Anyone who is not a practicing lawyer and who acts as a paid adviser, consultant, or representative on behalf of a person making an auto insurance claim under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) regulation, including paralegals, and paid health and rehabilitation service providers who combine their services with claimant representation, are considered to be SABS representatives.
FSCO requires all SABS representatives to file business information with FSCO, pass a criminal record check, obtain $1 million in insurance coverage to provide protection against errors and omissions, and adhere to a Code of Conduct published by FSCO.
NOTE: With the passage of the Access to Justice Act, 2006, independent paralegals that provide legal services in Ontario will be regulated by the Law Society of Upper Canada (Law Society) effective May 1, 2007.
Note: See
Enforcement Online to view enforcement actions FSCO has taken in other regulated sectors:
mortgage brokering, credit unions & caisses populaires, and loan & trust corporations.
