Rules and Regulations
IILA Rules and Regulations
Regulation 1
Aims and Purpose
To provide a forum for fostering good relations and an exchange of ideas between the world’s senior loss adjusting professionals.
Regulation 2
Qualifications for Membership
There will be Seven (7) Membership classifications:
1. Full Members
2. Honorary Members
3. Life Members
4. Associate Members
5. Affiliated Members
6. Spousal Membership
7. Friends of the Institute
1. Full Members
a. Full Members must be engaged in the independent insurance loss adjustment profession on a full time basis and be qualified to operate within the market/s they operate. Their principal time in the profession must be spent in the administration of adjustments and/or adjustment of property insurance claims. Full Members must have a minimum of ten (10) years active property loss adjustment experience. A Full Member’s principal and/or branch office, must not be associated with any of the following business ventures if such association is an apparent conflict with the aims of this Institute or the Member’s property loss adjustment business, subject otherwise to the discretion of the Board of Directors:
an insurance agency;
an insurance brokerage firm;
a general insurance agency;
an insurance company or group of companies;
a manager for an insurance company or group of companies;
an attorney or firm of attorneys;
a public adjuster;
a salvor; or
a contractor, or any person or firm which provides material, labour or equipment for the repair or replacements associated with insurance losses.
The Board of Directors will be the ultimate authority in determining whether or not such association or associations is/are in apparent conflict with this Institute’s Aims or purpose or, the Member’s property loss adjustment business.
b. No more than seven (7) Full Members employed by any one entity will be eligible for membership of the IILA at any one time.
c. There will be a limit of 300 Full Members of the Institute at any one time.
d. Having regard for Sub Section (c), it is the philosophical intent of this Institute to develop a broad international Membership base. The Institute will attempt to fulfil this goal by limiting the number of Full Memberships from North American countries to not more than seventy percent (70%) of the Full Members Limit.
e. Full Members will be able to participate in and cast their vote at all meetings of the Institute and will be required to pay Dues as prescribed by the Board.
2. Honorary Members
The Board of Directors may confer Honorary Memberships from time to time to individuals they deem worthy of this recognition. Honorary Members will not have any voting privileges, nor will they be required to pay Dues.
3. Life Members
Any Full Member who retires may be granted Life Membership upon his or her request to the Board of Directors. He or she will continue to have all the rights and privileges of a Full Member. Retirement, for the purpose of this Section will mean that the said Member is no longer employed in the insurance industry other than in a consulting capacity which is not contrary to any of the Qualifications for Membership as set out in Regulation 2 of these Rules and Regulations. Life Members will not be required to pay Dues.
4. Associate Members
Associate Membership is reserved for former Full Members who have ceased permanent employment as property loss adjusters, but remain associated with the property loss adjustment profession.In considering their Membership Status, the Membership Committee will be required to satisfy themselves as to the nature and extent of the Member’s continuing engagement with the profession, and ensure that their ongoing association does not violate the nine dot-pointed items in Regulation 2 (1) (a).
Associate members will be listed on the Institute’s website, as Associate Members, and will be required to pay annual Dues. They will not, however, be eligible to vote. Associate Membership will be limited to 10% of the total number of Full members.
5. Affiliate Members
a. Purpose: The purpose of this Membership Classification is to enable independent property adjusters who do not qualify for Full Membership to participate and enjoy the educational, professional and social benefits of the IILA. Such Members will have an opportunity to experience a close contact with the IILA so as to better appreciate the advantage of becoming a Full Member when they obtain the necessary qualifications to do so.
b. Qualifications:
An applicant for Affiliate Membership must:
1. be working as an independent property adjuster, or be self-employed or employed by an eligible independent adjusting firm;
2. be of good moral and ethical standing in the community;
3. be sponsored by a Full or Life Member; and 4. complete the proper application form and be accepted by the Board of Directors.
c. The total number of Affiliated Members shall not be greater than 35% of Full and Life Members.
d. Affiliate Members Benefits and Restrictions:
Each Affiliate Member will:
1. receive all IILA mailings sent to Full and Life Members;
2. be able to attend all Institute meetings upon proper registration;
3. not be eligible to vote or hold an office;
4. pay Dues as set by the Board of Directors; and
5. be eligible for Full Membership when they attain the qualifications as set out in the Rules and Regulation.
