AIG Insurance Company of Canada (the “Company”) takes pride in providing exemplary service to our policyholders. This quality service earns and maintains the trust and loyalty of our customers.
The purpose of this Complaint Resolution Policy (“Policy”) is to set up a free and equitable procedure for dealing with complaints. In the unlikely event that you are not satisfied with our service, please follow these procedures. These procedures apply to complaints about the Company’s products, services and virtually all aspects of its business practices. Complaints made in accordance with these procedures will be handled promptly and efficiently.
This Policy is also intended to provide oversight for the receipt of complaints, delivery of acknowledgements of receipt, creation of complaint files, compilation of complaints for the purpose of preparing and filing periodic reports with provincial regulators, and (in Québec) the transfer of complaint files to the Autorité des marchés financiers (“AMF”).
What is a Complaint?
A complaint is the expression of at least one of the following elements:
1) a grievance or dissatisfaction that asserts that the Company, in connection with providing (or failing to provide) its products or services, has engaged in:
a. unfair business practices,
b. conduct in violation of applicable law or regulation, or
c. unethical conduct;
2) the identification of real or potential harm that a consumer has sustained or may sustain; or
3) a request for remedial action.
Informal steps to correct a specific problem are not considered a complaint, provided the problem is resolved as part of the Company’s normal activities and the consumer has not filed a complaint.
Addressing your Complaint
Contacting Your Broker or Agent
If you have a complaint, you are encouraged to first contact your broker or agent (if applicable), who is able to provide you with professional advice. Your broker or agent works for you and can advocate on your behalf to obtain a solution which may be acceptable to you. Your broker or agent may be able to resolve your complaint, or, if necessary, provide you with contact information for the appropriate business unit of the Company.
Contacting the Company
If you wish to have the Company review your complaint directly, you may contact the appropriate business unit of the Company, verbally or in writing. If you know the name of the representative of the relevant business unit, please contact that person directly. If you are unsure of who to contact, your broker or agent may provide you with the general contact information of the appropriate business unit.
If the business unit representative is unable to resolve your concern, you may request that the complaint be escalated to senior management of the business unit for their attention and further efforts to resolve the complaint.
The representative assigned to your file will send you an acknowledgement of receipt within three (3) business days of receiving the complaint, highlighting information pertinent to the complaint. On receiving the complaint, the representative will initiate the Company’s complaint examination process. A complaint file is created for each complaint, which will contain details of the respective complaint, the outcome of the complaint examination process (the analysis and the supporting documents), and all written correspondences to the complainant. The representative will examine the complaint and, within ten (10) business days of receipt of the complaint, prepare and send a written response to you with justifying reasons, or explaining that more time is necessary and why.
Contacting the Company Ombudsman
You are encouraged to seek assistance from your broker or agent and the appropriate business unit of the Company before contacting the Ombudsman. Complaints submitted to the Ombudsman must be put in writing (email, fax or letter) to the following address:
Ombudsman
AIG Insurance Company of Canada
120 Bremner Boulevard, Suite 2200
Toronto, ON, M5J 0A8
Toll-free: 1-800-387-4481
Facsimile: (416) 596-3006
Email: AIGCanadaOmbudsman@aig.com
The Ombudsman has a mandate and duty to carry out a fair and independent review of the complaint and provide recommendations as to its resolution. The Ombudsman will send you an acknowledgement of receipt and notice within five (5) business days of receiving the written complaint, highlighting information pertinent to your case. He or she will investigate the complaint and, within ten (10) business days of receipt of the written complaint, prepare and send you a final written response addressing your concern, or explaining that more time is necessary and why.
The Ombudsman is the person in charge of applying this Policy. He or she monitors employee training, and ensures that employees are provided with the necessary information for compliance with this Policy. He or she is also responsible to file periodic reports with provincial regulators detailing the number and type of complaints received in the respective reporting period, regardless of whether any complaints were received.
In Québec, the Ombudsman acts as the respondent with the AMF and the complainant. He or she is also responsible for transferring the file to the AMF, at the complainant’s request (please see below).
External Independent Review of the Complaint
If, after the Ombudsman has provided a final written response, you still require further review of your complaint, you may choose to have the complaint reviewed by the General Insurance OmbudService (GIO). The GIO is a Canada-wide external independent body that can assist consumers with most disputes involving complaints about property, automobile or business insurance that consumers have been unable to resolve with their insurer. Please visit www.giocanada.org for additional information or call toll free, 1-877-225-0446, or write to the GIO at 4711 Yonge Street, 10th Floor; Toronto, ON; M2N 6K8.
You may also contact the insurance regulatory body in the province where you reside. The regulators’ links can be accessed through the GIO website.
(In Saskatchewan) Inquiries may be sent to the Superintendent of Insurance at the following address:
Superintendent of Insurance
Insurance and Real Estate Division
Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority
Suite 601, 1919 Saskatchewan Drive
Regina, Saskatchewan S4P 4H2
Phone: (306) 787-6700
Email: fid@gov.sk.ca
(In Québec) If you are not satisfied with the outcome or with the examination of your complaint by the Company, you may ask the Ombudsman, at any time, to transfer the file to the AMF. The Company complies with the rules governing the protection of personal information. Once your file is transferred, the AMF will examine it and recommend dispute resolution services, if deemed appropriate. For questions concerning the examination of complaints in Québec, contact the AMF Information Centre:
Québec City: 418-525-0337
Montréal: 514-395-0337
Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 418-525-9512 or 514-873-3090
E-mail: information@lautorite.qc.ca
Additional Information
If you have a complaint regarding the Company’s complaint handling processes, you may raise your concerns with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (“FCAC”). The FCAC is a Canada-wide independent governmental body that supervises federally regulated financial institutions to ensure that they comply with federal consumer protection measures applicable to them. The FCAC can provide you with tips on how to make a complaint but it does not get involved in the resolution of individual disputes.
You can learn more about the FCAC by visiting www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca. You can also call toll-free for service in English 1-866-461-FCAC (3222) or write to the FCAC at 427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor Ottawa ON K1R 1B9.
Effective Date
This Policy is effective as of August 2009, and was last amended January 13, 2021. It has been previously amended in June 2011, June 2012, March 2014, February 2016, February 2017 and February 2020.
A copy of this Policy will be provided upon request.