So if you are only trading futures with less than $100,000 I'm guessing it's better to choose the commodities account given the questionable SIPC coverage? Are securities accounts "segregated" like commodities accounts?
Britain must love these overseas clearing arrangements. The FSA gets to regulate accounts insured by SIPC. FSCS, meanwhile, gets a pass.
Spoke with a representative relatively high up on the IB ladder today. Apparently, IB does not allow you to have a sole commodity future or sole equity account. Every account at IB is classified as universal even if you ONLY trade futures. This poses a major risk, as the funds are not deemed seg 1.25 via CFTC and therefore would not have priority as a secured creditor if IB ever became insolvent. I know MF Global seg 1.25 funds are currently missing and that seg 1.25 has not been much protection. However, I definitely do no want to be classified as an unsecured creditor and pick a number when my balance is much larger than SIPC coverage. I am currently looking at quotes for insurance on balances above SIPC and am getting around 1k annually per mill. Anyone have any other thoughts or can verify this one of a kind IB account that noone else in the industry has... Also any luck with other means of insurance?
I think MB Trading also offers the universal accounts like IB. I think MB Trading additionally offers securities only, commodities only, and FX only accounts.
Surely I am not the only one who noticed that they were the only broker to issue you a balance statement that shows no classification of USD SEG on your futures account?
If you only trade futures your funds may not be eligible for any SIPC protection at all. Check with SIPC first. Their comments may help you determine how much additional coverage you think you will need.
when I started out, the first liscence I got was something not even a series 53, but it was some kind of insurance liscence that allowed you to sell single premium annuties or some bullshit, so I know how these worry worts think. So now you are worried about SIPC so you pay Lloyds to cover you. But like a good insurance agent must always ask, "How sure are you about Lloyds?" You are only as good as their ability to pay. Might I interest you in a policy that covers you in case Lloyds goes belly up?
"Universal account" is just a nice way of presenting two underlying separate accounts (securities and futures) with *optional* arrangements to transfer between them. "Universal account" does not exist for regulatory proposes. Only the two underlying accounts do. Each of the underlying accounts is fully compliant with all regulations for that type of account, including reporting, tax, compliance, insurance etc. If you turn off transfers to the securities account (the option is there is Admin settings), and only use the futures account, the account is fully segregated just like any futures account at any broker. The only issues that arise arise out of transfers between account types. If you turn off those transfers, there are no such issues. You have a pure, simple futures account in that case, for all purposes.
if ib goes under,there would likely be some meltdown where several houses went under,and goldie , jpm, morgan stanley ,,jeffries would be on the other side collecting on that bet,so that there firms would be left standing and have more control,fewer opponents,problem is they are banks,the banking systems could go under,,the UK,US,all euro members,so there wouldnt be any sipc,fdic,the insurance pay outs would be more printing,by that time worthless,basically a total banking failure,another great depression,which at the moment is only being pushed further out by printing,this problem exists and that loophole is there for that reason,they could change it but they won't because it's their insurance,residential,commercial real estate, strip malls,sears,payless ,several chains,can't remember if it was walgreens or cvs a few years back closed several stores, GM,home depot,lowes and menards haven't been doing well for 3 or 4 years now,major appliance corps,some of these firms have tons of cash,others are in deep with the banks,if they(banks) are taking 500 mill hits here and there then our accts are of little importance and it's set where you can't just change firms,you're stuck,the question is where do you put that nestegg,insurance for yourself if something happens,what happens to your money in the bank,the money in your acct is almost certain to vanish...the bulk of this debt is imaginary,rising int loans to cover previous int and principle loans not met, i don't understand macro econ but maybe iceland had the right idea