CPD: Were you clued up?

We provide the solution to our pre-Christmas crossword together with a commentary and a look ahead to the challenges of 2004

ACROSS
1. Biba.
Where will Biba go in 2004 under the direction of new chief executive Eric Galbraith?

Biba is our tip for great things in 2004 ,but not too much premature guidance for members, we hope. If Biba represents the majority of brokers then what its officers say could be held to be evidence of practice.

2. John Tiner.
How will Tiner get on in 2004? He had a considerable public profile in 2003. But now the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

7. Grant Ellis.
Yes, Ellis opened his mouth about his ideas of the ideal person to take over from Mike Williams and promptly put his foot in it.

We understand he is sticking to subjects he knows about in 2004. He is one of our favourite reads in Insurance Times each week.

8. See 21 and 5 down.

9. Andy Homer.
His year as CII president seemed to whizz by, but the institute is stronger for his efforts. What will Homer be doing in 2004 now that his dinner dates are so reduced?

11. Risk management.
If you don't know much about it now, perhaps its best you do if you are seeking FSA authorisation.

14. Competence.
2003 was the year when it perhaps sunk home that competence to do a particular job was not proved by exams or amount of training. I was speaking to a firm the other day who were bragging about the number of qualified staff and amount spent on training - more fool them.

Is a person competent to do the job? Qualifications are admirable and recommended and training may be necessary (but perhaps not as much as the training providers would have you believe), but doing the job well is the first priority.

Remember the continual cycle: specify the job (standards and benchmarks); measure the gaps (learning needs analysis); fill the gaps; assess competence (knowledge and understanding).

Quote of 2003 from Dr Sandy Scott: "It is the continuing maintenance of competence that is important."

16. See 9 across.

17. Regatta.
Congratulations to Sarah Tunstall and the Insurance Times team for yet another event of staggering quality.

19. FSA.
A clue for the Daily Telegraph cryptic crossword fans.

22. Utmost good faith: and 12 down.
Probably the most common reason for negligence claims against brokers at present is the alleged failure to explain the duty of disclosure to clients and its effect.

Most vital due to insurers' increasing desire to reject claims as much as possible. We predict an even tougher 2004.

23. See 18 down.

24. Procedures.
And on the mind (or in it) just about sums up the procedures of the broking profession for the past 300 years. 2004 is going to be the year of records and documentation of procedures.

25. Ward Evans: and 4 down.
According to press articles there was some lavish spending here.

What will 2004 hold? Our learning message to all brokers is to be careful who you are dealing with.

Business ventures get into difficulty for all sorts of reasons. If it is you or a firm in a chain that you use, the public could be at risk...that is not good.

29. Terence Verbeek: and 26 down.
A member of the CPD page team who has now managed to get over 100 CPD pages into print and on the insurancetimes.co.uk website.

30. Grossing up.
The FSA has now formally outlawed the practice. We would like to think that the CPD page campaign might have had some influence.

31. See 33 across.

32. Fit and proper.
Say no more.

33) Biped: and 21 across.
Sorry, but you try finding an insurance related clue for this answer.

34. Demands and needs.
This is our tip for the hottest topic in 2004.

DOWN

1. Binder.

3. Insurance Times CPD page.
Blatant self aggrandisement.

4. See 25 across.

5. See 21 down and 8 across.

6. See 3 down.

12. See 22 across.

13. Statutory trust: and 10 across.
Our prediction is that all and sundry will seek to assist with standard wordings but ultimately it is the banks who have to be involved.

15. Solvency.
Make sure you understand clearly what the amount is for your business. Try asking an accountant who knows what they are doing.

18. Controlled functions: and 23 across.
Joke of 2003 (although a true story) about the broker who when asked what a controlled function was replied that he couldn't say because he knew nothing about long term care cover.

20. Supervision.
This is going to be one of the biggest areas of focus in 2003. Have you chosen your supervisors, is the span of control you have given manageable and are they competent to do the job?

21. Total Broker Solutions: and 5 down and 8 across.
The Mickey in question being Mike Williams. A big learning point in 2004 will be "what is a network".

There are many versions. Practitioners should know about the variations and the strengths and weaknesses of each. A new concept to the general insurance industry over the last few years or is it...? Keep an eye on the CPD pages.

26. See 28 across.

27. Any four letter word that takes your fancy.
We chose Iraq. What did you go for. Let us know.

29. See 7 across.
Our motto is that learning is fun and we hope we have achieved that aim for you.

The season's greetings to all our readers and thanks once again for all the feedback, articles and support during 2003.

From RWA and the Insurance Times CPD Page team...A happy and prosperous new year.