We use cookies to give you the best possible online experience. See our cookie policy for more information on how we use cookies and how you can manage them. If you continue to use this website, you are consenting to our policy and for your web browser to receive cookies from our website.
What is IDD?
IDD is a new European directive which aims to improve customer protection, competition and provide consistent standards across Europe for the distribution of insurance. Insurers and insurance intermediaries in Europe will be required to comply with the requirements of IDD.
Key areas of IDD include:
- Ensuring that staff involved in the distribution of insurance are of good repute and have appropriate knowledge and ability (including the introduction of minimum continuing professional development for such staff).
- Raising the conducts standards applicable to and transparency of the sale of insurance with increased disclosures (e.g. in relation to staff & intermediary remuneration), provision of information and focus on the management of conflicts.
- Reinforcing governance and oversight of products throughout their lifecycle.
- Ensuring product information is appropriate and comprehensible for its target market.
A fundamental principle of IDD is always acting honestly, fairly and professionally in accordance with the best interests of customers, a message which we fully support and echo through our Aetna Values.
When?
The UK is required to transpose the requirements of IDD into UK law by 1 July 2018 with the requirements due to come into force from 1 October 2018.
What does this mean for you?
IDD will impact our European regulated entitles (Aetna Insurance Company Limited (AICL), Aetna Global Benefits (UK) Limited and Aetna Global Benefits (Europe) Limited and Aetna Health Insurance Company of Europe (AHICE) and the business distributed in Europe by them. We are currently identifying and working on the changes that will need to be made to our current customer arrangements and distribution processes with a view to complying before 1 October 2018. The changes will focus on putting our customer’s needs first and ensuring our customers are able to make knowledgeable and informed decisions when selecting insurance with us.
An important development from IDD is the introduction of a new Insurance Product Information Document (IPID), which we are currently developing for AICL’s individual products. The IPID is a standardised document that provides a short summary of the insurance product, focusing on key information such as what is insured, what is not insured and customer obligations. This document will be provided prior to the purchase of the insurance and its standardised format is intended to assist consumers to make easy comparison of product types and providers. We will also be working on the documentation for AICL’s group products to ensure that the new insurance product information requirements are met and provided in an appropriate and comprehensible form.
Our aim for IDD
We aim to use this regulatory change as an opportunity to further embed a transparent and customer first culture.
