August 20, 2010
I have been in the insurance/financial industry for 9 years. Prior to that I owned a country inn for 16 years, so I have worked for myself for 25 years. When I was in the hospitality industry, I thought I had a lot of paperwork and compliance. I was incorrect, as I have never experianced paperwork and compliance as in the insurance/financial sector. Additional compliance, regualation and irrelevant continuing education will not solve the problem of unethical practice or greedy motives.
I have been on the good and bad side of decisions as both a small business owner and financial services professsional. Compliance and regulation wouldn't have changed the outcome. However, education may have helped. As a student/consumer/citizen/business owner it should be a requirement to complete a personal finance class. This class should include, insurance, investments and banking. When the public is better educated they make better decisions and they will naturally weed out the "bad apples". They will have a better idea of their options and when something/someone doesn't seem right. These classes can be taught by financial services professionals who have attained certain timeline and education requirements.
This seems, to me, to be a better solution than more government and regualtion.
Rick Dennie