Customer Satisfaction: Complaint Handling Protocol

Scotia Home and Auto Insurance is committed to providing consumers with exceptional service. It is important to us that you let us know how we are doing. If you are not satisfied with an action, product or service you have received, you have a right to express your dissatisfaction through the following complaint handling protocol. We want to ensure that your concerns are handled fairly and efficiently.

Scotia Home and Auto Insurance policies are underwritten by Belair Insurance Company Inc. and services are provided by Belair Insurance Company Inc. (collectively “belairdirect”). You may contact us at any time to obtain information on how we process complaints, how to file a complaint or inquiry on the status of a complaint. Consumers may contact us by phone, email, mail or fax or by completing the form from the Autorité des marchés financiers and sent to us, found at the following link: Complaint Form

If you have a general question about your policy, payment, a claim or require a correction please contact your agent, broker or adjuster. Kindly note, that we do not respond to complaints that are involved in a formal dispute resolution process.

Claims

Step 1 – Resolve the Problem at the Source

Speak with a service representative

When you have a concern, we recommend that you start at the source. Speak to the claim adjuster involved. If you are not satisfied, ask to speak to a manager or a supervisor. It is usually quicker and easier to check the facts and find a solution at the point where the problem occurred.

Gather the facts

To speed up the process, we recommend that you have all relevant information handy prior to contacting belairdirect.

The information needed includes:

• details of your complaint,
• your policy and/or claim numbers,
• supporting documents,
• important dates, and
• the names of any employees with whom you have interacted.

If you remain dissatisfied or your concern is not resolved within 20 days at Step 1, the matter will be escalated to our Customer Experience team.

STEP 2 – Contact the Customer Experience Team

What you can expect

• A Customer Experience Agent will obtain relevant information and transfer your request to the person within the company who is in charge of handling claims complaints.
• The Claims Customer Relations Representative will conduct a thorough review of your file and the dissatisfaction you have raised and then provide you with a clear response explaining belairdirect’s position on the matter within 60 days of the initial receipt of your complaint; however, depending on exceptional circumstances, an additional 30 days may be necessary to complete a thorough review of your file. You will be updated on the progress of your complaint if more time is required.
• Once the Claims Customer Relations Representative has reviewed your complaint and provided you with a final response, your file will be considered closed. Your file will not be reopened unless you can present new and relevant documentation or facts for further consideration.
• Any further action that can be taken with respect to your concern will be discussed with you and/or forwarded to you in writing.

You may reach the Customer Experience team in the following ways:

By mail:
Belair Insurance Company Inc.
Customer Experience Team
2450 Girouard Street West
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 3B3

By email:customer.experience@service.scotiainsurance.com
By telephone: 1 866 363.5401
Through our online complaint form
Or submit a copy of the Autorité des marchés financiers complaint form to us, found at the following link: Complaint Form

Step 3 – Contact an external agency

Contact an external agency

If your complaint is about a claim and has not been resolved by the Customer Experience team, you can contact the General Insurance OmbudService. The General Insurance OmbudService is an independent dispute resolution service available to any home, auto or business insurance policyholder in Canada. You can access their services by phone, mail, e-mail, fax or through their website. There is no charge for their service.

The Customer Experience Team will liaise with the General Insurance OmbudService and all applicable provincial and federal regulators in order to resolve the complaint as effectively as possible. Please note that the General Insurance OmbudService does not provide monetary compensation, and its mediation and arbitration services are non-binding.

You may reach the General Insurance OmbudService at:

General Insurance OmbudService
4711 Yonge Street, 10th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6K8
1-877-225-0446
www.giocanada.org

You may also ask that a copy of the complaint file be forwarded to the Autorité des marchés financiers.

The Autorité des marchés financiers examines all complaints received and may recommend mediation if deemed advisable and the parties agree. Please note that the Autorité des marchés financiers does not provide monetary compensation with respect to consumer claims (other than cases covered under its specific programs).

Contact the Autorité des marchés financiers:

https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public

Concerns about the Complaint Handling Protocol

If you have a concern about belairdirect’s Complaint Handling Protocol and processes, you may contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. Please note that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada does not provide redress or compensation and does not become involved in individual disputes.

You may reach the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada at:

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
6th Floor, Enterprise Building
427 Laurier Ave. West
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9
www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency

Other

Step 1 – Resolve the Problem at the Source

Speak with a service representative

When you have a concern, we recommend that you start at the source. Speak to the representative of the department involved, for example a certified agent. If you are not satisfied, ask to speak to a manager or a supervisor. It is usually quicker and easier to check the facts and find a solution at the point where the problem occurred.

Gather the facts

To speed up the process, we recommend that you have all relevant information handy prior to contacting belairdirect.

