressure stemming from increasingly complex regulation which takes time away from your business and adds to the cost of compliance. To reduce this burden IFB advocates and lobbies on your behalf with all levels of government and various regulatory authorities, as well as offering member-only compliance assistance.

We support our members by providing affordable errors and omissions insurance which meets each provincial standard. In addition, we provide continuing education opportunities several times a year, at various locations in Canada, led by top speakers in their fields. Our members enjoy a substantial discount when attending such sessions.

IFB Toronto Fall Summit

The IFB Toronto Fall Summit will take place on Tuesday November 4, 2008 and Wednesday November 5, 2008 at the Toronto Congress Centre. Click here for more information.

Alberta Fall Summit

The IFB Alberta Fall Summit will take place on Tues. Nov. 25, 2008 at the Coast Plaza Hotel, Calgary. Click here for more information.

BC Fall Summit date is now confirmed!

The IFB BC Fall Summit will take place on Wed. Dec. 3, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Vancouver. Click here for more information.

One of the best Errors and Omissions Rates in the Market!

IFB and its plan broker, The Magnes Group, have worked hard over to put together a plan that is the best available for independent brokers. IFB has teamed up with Echelon General Insurance Company -- the underwriters of the IFB Corporate Coverage Solution -- to create a program that features enhanced coverage at the same low rates that members enjoyed last year - and, in some cases, for even less!

Click here for more information on the 2008-2009 rates.

Switching your E&O Coverage

Click here if you are thinking of switching your E&O coverage.

Great news for small to mid-sized Corporations: Introducing the IFB Corporate Coverage Solution!

IFB has long been aware of the need to find a solution for those caught in the gap between regulatory requirement and fiscal reality, and has worked with its broker, The Magnes Group of Oakville, Ontario, to develop a Corporate E&O program that will provide high quality coverage for insurance agencies at a price that is commensurate with the size of the corporate entity. The newly launched Corporate Coverage Solution is underwritten by Echelon General Insurance Company and offers premiums starting at only $500, with limits up to $2 million!

Click here to find out more.

Click here to download the IFB Press Release on the Corporate Coverage Solution.

Regulatory Affairs:
One of the important functions of IFB is to represent our members’ viewpoints and concerns to various government, regulatory bodies and other industry stakeholders to ensure they understand the potential impact of change on their practices and the clients they serve. IFB provides a unified voice to a community of self-employed, individual business people that might not otherwise be heard.

The burden and complexity of compliance is increasing, making it ever more difficult for individual brokers without a connection like IFB to be aware of and understand the potential impacts of such changes and reduce exposure to regulatory scrutiny. Our templates and practice tools are developed with the independent broker in mind – as is our quarterly newsletter, “The Independent”.

National Do Not Call Registry Launched!

Effective September 30,2008 the National Do Not Call registry was launched.
Financial advisors are not exempt from these rules. Click here for more!

We invite you to read our Position Papers. Click here

If you are already a Member, you will find further regulatory tools and information in the Member Only Section of this website.