Effective June 01, 2003, the Insurance Council of British Columbia has implemented a requirement that criminal record checks must accompany first applications for licensing. The criminal record check provided to Council must be dated within 90 days of the date Council receives the license application or it will be considered stale-dated; in which case a current criminal record check will be required before the application will be considered. All costs associated with obtaining a criminal record check are the responsibility of the applicant.
Who Must Provide a Criminal Record Check:
Criminal record checks must accompany first applications for licensing (resident and non-resident) that are received by Council on or after June 1, 2003. The requirement to provide verification of a criminal record applies to individuals seeking a life insurance license, where:
The person has never held a license with Council; or
The person has not held a life license with Council within the past 5 years.
How to Apply for a Criminal Record Check:
Vancouver Residents:
Vancouver residents must attend the Vancouver police department in person and bring the “Request and Consent for Record Search and Disclosure” form, along with 2 pieces of identification that have your signature with at least one being photo-ID. You must also bring a postage paid envelope addressed to the Insurance Council of BC: Suite 300-1040 West Georgia Street, PO Box 7, Vancouver, BC V6E 4H1. The Vancouver police department will not provide you with the criminal record check but will forward it to Council’s office. The current cost for this service is $50.00 (cash only).
Residents of the Lower Mainland Other than Vancouver:
A listing of police agencies serving the Lower Mainland, excluding Vancouver is provided in the information package for first application for a license. Contact the agency that serves the area where you reside in advance of your visit to confirm cost of service and hours of operation.
A letter is included in the information package for first application for a license, confirming that Council requires this check to be completed for the purposes of licensing. Take this letter with you, as it is required by most police agencies in order to process your request.
If the police agency serving your area will only provide the criminal record check directly to Council, you may be required to provide a postage paid envelope addressed to the Insurance Council of BC: Suite 300-1040 West Georgia Street, PO Box 7, Vancouver, BC V6E 4H1.
Residents Outside the Lower Mainland:
Contact your local RCMP or police department in advance of your visit to determine the processing requirements, cost of the service and hours of operation.
A letter is included in the information package for first application for a license, confirming that Council requires this check to be completed for the purposes of licensing. Take this letter with you, as it is required by most police agencies in order to process your request.
If the police agency serving your area will only provide the criminal record check directly to Council, you may be required to provide a postage paid envelope addressed to the Insurance Council of BC: Suite 300-1040 West Georgia Street, PO Box 7, Vancouver, BC V6E 4H1.
Non-Residents
See above section, on Residents Outside the Lower Mainland.
What to Submit with your Application Form:
If the police have provided you with the result from your criminal record, then attach the original document.
Note: If you reside in a jurisdiction that forwards a completed check directly to Council, include a written statement with your license application confirming you have completed the request for your criminal record, the date you requested the check, the police detachment it was requested from, and that it is being forwarded directly to Council. If the police agency advised you of the expected turnaround time, then please confirm this as well.
If you have been convicted of a criminal offence you are required to include a copy of your full criminal record using the same procedures as above, including with your license application, a written submission for each conviction outlining the:
- Date of the incident;
- Actual charge;
- Sentence imposed; and,
- Events leading up to the charge.
Note: Neither submission of a criminal record check nor submission of a copy of your criminal record exempts you from this requirement.
If you have any outstanding criminal charges, you must disclose these on your applicationalong with the same written submission as outlined above.
Fax-on-Demand System
Information on submitting a first application for a license, including Form 2 Application for First License and instructions on how to complete the forms, is available through Council’s Fax-on-Demand system. Please request document number 32 for life applicants. Below are the instructions for using this system:
When you hear the automated attendant after calling the Insurance Council of B.C. office at (604) 688-0321 – press 1 and then 1 again and 1 a third time. At this point the auto-attendant asks you to enter your fax number* followed by the # key.
*If your fax number is long distance, you must include 1 and the area code. That means that you enter a total of four 1’s before the area code and phone number. ex. 11112505551234#. Then follow the auto-attendant’s instructions.