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Code of Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
The staff of Totten Insurance Group Inc. and the companies
represented by Totten Group (along with the brokers and
agents who sell home, auto and business insurance), are
committed to safeguarding your rights when you shop for
insurance and when you submit a claim following a loss.
Your rights include the right to be informed fully, to
be treated fairly, to timely complaint resolution, and
to privacy. These rights are grounded in the contract
between you and your insurer and the insurance laws of
your province. With rights, however, come responsibilities
including, for example, the expectation that you will
provide complete and accurate information to your insurer.
Your policy outlines other important responsibilities.
Insurers and their distribution networks, and governments
also have important roles to play in ensuring that your
rights are protected.
Right to be informed
You can expect to access clear information about
your policy, your coverage, and the claims settlement
process. You have the right to an easy-to-understand
explanation of how insurance works and how it will
meet your needs. You also have a right to know how
insurers calculate price based on relevant facts.
You have the right to ask who is providing
compensation to your broker or agent for the sale of
your insurance. Your broker or agent will provide
information detailing for you how he or she is paid, by
whom, and in what ways.
Insurance companies will disclose their compensation
arrangements with their distribution networks.
Brokers and agents are committed to providing
information relating to ownership, financing, and other
relevant facts.
Responsibility to ask questions and share
information
To safeguard your right to purchase appropriate
coverage at a competitive price, you should ask
questions about your policy so that you can
understand what it covers and what your obligations
are under it. You can access information through
brochures and websites, as well as through one-onone
meetings with your broker, agent, or company
representative. You have the option to shop the
marketplace for the combination of coverages and
service levels that best suits your insurance needs.
To maintain your protection against loss, you must
promptly inform your insurance company or broker or
agent of any change in your circumstances.
Right to complaint resolution
Insurance companies, their brokers and agents are
committed to high standards of customer service. If
you have a complaint about the service you have
received, you have a right to access your company’s
complaint resolution process. Your insurer, agent or broker can provide you with information about how
you can ensure that your complaint is heard and
promptly handled. Disputes involving claims
settlement matters may be handled by the
independent General Insurance OmbudService
www.gio-scad.org where your complaint may be
referred to an independent mediator.
Responsibility to resolve disputes
You should always enter into the dispute resolution
process in good faith, provide required information in
a timely manner, and remain open to
recommendations made by independent observers
as part of that process.
Right to professional service
You have the right to deal with insurance
professionals who exhibit a high ethical standard,
which includes acting with honesty, integrity, fairness
and skill. Brokers and agents must exhibit extensive
knowledge of the product, its coverages and its
limitations in order to best serve you. These
standards are outlined in a Consumer’s Guide to
Property and Casualty Insurance Transactions,
supported by members of the Insurance Brokers
Association of Canada.
Right to privacy
Because it is important for you to disclose any and all
information required by an insurer to provide the
insurance coverage that best suits you, you have the
right to know that your information will be used for the
purpose set out in the privacy statement made
available to you by your broker, agent or insurance
representative. This information will not be disclosed
to anyone except as permitted by law. You should
know that insurers are subject to Canada’s privacy
laws.
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