RIBO client file checklist for Ontario brokers

Answers are general operational information only — not legal, tax, regulatory, clinical, privacy, immigration, or professional advice. Requirements vary by matter, client, and regulator.

Frequently asked questions

What did RIBO spot checks find about client file documentation?

RIBO reported that 57% of brokerages in its 2023–24 spot checks did not have written disclosure documentation in client files. Organized intake helps principals demonstrate what was collected and when.

What items belong in every Ontario client file?

Typically ID, application forms, prior policy/loss history, mandatory disclosure at quote, CISRO/Fact Sheet delivery, auto TAC quote logs where applicable, and advice notes. Exact requirements vary by line and MGA.

Is this legal advice?

No. This is operational guidance. Consult qualified counsel, your Principal Broker, and your E&O carrier.

More Insurance guides

• Email is not document collection for insurance brokersOntario insurance brokers lose time collecting application documents through email, text, and carrier portals. A checklist-first workflow keeps client files complete before quote or bind.
• Missing documents cost brokers binds and renewalsHow missing documents create delays, repeated follow-ups, and weaker client experience for Ontario insurance brokers.
• Better client document collection for insurance brokersClient experience is a competitive advantage for Ontario insurance brokers. Clear document collection helps policyholders feel guided and keeps client files defensible.
• Stop chasing dec pages in emailPrior policy declaration pages scatter across email threads and carrier portals. Ontario brokers need a single client file that tracks dec pages alongside the rest of the intake package.
• Why a BMS alone does not fix the document chaseApplied Epic, Vertafore SIG, and Power Broker handle policy admin — but pre-bind client intake often still lives in email. Hivi-X fills that gap without replacing your BMS.
• Ontario personal auto new business document checklistA practical document checklist for Ontario insurance brokers collecting personal auto new business — ID, dec page, abstract, application, TAC quote log, and disclosure records.
• Auto insurance renewal document workflowHow Ontario insurance brokers organize renewal documents — updated dec pages, change requests, disclosure records, and bind-ready packages.
• Driver abstract collection for Ontario auto applicationsHow Ontario insurance brokers collect driver's abstracts and motor vehicle records as part of personal auto intake — and track them on the client file.
• High-risk auto documentation checklistOntario brokers writing high-risk auto need extra intake discipline — abstracts, loss history, payment records, and defensible advice notes on the client file.
• Home insurance application documents for Ontario brokersWhat Ontario insurance brokers typically collect for home insurance applications — property details, prior policy, photos, and signed forms — tracked on one client file.
• Take-All-Comers quote log documentationHow Ontario auto brokers document Take-All-Comers quote records — premium, market, and broker comments — in defensible client files.
• CISRO and RIBO Fact Sheet distribution recordsHow Ontario insurance brokers document delivery of CISRO Principles and the RIBO Fact Sheet in client files since September 2022.
• Documenting quote-only interactions in client filesOntario insurance brokers must keep records for quotes that do not bind — including disclosures, needs analysis, and advice notes.
• How to prepare for a RIBO spot checkPractical steps Ontario Principal Brokers and producers can take to prepare client files for RIBO spot checks — disclosures, TAC logs, and organized intake.
• Ontario insurance broker record retentionHow long RIBO members must keep client records under O. Reg. 991, what records count, and how to store electronic files you can produce on demand.
• RIBO mandatory disclosures at time of quoteRIBO-002 requires mandatory disclosures no later than quote. What must be in the client file and how Ontario brokers document delivery.
• RIBO Responsible AI guidance for Ontario brokersHow RIBO's May 2025 Responsible AI guidance applies to Ontario insurance brokers — and how self-hosted AI supports vendor-vetting requirements.
• FNOL claims intake document workflowHow Ontario insurance brokers organize first notice of loss documents — photos, police reports, proof of loss, and correspondence — on the client file.
• Voice notes for insurance advice documentationHow Ontario insurance brokers use voice notes and self-hosted AI summaries to document advice and call recaps on client files.
• AI summaries for insurance client filesHow Ontario insurance brokers use self-hosted AI summaries on client checklists to understand file status without reading every attachment.
• Co-agent workflow for insurance CSRs and producersHow Ontario brokerages use Hivi-X co-agent access so CSRs and secondary producers can complete intake on a shared client file.
• Exportable PDF packages for BMS uploadHow Ontario insurance brokers export organized checklist PDF reports from Hivi-X into Applied Epic, Vertafore SIG, or Power Broker client folders.
• Canadian-hosted document collection for insurance brokersWhy Ontario insurance brokers choose Canadian-hosted document collection — PIPEDA alignment, RIBO AI vetting, and client trust.
• Secure client portal for insurance document uploadsHow Ontario insurance brokers collect ID, dec pages, and applications through the encrypted my-id.ca client portal instead of email attachments.
• Principal Broker client file oversightHow Ontario Principal Brokers standardize intake, sample file completeness, and prepare for RIBO spot checks across producers.
• Document standardization for small insurance brokeragesHow small Ontario brokerages with a handful of producers standardize client intake without enterprise BMS projects.
• CSR document collection workflow for insurance brokeragesA practical document collection workflow for Ontario insurance CSRs — checklist handoffs, portal follow-up, and BMS-ready packages.
• Commercial insurance submission document checklistThe documents Ontario brokers typically need for commercial insurance submissions — loss runs, SOV, financials, schedules — tracked before MGA review.
• How brokers collect loss runs for commercial submissionsLoss runs expire, arrive late, and scatter across email. Ontario commercial brokers need a tracked workflow for five-year loss history before MGA submission.
• SABS 2026 reforms documentation for Ontario brokersWhat Ontario auto brokers should prepare before July 2026 SABS reforms — consultation records, optional benefits advice, and defensible client files.
• DocuSign is not document collection for insurance brokersWhy e-signature tools and document collection tools solve different problems for Ontario insurance brokers.