Frequently Asked Questions: MGA Symposium

FAQs and answers for delegates, sponsors, and speakers.

Please use the main navigation links to find or confirm details regarding date and time, venue and hotel bookings, presentation topics, or faculty members.

Delegates

• 1. How do brokers get credit for RIBO continuing education?
• 2. How can I provide feedback on the event?

Sponsors

• 1. Where do I find information on sponsor packages?
• 2. What are sponsor electives?
• 3. When do I have to select my sponsor electives?
• 3b. Where and when must sponsor elective deliverables be received?
• 4. How do I register delegates who are included with my sponsorship?
• 5. How do I register additional delegates beyond those included with my sponsorship?
• 6. How do I register my company speaker?
• 7. Where do I book hotel rooms for our delegates?
• 8. May I submit articles and news releases for inclusion on the Insurance-Canada.ca website?
• 9. How do I access the delegate list?
• 10. How do I arrange an email blast? And how should I submit it?
• 11. How do I arrange an ad in the Chronicle e-newsletter?
• 12. How do I arrange a guest blog post for the Intersection blog?

Speakers

• 1. Who are the session organizers / moderators?
• 2. What do I need to provide ahead of time?
• 3. When am I speaking?
• 4. Do I have to do anything to register?
• 5. What staging and audio-visual equipment can I expect?
• 6. How long are the sessions?
• 7. What are the specifications for presentations?
• 8. What is the procedure for the mini-theatre presentations?
• 9. How will presentations be distributed?
• 10. Will sessions be recorded?
• 11. How are sessions promoted?

Delegates

1. How do brokers get credit for RIBO continuing education?

We will be applying to RIBO for accreditation of this event for the Continuing Education program.

The type and quantity of credit will not be known until after the event. Historically, most Insurance-Canada.ca events are approved for credit in the Management category (occasionally sessions are accredited in the Technical category).

The regulators impose a high level of compliance, and Insurance-Canada.ca must follow the rules set by RIBO for this event. More details will be posted here when they are received.

2. How can I provide feedback on the event?

An evaluation form will be available for delegates to provide feedback.

Sponsors

1. Where do I find information on sponsor packages?

See Sponsorship Opportunities (PDF).

2. What are sponsor electives?

Every sponsor level includes a set amount of elective dollars included in the fee. With these dollars, you can customize your sponsor package to meet your specific marketing needs. There are many options available – see the sponsor prospectus for details.

3. When do I have to select my sponsor electives?

Electives must be selected by November 9, 2018.

3(b). Where and when must sponsor elective deliverables be received?

Some electives, such as the delegate kit bag, lanyards, and flyers for the delegate kit, must be delivered in advance. These items should be received by Friday, November 23. Please clearly label the package as being for the Insurance-Canada.ca MGA Symposium and deliver to:

Insurance-Canada.ca
150 King St. West, Suite 805
Toronto, Ontario, M5H 1J9

4. How do I register delegates who are included with my sponsorship?

Contact your sales representative, who will register those people on your behalf. Please note, we require the full name, job title and email address of each delegate, along with a phone number and business mailing address.

5. How do I register additional delegates beyond those included with my sponsorship?

You will receive a special sponsor registration code from your Insurance-Canada.ca contact, providing a discounted registration rate.

You can register additional delegates online at your convenience – click here for the registration page.

6. How do I register my company speaker?

Contact your sales representative who will register your speaker on your behalf. Please note, we require the full name, job title, email address and phone number for each speaker.

7. Where do I book hotel rooms for our delegates?

See Venue & Accommodations for details. We recommend that you reserve your room as early as possible, as demand for rooms at most downtown hotels is expected to be very high.

8. May I submit articles and news releases for inclusion on the Insurance-Canada.ca website?

Yes, as part of your sponsorship, you may submit articles, press releases, white papers, and other newsworthy materials for distribution through our website and newsletter until December 31, 2019.

9. How do I access the delegate list?

The delegate list will be made available to sponsors online in advance of the event – a sponsor rep may request the URL and password up to two weeks prior. The access URL and passcode will also be in the delegate kit at the event and in the event app.

The event app, which will be made available to sponsors and to delegates prior to the event, also offers to ability to contact other delegates and sponsors who have downloaded the app.

10. How do I arrange an email blast, and how should I submit it?

Contact your sales representative to arrange and book an e-blast. Please note: We limit e-blasts to a certain number per week. If you wish your e-blast to go out prior to the event, be sure to book as soon as possible.

If you wish to use our standard e-blast template, all you need to provide is text (including hyperlinks if appropriate) and one or two graphics (optional); we will lay out and send to you for approval. (Please note, our template accommodates content up to 675px wide, laid out in either one or two columns.)

