Online Reputation Management and Rebating

[Justin Bilyj]

Hello fellow agents and brokers,
If someone had a free client service for web/mobile design, online reputation management and sem would this be considered rebating?

So whoever is a client of this broker (has bought atleast two types of insurance or one type and given referrals; definition of a client in this case) has availability to this free client service. Im pretty sure I just repeated repeated myself

Anyways, what do you think?

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Only per my old contact at the MD DOI - since rebating laws are state specific, anything that exceeds $25 in value that is contingent on the sale:

"If you buy a life policy from me when you get a free website" = rebating in MD if the value of the site exceeds $25.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

So you could do this for referral gatgering but you cant give this away as a free service to your clients? Would there be an appropriate amount of time between buying a policy and giving them this? That seems pretty shitty, any other type of industry can have lavish client appteciatiin events or services but we cant?!

 

[Crabcake Johnny]

Again, only from what I know in MD - so long as it's not contingent on the sale you're fine.

I'd confirm any of this with your DOI. A client appreciation event isn't contingent on any sale. Some of it could be splitting hairs:

A) Sell a policy, then two months later they're invited to your insane client appreciation buffet.
B) Tell the client before the sale "Oh, and if you buy today you get invited to my fantastic client buffet."

 

[Justin Bilyj]

I found this, does this exclude life insurance!?

933.01 Prohibition against rebates and advantages in policies. No corporation, association, or partnership engaged in this state in the guaranty, bonding, surety, or insurance business, other than life insurance, nor any officer, agent solicitor, employee, or representative thereof, shall pay, allow, or give, or offer to pay, allow, or give, directly or indirectly, as inducements to insurance, and no person shall knowingly receive as an inducement to insurance, any rebate of premium payable on the policy, or any special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits to accrue thereon, or any paid employment or contract for services of any kind, or any specia advantage in the date of the policy or date of its issue, or any valuable consideration or nducement not plainly specified in the policy or contract of insurance or agreement of indemnity, or give, receive, sell, or purchase, or offer to give, receive, sell, or purchase, as inducements to insurance or in connection therewith, any stock, bonds, or other obligations of an insurance company or other corporation, association, partnership, or individual. ndemnity, or give, receive, sell, or purchase, or offer to give, receive, sell, or purchase, as nducements to insurance or in co