All the following were listed as the top ten ethical concerns by life insurance agents EXCEPT:

• A. Misuse of company property.
• B. Failure to identify and meet clients' needs.
• C. Lack of knowledge to do one's job.
• D. Conflicts of interest between personal gain and proper performance.

Answer: (A)

In ethics for life insurance agents, the focus is on actions that directly affect client welfare and professional integrity. Failing to identify and meet clients’ needs points to unsuitable recommendations and poor service, which undermines a client’s financial security. A lack of knowledge to do the job undermines competence and can lead to harmful or misleading advice. Conflicts of interest between personal gain and proper performance strike at trust and can violate the agent’s fiduciary duty to the client. Misuse of company property, while unethical in its own right, is more about internal conduct and resource misuse than about the core client-focused duties of advising and serving clients. Because the top ethical concerns center on protecting and prioritizing clients and maintaining professional integrity, misuse of company property is the exception.