If you wish to submit your own HTML for an e-blast, you may. Please note the following best practices:

• Only in-line CSS should be used (no separate stylesheets or header style element);
• Layout width should not be greater than 700px if possible;
• Hyperlinks should be direct to the targets (e.g., our distribution client will not permit bit.ly redirects);
• Animated GIFs are discouraged, as only the first frame will display on some email clients;
• Light-coloured text that requires a background image or dark background for legibility is discouraged.

11. How do I arrange an ad in the Chronicle e-newsletter?

Contact your sales representative to arrange and book an ad. Please note: Space is limited. If you wish to run your ad prior to the event, be sure to book your dates as soon as possible.

You have the option of either a Big Box ad or a text ad:

• A big box runs in the right column of the newsletter and measures exactly 300 × 250 pixels. Please provide a jpg or (static) gif file, and the URL for the hyperlink to your site.
• A text ad includes up to 75 words of text, plus your logo or a substitute graphic conforming to the standards of a Rectangle Ad (maximum dimensions 180 × 150 pixels). The text can include multiple hyperlinks to your website, products and services.

12. How do I arrange a guest blog post for the Intersection blog?

Contact your sales representative to make arrangements for a guest blog post.

A guest blog should be 400-600 words in length. Note this is subject to review by the blog editor. The content should be a reflective point of view in your area of expertise. No sales pitches will be accepted.

The editor asks that the content be sent at least a week in advance of posting. If you wish to do your post before the event, be sure to arrange the date as soon as possible, as the Intersection posts a limited number of blog updates per week.

Speakers

1. Who are the session organizers?

The moderators and session organizers for this event are:

• Patrick Vice – [email protected]
• Doug Grant – [email protected]

2. What do I need to provide ahead of time?

For each speaker, please provide a biography (roughly 100-150 words) and an accompanying photo (high-resolution if possible) which we will post on our website and use for print and digital promotions.

3. When am I speaking?

When the schedule is finalized, the agenda will be posted on the Presentation Topics page.

4. Do I have to do anything to register?

Insurance-Canada.ca will register you. If you are a sponsor, that will be done through the sponsor contact. If you are not a sponsor, arrange through your session organizer.

5. What staging and audio-visual equipment can I expect?

• The speaking area will be on a raised platform. The room will be equipped with standard AV equipment: projector, screen, laptop with powerpoint, podium with microphone, lavalier microphone. For any panels, there will be seating on stage, and microphones will be available.

6. How long are the sessions?

Panels and Insurance-Canada.ca sessions are each allocated approximately 30 minutes. Sponsor sessions are 25 or 15 minutes depening on the level of sponsorship.

Refer to the agenda when it is finalized or contact your organizer for specifics, but note that the allotted times posted must also include introductions – we will be very brief – and any questions. If you wish to hold any Q&A or discussion, you must allow for that within your session allotment. Please discuss with your organizer if you are unsure.

7. What are the specifications for presentations?

We do not require presentations to adhere to a standard template – go with your own. We would appreciate a reference to the event or to Insurance-Canada.ca on the title page, concluding page, and/or footer (if used) in your presentation.

The projection equipment will be set up for the rising standard of 16:9. The old format 4:3 will work fine, but will have black bars showing on both sides – 16:9 is optimal.

Sound and video can be accommodated, but please let us know by Friday, November 16 if you require them.

Our attendees expect not to hear sales pitches and react poorly when they do hear them. Please review your presentations with this in mind. If you have questions, contact your organizer.

Please send a copy of your presentation to your organizer/moderator by Wednesday, November 21.

Be sure to check in with your moderator during the breakfast, coffee or lunch break before your session. If there is anything you wish to test, please make specific arrangements with your moderator in advance.

9. How will presentations be distributed?

We will NOT be printing hand-out copies at the event.

We will send a note to delegates shortly after the event indicating the availability of the presentation materials.

Please notify us by Wednesday, November 21 whether yours will be available or not, and if so, how, e.g.:

• Posted on our site available for download – preferably in PDF format (send us the file);
• Posted on your site and available for download with or without registration (send us the link);
• Otherwise available from you or your company upon request (provide details or contact information to make the request).

10. Will sessions be recorded?

We are planning to record the presentations and eventually make them available on-demand, as we have all our recent events.

11. How are sessions promoted?

Insurance-Canada.ca is promoting both the overall event and individual sessions to our readership on our website, in our weekly newsletter, through social media and via dedicated email blasts. We are also running ads in Canadian Underwriter.

Should you wish to promote your session yourself to a greater extent to your own audience, please go ahead.

Should you wish to use our services to do additional promotions about your session to our audience, we offer several paid opportunities (an eBlast, a Blog Post, text ads). The promotions can be targeted to different segments, e.g. to delegates only or to our larger audience. Should you wish to promote your presentation or the availability of associated reference materials, for example, promotions can be done prior to the event and/or afterwards. Ask for details.

If you have any questions about this event, please contact [email protected].