The information needed includes:

• details of your complaint,
• your policy and/or claim numbers,
• supporting documents,
• important dates, and
• the names of any employees with whom you have interacted.

If you remain dissatisfied or your concern is not resolved after completing Step 1, you can escalate the matter to our Customer Experience Team.

STEP 2 – Contact the Customer Experience Team

What you can expect

• A Customer Experience Agent will speak with you to obtain relevant information and assign your file to a Customer Relations Representative for review.
• A Customer Relations Representative will contact you about your concerns.
• The Customer Relations Representative will give you an estimated time frame required to review your file.
• Within 20 days of receipt of your initial concerns, the Customer Relations Representative will conduct a thorough review of your file and the concerns you have raised and then provide you with a clear response explaining belairdirect’s position on the matter. Any further action that can be taken with respect to your concern will be discussed with you and/or forwarded to you in writing.

You may reach the Customer Experience team in the following ways:

By mail:
Belair Insurance Company Inc.
Customer Experience Team
2450 Girouard Street West
Saint-Hyacinthe, QC, J2S 3B3

By email: customer.experience@service.scotiainsurance.com
By telephone: 1 866 405.6763
Through our online complaint form
Or submit a copy of the Autorité des marchés financiers complaint form to us, found at the following link: Complaint Form

If you remain dissatisfied or your complaint is not resolved within 20 days at Step 1 and Step 2, the matter will be escalated to our Customer Complaints Resolution Office.

Step 3 - Contact the Customer Complaints Resolution Office (Formerly Ombudsman’s Office)

If you remain dissatisfied or your complaint is not resolved within 20 days of your initial receipt, you may escalate your concerns to the Customer Complaints Resolution Office for an independent review. Please note that the Customer Complaints Resolution Office will not review a complaint that has not gone through Steps 1 and 2 above first.

Any complaint escalated to the Customer Complaints Resolution Office should be made in writing.

Please include the following information when escalating your complaint:

• summary of your complaint;
• list of all unresolved concerns;
• the reason your concerns have not been resolved at Steps 1 and 2 above;
• any documentation and information that you would like to have reviewed; and
• your desired outcome.

The role of the Customer Complaints Resolution Office is to conduct an independent and impartial investigation of your complaint. The objective of this investigation is to examine whether your file was handled fairly and appropriately.

What you can expect

• The Customer Complaints Resolution Office will work with you and belairdirect to resolve your complaint in a fair and impartial manner.
• For complaints that are not easily resolved or require a full investigation, the Customer Complaints Resolution Office will provide you with a formal written response. A written response is usually completed within 40 days; however, depending on exceptional circumstances, an additional 30 days may be necessary to complete a thorough review of your file. You will be updated on the progress of your complaint if more time is required.

When the Customer Complaints Resolution Office has reviewed your complaint and provided you with a final response, your file will be considered closed. Your file will not be reopened unless you can present new and relevant documentation or facts for further consideration.

You may reach the Customer Complaints Resolution Office at:

Belair Insurance Company
Customer Complaints Resolution Office (Formerly Ombudsman’s Office)
700 University Avenue, Suite 1500A
Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A1
customercomplaintsresolution@intact.net
1.866.302.5094

Step 4 – Contact an external agency

If you remain dissatisfied following the Customer Complaints Resolution Office’s investigation, you can contact the General Insurance OmbudService. The General Insurance OmbudService is an independent dispute resolution service available to any home, auto or business insurance policyholder in Canada. You can access their services by phone, mail, e-mail, fax or through their website. There is no charge for their service.

The Customer Complaints Resolution Office will liaise with the General Insurance OmbudService and all applicable provincial and federal regulators in order to resolve the complaint as effectively as possible. Please note that the General Insurance OmbudService does not provide monetary compensation, and its mediation and arbitration services are non-binding.

You may reach the General Insurance OmbudService at:

General Insurance OmbudService
4711 Yonge Street, 10th Floor
Toronto, Ontario
M2N 6K8
1-877-225-0446
www.giocanada.org

You may also ask that a copy of the complaint file be forwarded to the Autorité des marchés financiers.

The Autorité des marchés financiers examines all complaints received and may recommend mediation if deemed advisable and the parties agree. Please note that the Autorité des marchés financiers does not provide monetary compensation with respect to consumer claims (other than cases covered under its specific programs).

Contact the Autorité des marchés financiers: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public

Concerns about the Complaint Handling Protocol

If you have a concern about belairdirect’s Complaint Handling Protocol and processes, you may contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada. Please note that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada does not provide redress or compensation and does not become involved in individual disputes.

You may reach the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada at:

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
6th Floor, Enterprise Building
427 Laurier Ave. West
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9
www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency