Property agents and stock brokers are among the most unloved people in the world. They feign sincerity in looking after your interests when it's the commission they get for closing a deal that most interests them. Even so, we usually know how much they charge for services rendered. Not so when it comes to insurance agents. This is a worldwide anomaly and it should be corrected.
Continuing talks between the insurance industry and the government include a proposal to require insurance agents to disclose to clients the amount of commission they earn from selling a policy or an insurance-related product. The discussion is still at an early stage but it deserves to be kick-started and taken seriously. It will enhance transparency and help lower costs by enabling potential clients to shop for the best products and prices. A similar proposal was shot down in Britain late last year, though regulators have the option to revive it later this year.