Training liability in insurance, capital investment and bank sales

Why training and sales managers are personally liable in private health insurance sales. An analysis by attorney Dr. Johannes Fiala and mathematician Peter A. Schramm.   Landauf Landab insurance brokers, independent financial service providers and bank advisors complain that at sales events held by trainers, they actually only experience positive product features through colourful pictures, […]

Framework contracts in professional liability insurance

Laws and professional codes of conduct require many professions to take out liability insurance for financial loss, but also sometimes for personal injury and damage to property. The content and scope of the minimum insurance is regulated differently depending on the profession. If a GmbH provides tax advice, financial losses amounting to € 250,000 must […]

Liability for missing documentation, even in case of correct advice: Part 1

A recent ruling of the Higher Regional Court of Cologne of 26.02.2016 (Case No. 20 U 102/15) underlines the “obligation of the broker to inform the policyholder that the intended change to private health insurance (PKV) may affect the insurance cover of his or her spouse and the financial burdens associated with it”. The spouse […]

When time value accounts lead to criminal prosecution and employer liability

Time value accounts (ZWK) are used to shift social insurance and payroll tax contributions into the future. Such ZWK arrangements are not recognised for tax purposes in the case of members of the management boards of public limited companies and managing directors of private limited companies, as the Federal Minister of Finance clarified (letter dated […]

Attorney-client privilege or tax liability

“Don’t go to the prince before you are summoned,” says attorney Rüstig, until suddenly his first liability notice is delivered to him personally.   He had been obedient since 1.1. In 1993, he complied with the Interest Discount Act (“ZaSt “er!) by distributing the interest income from escrow accounts among his clients and then certifying […]

Reduction of liability and plausibility checks for investment advisors in closed-end fund offerings – Part 2

The investment adviser must fulfil his main duties. He cannot rely on the assessment of third parties. One will be able to trust an experienced investment advisor that he is able to carry out a plausibility check based on the basic investment criteria and specific extensions to the investment category.   Plausibility is the estimation […]

Insurance Brokers: Brutal Educational Liability?

The Federal Court of Justice has rejected the allegedly legal settlement of claims by insurance brokers. The insurance broker concerned now owes omission and compensation. What does that mean in concrete terms? No broker is allowed to settle claims for the insurer (VR) – with or without the usual additional remuneration. The so-called technical insurance […]

In focus: Liability traps for lawyers and tax advisors in connection with advice on occupational pension schemes

Insolvency risks – Authority to provide legal services – Insurance cover Occupational pensions are an important component of retirement provision. They obtain their complex position in the German legal system through the interdisciplinary interaction of the most diverse fields of law, which can easily become a liability trap for legal and tax advisors; the numerous […]

Tax liability for gifts – or tax evasion deluxe

Pitfalls for donors, donees and authorities   What aspects and what legal situation are there to consider when making gifts? A gift to one’s own child, a parent’s foundation to support daycare facilities or such a facility itself can be an interesting option for tax optimization. In the case of gifts, no one is required […]

Do brokers – as the customer’s trustees – have an obligation to continuously review the risk situation of their customers? Does such an obligation also exist for tied distribution?

From the series of newsletters of the DHBW (Baden-Wuerttemberg Cooperative State University) Heidenheim on the topic “Mediation Law in Practice”: At this point, lawyer Dr. Johannes Fiala, https://www.fiala.de, lecturer for insurance law at the DHBW Heidenheim, will answer your questions. Questions can be asked by emailing ott@dhbw-heidenheim.de. In the case of tied sales – in […]