Here are some tips, ideas and answers to some FAQs around Continuing Education. Click HERE for a PDF version of this document.
REGISTRATION
When registering for a webinar or live event, please ensure you enter both your first and last names.
Please note, that the name you enter on the registration page for a webinar or event is the name you will see on the CE or Professional Development Unit (PDU) certificate. For example, if adding a corporation name in the first and last name fields, the corporation name will be the displayed name on the CE or PDU certificate.
Certificate rules:
To obtain your CE or PDU certificate:
Webinar: you must stay logged in for the full presentation
Quebec advisors will be required to answer 6 multiple choice questions per hour
In person event: you must sign/scan in AND out and stay for the full presentation
Watching in a group:
Even if you choose to register for and watch the webinar in a group setting with other advisors, you still need to be officially registered. Each advisor MUST log into the webinar individually.
For advisors to receive CE credits or PDU, the attendance report must indicate a start and end time (for the full session) for each advisor logged into the webinar. CE and PDU certificates cannot be issued if your full name, and start and end times, do not correspond to the attendance report.
Attending on the phone:
Unfortunately, you are unable to obtain CE credits or PDUs if you register for a webinar and attend by phone only (i.e. you only listen to the presentation). The regulators require full names and email addresses to issue CE credits
Alberta or Quebec:
For advisors based in either Alberta or Quebec, please do not forget to add your CIPR (Canadian Insurance Participant Registry) or AMF (Autorité des marchés financier) number on the event/webinar registration forms when requested.
KEEPING TRACK
We understand tracking CE credits or PDUs is not an easy task; however, IDC WIN does not keep track of CE credits for advisors. There are solutions you can use to help track this crucial information:
Advocis allows its members to track on its site
Quebec-based advisors log them with the Chambre de la sécurité financière
The Insurance Bureau, British Columbia facilitates tracking for BC Advisors.
If the above resources do not fit your need, and your provincial regulator site does not have the ability to do so, here are alternative options to consider:
Enter CE credits or PDUs on your APEXA profile
Create folders in your email inbox to track sessions you have attended based on the reporting year(s) and add the emails there as you receive them
Create a folder or folders on your computer desktop and save the certificates to the relevant folder
If you use a CRM, there may be options to add this type of information there
CE Records is a fee-for-service online platform that allows you to keep track of all your certificates.
Create an Excel spreadsheet and manually track your sessions.
Any of our event or webinar notices that indicate ‘CE Credits are under review’ or similar wording confirms that we (or another presenter) have sent the presentation to the provincial regulator(s) for review and approval.
It is important to note that there are varying guidelines as to what the regulators will approve for accreditation. We cannot guarantee CE credits or PDUs: what one province will certify, may not qualify under another provincial regulator.
NOTE: Empire Life requires non-contracted advisors to check off the consent option when registering for their webinars. This allows Empire Life to email your CE certificate. If you do not select the consent option when registering for an Empire Life webinar, you will not receive your CE certificate. This does not apply to advisors who have an active contract with Empire Life as consent is implied.
We hope this article has provided some good information. We will continue to add new tips and information.
If you have any questions engage in a Live Chat with the IDC WIN BIG team. The Live Chat is located on the lower right hand corner.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