When they become so eligible, they must notify the Membership Chairman who will attend to all the necessary documentation before then submitting an updated Application for Full Membership to the Board of Directors. The Affiliate Member’s Application for Full Membership will be determined in accordance with the usual criteria. If an Affiliate Member fails to apply for Full Membership when eligible, and fails to respond to a formal notice of intent to cancel Membership issued by the Secretary, their Membership will be terminated immediately.
6. Spousal Members
The spouse of a Full or Life Member, who is deceased, upon contact by the Board of Directors, may decide to become a Spousal Member.
A Spousal Member will:
1. Receive all IILA mailings, as sent to Full and Life Members;
2. Be able to attend all Institute meetings upon proper registration;
3. Not be eligible to vote or hold office; and
4. Will not be required to pay Dues.
7. Friends of the Institute
The Board of Directors by a three-fourths majority vote of the entire Board may invite a person whom they have determined to be a friend and helper to become a Friend of the Institute. A Friend of the Institute may attend all conferences at his or her expense, be entitled to receive Institute Notices, may attend business sessions and comment from the floor on any issue being discussed, and be listed in the Directory. A Friend of the Institute will also be required to pay Dues. A Friend of the Institute will not have voting privileges, and will not be eligible for any Officers’ positions or as a Member of the Board of Directors.
New Membership Procedures
Membership will be by invitation by the Institute in the following prescribed manner:
Any Full Member may propose a candidate by submitting a completed Application Form to the Membership Committee Chairman. The Membership Committee will firstly check the Application and make such enquiries as it sees fit to ensure that all aspects of the Application have been properly checked and/or completed, before preparing a report for consideration by the Board of Directors.
The Applicant will be accepted for the appropriate Membership Category of the Institute upon the unanimous vote of the Board of Directors.
Membership Grievance Procedures
A complaint against a Member must be submitted in writing, addressed for the attention of the President, fully stating the circumstances surrounding the matter. On receipt of the complaint, the President will immediately refer the matter to the Chairman of the Grievance Committee for review.
If, after review by the Grievance Committee at their next scheduled meeting, the majority view is that the matter might possibly justify disciplinary action, the Member against whom the complaint has been made will be formally notified of the allegations.
The Member will be offered an opportunity for either a personal hearing with the Grievance Committee or the option to provide a full written response within 30 days. Upon consideration of the evidence presented at the hearing or by way of written submission, the Grievance Committee will determine its recommendation and provide the Board of Directors with their findings.
The Board of Directors will approve, modify or overrule the findings of the Grievance Committee by way of a majority vote and the decision of the Board of Directors will be final. The Member will be informed of the Board’s decision immediately.
Membership Dues
Each year, the Board of Directors will determine the amount of Dues to be paid by all Dues paying Members. Any Member whose Dues are in arrears in excess of ninety (90) days, may be automatically dropped from Membership unless the Board of Directors is satisfied there is sufficient reason for such delinquency and that the arrears will be met.
Regulation 3
Code of Ethics
An Insurance Loss Adjuster must never forget his professional status or disregard his obligation towards:
The profession;
The Insurance industry in general;
The insuring public; and
His fellow adjusters and colleagues.
He must maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct and professional practice at all times.
An Insurance Loss Adjuster must avoid financial interests in any business operated by Insurance Brokers, Agent, Underwriter, Public Adjuster, Attorney, Salvor or any other business concerned with repairs or replacements or in the processing or settlement of insurance losses, nor should an Insurance Loss Adjuster permit Insurance Brokers, Company Officials, Underwriters, Public Adjusters, Attorneys’, Salvors’ or any business concerned with repairs or replacements in the processing or settlement of insurance losses to have a financial interest in his/her business. The Insurance Adjuster may not use his status to attract business for personal financial gain in a different line of business.
