Licence check
Licence check & red-flag scripts
How to use the IA public register, plus red flags: remote signing, rebates, illustration-cap-only talk, no FNA, “stops today,” private premium collection. We do not pitch our own licence number.
Licence checks are your right—not distrust. If verification fails, stop signing and paying. Complements interview prep and the compliance checklist.
Insurance Authority (IA) official site →
Licence check card (beside IA register)
After opening the IA register, tick each row; any fail = stop signing and paying.
- 01Status active (not suspended / revoked)
- 02Business class covers long-term life (or the class you are discussing)
- 03Appointing principal is agent / broker / firm and matches the card
- 04Licence number matches card / WeChat signature exactly
- 05Refuse to show licence or register → stop immediately
IA register steps
01
Open the IA public register
Use the live “licensed insurance intermediaries” register on ia.org.hk (URLs change—search the current link).
02
Copy their full name and licence number
Ask for physical or digital licence proof; refusal = red flag.
03
Match status, class and appointing firm
Number valid, licence class matches the long-term/general business you are discussing, appointing firm name matches.
04
Save a register screenshot onto your signing-day card
If the policy becomes “orphaned” or a stranger takes over, you can re-check who was licensed then.
Red-flag table
| Flag | Why | Do instead |
|---|---|---|
| Remote signing / onshore QR “we’ll handle it” | Long-term sales and papers generally must finish in Hong Kong—or you risk an underground policy. | Reschedule for in-person HK signing; see compliance checklist. |
| Rebate / kickback / “share the referral fee” | High conflict and compliance risk; this education site will not help design rebates. | Refuse; accept only lawfully disclosed firm remuneration explanations. |
| Only quoting illustration caps / “almost guaranteed” | Illustration caps are regulatory discipline—not contractual guaranteed returns. | Demand guaranteed vs non-guaranteed columns and fulfillment-rate portals. |
| No written FNA / suitability papers | Suitability should leave a paper trail—“it’s suitable” verbally cannot be audited. | Request FNA / important-facts copies; draft first with our self-study template. |
| “Stops today / last train” urgency | Compresses calm review and co-reading time. | Ask for a written validity window; take papers home. |
| Premiums to private WeChat / personal accounts | Payees should be licensed institutional paths; private collection is a major red flag. | Official payment instructions and institutional receipts only. |
Interview prep pack → · Compliance checklist → · FNA self-study →