Andrew Paddick's proposed replacement broker regulator has written to 10,000 individually registered brokers seeking their registration with the new body.
He has given brokers until just February 9 to reply, so he can seek nominations for broker seats on the new council and hold an election before the Insurance Brokers Registration Act (IBRA) is repealed at the end of April.
But his move immediately came under fire from rival trade body the British Insurance Brokers' Association (Biba). Chief executive Mike Williams is taking legal advice, claiming Paddick's move may be a breach of the IBRC's regulations and the law. Williams has written to all Biba members urging them not to sign up.
Paddick, director general of the Institute of Insurance Brokers (IIB), is committed to setting up an independent body to replace the Insurance Brokers' Registration Council (IBRC) when it is abolished by the government.
The IBRC mark II is asking for £60 per individual, the same price that IBRC charged before its decision to cease charging fees this year. The IIB is in a separate legal battle with the IBRC over its lost income caused by this decision, as the IIB runs the IBRC back-office under contract.
The Office of Fair Trading confirmed it was still examining rival regulator the General Insurance Standards Council's proposed rulebook.
