TERMS OF BUSINESS

These Terms of Business applicable from 07/09/2020 and set out the general terms under which we will provide business services to you and the respective duties and responsibilities of both ourselves and you in relation to such services. Please ensure that you read these terms thoroughly and if you have any queries, we will be happy to clarify them. If any material changes are made to these terms, we will notify you.

Authorisation and Codes of Conduct

Rockbridge Financial Planning is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. Our authorisation can be checked on the Central Bank of Ireland registers website at www.centralbank.ie or by calling them on 1890 777 777 to verify our credentials. Our reference code is C55205. We are also subject to the Consumer Protection Code, Minimum Competency Code and Fitness & Probity Standards which offer protection to consumers. These Codes can also be found on the Central Bank’s website.

Our Services

We are an Insurance and Investment Intermediary. Our principal business is to provide advice and arrange transactions on behalf of our clients in relation to life, pensions & investments. We are not under a contractual obligation to conduct Insurance distribution business exclusively with one or more Insurance Undertakings and do not give advice on the basis of a fair and personal analysis, we do however provide advice from the selection of products provided by the Companies we have agencies with.  We recommend the product that, in our professional opinion, is best suited to your needs and objectives from this selection of products.

As part of the process when giving our clients advice on Investments we will need to gather information with regards your investment knowledge and experience, if this information is not provided, we will not be in a position to determine whether the product is appropriate for you.

For a full list of product producers’ agencies see below;

Disclosure of information

We act as your representative to the companies we have agencies with and we will provide assistance to you for any queries you may have in relation to the policies or in the event of a claim during the life of the policies and we will explain to you the various restrictions, conditions and exclusions attached to your policy. However, it is your responsibility to read the policy documents, literature and brochures to ensure that you understand the nature of the policy cover. Material information about medical history, non-smoker status, occupation category and any hazardous pursuits etc. are central to underwriting decisions and it is imperative that all information you provide to the insurer and ourselves is accurate and complete.

You are under a duty to answer all questions posed by the insurer or ourselves on your behalf, honestly and with reasonable care. It is presumed, unless the contrary is shown, that you would know all questions in an application or at renewal are material to the risk undertaken by the insurer or the calculation of the premium by that insurer, or both.

Any failure to disclose information may invalidate a claim and render your policy void. You must inform and disclose any and all information including any changes that might take place between the time you complete an application form and the time your pay the first premium. To assist us in providing you with a comprehensive service and to keep our records as up-to date as soon as possible, please notify us of any changes to your personal circumstances, e.g. name change, change of address, etc.

Sustainable Investing

We will consider adverse impacts of investment decisions on sustainability factors in our investment and insurance-based Investment advice. We will gather your preferences of Sustainable Investing and build them into our Statement of Suitability for you. Ultimately, it is the Product Producers we have agencies with that build the Investment Products we advise on, and it will be their documentation we are relying on when advising you on Sustainable investments. All information in relation to Sustainable Finance Disclosures will be adhered to by the Product Producers and their brochures and documents will outline their disclosures.

Remuneration

Rockbridge Financial Planning is remunerated by commission and other payments from product producers on the completion of your business. You may choose to pay in full for our services by way of a fee.

Where we receive recurring commission, this forms part of the remuneration for ongoing advice with regards to the business we advise you on and we will provide you with an annual update on your Investment business. We reserve the right to charge additional fees if the number of hours relating to on-going advice /assistance exceeds 3 hrs.

If we receive commission from a product provider, this will be offset against the fee which we will charge you. Where the commission is greater than the fee due, the commission will become the amount payable to us unless an arrangement to the contrary is made.

If by investing in sustainable investment products there are any differences in charges etc., we will advise you of this in advance of advising you on your investment.

Additional fees may be payable for complex cases or to reflect value, specialist skills or urgency. We will give an estimate of this rate in advance of providing you with services.

Regular reviews

It is in your best interests that you review, on a regular basis, the products which we have arranged for you. As your circumstances change, your needs will change. Please advise us of those changes and request a review of the relevant policy so that we can ensure that you are provided with up to date advice and products best suited to your needs.

Conflicts of interest

It is the policy of Rockbridge Financial Planning to avoid conflicts of interest in providing services to you. However, where an unavoidable conflict of interest arises, we will advise you of this in writing before providing you with any service. As per above we receive commission from the lenders and companies we have agencies with for the business you transact.

Default on Payments by Clients

We will exercise our legal right to receive payments due to us from clients (fees) for services provided. Product producers may withdraw benefits or cover in the event of default on payments due under policies or other products arranged for you. We would refer you to policy documents or product terms for the details of such provisions.

Client Monies & Receipts

We request that all cheques or negotiable instruments are made payable to the appropriate Product Provider for Life, Pensions, Investment business. We shall issue a receipt for each payment received. These receipts are issued with your protection in mind and should be stored safely. Every effort is made to ensure that clients’ money is transmitted to the appropriate Product Provider without delay. We are not authorised to accept cash.

The acceptance by Rockbridge Financial Planning of a completed proposal DOES NOT in itself constitute the effecting of a policy. It is only when the Provider confirms the policy is in place and that your policy is live.

Complaints

We have a complaints procedure in place which is available on request. Your complaint can be in writing, email, telephone, or face to face. If your complaint is face to face or by phone, we will write to you to confirm our understanding of your complaint. We will acknowledge your complaint within 5 business days, advising you of the name of the person dealing with your complaint on behalf of the company. Please address any complaint to Rockbridge Financial Planning, 15 Herbert Place, Dublin 2. If in the event, a complainant is dissatisfied with the outcome of our investigation, you are entitled to refer the matter to the Financial Services & Pensions Ombudsman, Lincoln House, Lincoln Place, Dublin 2, Lo call 01 5677000 email info@fspo.ie.

Data Protection

We comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Regulation. The data which you provide to us will be held on a computer database and paper files for the purpose of arranging transactions on your behalf. The data will be processed only in ways compatible with the purposes for which it was given. We will provide you with a separate Data Privacy Notice that will outline exactly how, what and where we use your data. We may receive referrals from partner firms and may advise them of any transactions arranged for you.

Compensation Scheme

We are members of the Investor Compensation Scheme operated by the Investor Compensation Company Ltd. Which provides for the establishment of a compensation

scheme and the payment, in certain circumstances, of compensation to certain clients (known as eligible investors) of authorised investment firms, as defined in that Act.  Compensation may be payable where money or investment instruments  owned or belonging to clients and held, administered or managed by the firm cannot be returned to those clients for the time being and where there is no reasonably foreseeable  opportunity of the firm being able to do so.  A right to compensation will arise only: If the client is an eligible investor as defined in the Act; and if it transpires that the firm is not in a position to return client money or investment instruments owned or belonging to the clients of the firm; and to the extent that the client’s loss is recognized for the purposes of the Act. Where an entitlement to compensation is established, the compensation payable will be the lesser of: 90% of the amount of the client’s loss which is recognised for the purposes of the Investor Compensation Act, 1998; or Compensation of up to €20,000.  For further information, contact the Investor Compensation Co Ltd. at (01) 224 4955.

Governing Law and Business Succession

These Terms of Business shall be governed by and construed in all respects according to the laws of the Republic of Ireland and will be deemed to cover any successors in business to Rockbridge Financial Planning.