The Insurance Adjuster may not handle the proceeds of salvage to his own profit or interest. In the case of sales by private tender, the tenders should be disclosed to the Insurers.
Irregular sales of Salvage should be expressly authorized by the interested parties for whom the adjuster acts. An Insurance Adjuster may not offer employment to a member of another adjusting firm without the knowledge and consent of the current employer. Improper solicitation of business is not permitted.
Regulation 4
Meetings
“Robert’s Rules of Order” shall be the sole authority in all matters of meeting procedure.
Regulation 5
Voting
(a) At all meetings, except for the election of officers, all votes shall be via voice. For contested election of officers, ballots shall be provided and there shall not appear any place on such ballot any mark or marking that might tend to indicate the person who cast such ballot. At any regular or special meeting, if a majority so requires, any question may be voted upon by secret ballot.
(b) Each full and life member shall have one vote.
(c) The President may vote on any matter only to break a deadlock vote.
(d) At all meetings of members of the corporation, every question shall be determined by majority of votes unless otherwise specifically provided by the Canada Corporations Act or by the Bylaws of the Institute.
(e) A member may appoint as his proxy any other member to vote at any annual or special general meeting.
Regulation 6
Agenda
The following will constitute the standard Agenda for all meetings, but may be added to as appropriate at any time:
1. Roll Call
2. Announcement of Quorum
3. Reading of the Minutes of the preceding meeting
4. Reports of Committee
5. Reports of Officers
6. Old and unfinished business
7. New business
8. Adjournment
Regulation 7
Committees
The nominating committee will comprise the President, the Immediate Past President and the Director at Large. The President will determine the composition of all other committees, and will also appoint their respective Chairman. Their terms of office will run from the annual meeting to the next annual meeting, unless revoked earlier by the Board of Directors or the President.
The permanent committees will be as follows:
1. Membership
2. Liaison
3. Nominating
4. Finance
5. Constitution and Legislative
6. Grievance
7. Publication and Publicity
8. Disaster
9. Convention
Regulation 8
Vice President Duties
In the event of the absence or inability of the President to exercise his or her office, the First Vice President will become the acting President of the Association, with all rights, privileges and powers vested in the duly elected President.
Regional Vice Presidents
The Regional Vice Presidents are voted to represent the members in their respective Regions.
Their duties will be as follows:
1. To promote membership of the IILA within their Region.
2. To assist the Treasurer and any other Member of the Board of Directors in the collection of dues in arrears from any Member within their Region.
3. To contact Members within their Region to encourage their participation in regular annual meetings.
4. To maintain liaison with the Board of Directors with regard to the insurance industry within their respective Regions in respect of:
(a) Market and business developments;
(b) Disasters and how they are assisted by the adjustment industry;
(c) Changes in insurance law affecting the industry;
(d) Business mergers which would have any effect on the insurance industry;
(e) Any other developments within the insurance industry which would be of interest to the members of the IILA.
5. To assist the Membership Committee as necessary in relation to Applications for Membership from individuals who reside within their Region. The Institute’s Treasurer will reimburse the Regional Vice Presidents for reasonable out of pocket expenses for communication expenses upon request.
Regulation 9
Director At Large
The International Institute of Loss Adjusters Board of Directors has traditionally consisted of the Executive Officers, plus the Immediate Past President.
There will be an additional available Directorship at Large position on the Board of Directors to be filled on a yearly basis at the discretion of the Board of Directors. A person must be a Full Member in order to be eligible for the position of Director at Large. The Director at Large will have all of the privileges, voting and otherwise, as possessed by all other Directors.
These Rules and Regulations have been approved and adopted by the Board of Directors effective November 15th, 2017.