Statement of Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
As your insurance company, we are committed to delivering the best possible service and ensuring fair treatment throughout the insurance life-cycle. Together with the brokers who sell our products, we want to ensure clarity throughout the sales experience, service contacts, and in the event of a loss – claim service, that you receive from us.
We recognize that as an insurance consumer you have options for who you deal with for your personal or commercial protection, and we are committed to providing the very best experience and fair treatment in all we do. When you purchase insurance from us you have rights that we will protect, and we are committed to exceeding your service expectations.
We have itemized below key expectations that you should have of us, and we have outlined how we intend to meet or exceed these. In addition to, and in partnership with, our commitment to you, there are also responsibilities and requirements that you have that arise out of our insurer-insured relationship that we have included below.
Utmost Good Faith
A contract of insurance is grounded in a principle of operating with “utmost good faith.” This long-held principle requires that we as your insurer treat you honestly and do everything reasonable to ensure fair and equitable treatment. Likewise, this principle requires that you as an insurance consumer be forthright and provide prompt and complete disclosure of facts and accurate information to your insurer. Your policy wording contains specific requirements, including legally required conditions, that we encourage you to review. Should you have any questions, please speak with your insurance broker. They are knowledgeable experts in the business of insurance and are specifically trained to provide you support throughout the insurance life-cycle.
Right to Clear Information, and Responsibility to be Informed
As an insurer we recognize that the business of insurance can be complex. You have a right to have clear, accurate, and timely information about your premium, coverage, insurance policy, and how we will handle a claim in the event of a loss. As your insurer, we also have the right to clear and accurate information regarding the subject of your insurance and you have a responsibility to be diligent in providing that information.
You also have the right to understand how your insurance broker or agent is compensated for working with you to establish your insurance policy. On request your broker can, and will, readily provide you information regarding how they are compensated for their important work.
Aligned with the right to clear information is your responsibilities to ensure you are informed about your policy, the coverages you have selected, and the obligations you have under your insurance policy. These include items such as the requirement to promptly inform your insurance company, broker, or agent of any change in your circumstances, and timely notification in the event of a loss. You have a personal obligation to gather the information you need to make necessary choices regarding your insurance coverage and selection of your insurance carrier as there are options available to you regarding your coverage and level of protection you purchase.
Right to Fair Dealing
Carleton-Fundy believes strongly in ensuring fair dealings with all consumers and insurance partners. Carleton Fundy commits to transacting business in a manner characterized by candor and full disclosure and free of self-dealing. As an extension of this principle, brokerages owned by Carleton-Fundy Mutual Insurance do not participate in any short-term sales contests or incentive programs that insurers may offer to provide enhanced personal benefits for a broker for placing business with any particular insurance market.
Complaint Resolution Processes and Access to a Consumer Advocate
As a regulated financial institution, we have an obligation to provide you with an accessible complaint resolution process. We are committed to high standards of customer service. If you have a complaint about the service you have received, your broker, or our website, can provide you with information about this process. We commit to reviewing your complaint, completing an investigation into the subject of the complaint in good faith, and doing everything we reasonably can do to resolve your concerns. If we cannot resolve your concerns, we will provide you with a communication that clearly outlines our position on the matter. You may also contact the Consumer Advocate for Insurance at https://www.insurance-assurance.ca
Right to Privacy
In order to effectively provide your insurance solutions, your broker and insurer need to collect important information about you and your home. You have a right to expect to know that your information will be used for the purpose for which it was collected and will be kept secure. This information will not be disclosed to anyone except as required by law. All Canadian insurers are subject to Canada’s privacy laws.
