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The Report on comparison websites outlines good practices concerning online comparisons of insurance products. The good practices address primarily the activities of commercial comparison websites; however, also non-commercial websites’ operators are equally encouraged to check whether their practices are in line with the good practices identified, and to adapt them accordingly, if needed. The good practices concern the following areas:
Furthermore, the Report also identifies main features and different business models of comparison websites. The objective of the Report is to promote transparency, simplicity and fairness for Internet users in the market for online comparisons of insurance products.
The Report on knowledge & ability sets out good supervisory practices in the form of high-level principles that competent authorities would apply to all distributors of insurance products. These are supplemented by indicative examples of what a competent authority could require a distributor to demonstrate in terms of knowledge and ability, thus allowing for flexibility to adopt a proportionate approach at national level. For example, the report promotes not only appropriate knowledge and ability for distributors, but also the demonstration of ethical and professional conduct at all times and suggests a minimum level of continuous professional development (CPD).
The objective of the Report is to promote common supervisory approaches in an area where diverse national approaches have arisen out of the implementation of IMD1.
The public consultation on the two Good Practices reports will end on 23 September, 2013.
Gabriel Bernardino, Chairman of EIOPA, said: “With these two Good Practices Reports, we are addressing two very topical and important issues for consumers and industry alike. With these Good Practices Reports, EIOPA takes another step towards enhancing transparency, simplicity and fairness for consumers and fostering greater supervisory convergence. We want to make sure that we have struck the right chord in both these areas and therefore, we are particularly interested in receiving input during this public consultation”.
Consultation Paper on Draft Report on Good Practices on Comparison Websites