At ICPEI we take pride in providing quality service to our policyholders and claimants. However if you have a complaint or concern about our service, products or business practices we want to hear about it. Your complaint will not be ignored. We will address your complaint in a fair, consistent, respectful and timely manner. Investigations into complaints will be thorough, transparent and completed without unreasonable delay. Our Code of Business Standards and Ethics applies to all business practices and we are committed to the principles described in the CCIR Guidance on the Conduct of Insurance business and Fair Treatment of Customers and the CISRO Principles of Conduct for Intermediaries.
What is a Complaint?
A complaint is:
1) the expression of dissatisfaction about our service or product due to:
a. unfair business practices,
b. conduct in violation of applicable law or regulation,
c. unethical conduct; or
2) the identification of real or potential harm that a consumer has sustained or may sustain; or
3) a request for remedial action.
Requests for information are not considered complaints but reasonable requests for information will also be treated in a timely manner. Requests for information regarding personal information are addressed in our Privacy Policy.
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.
In order for us to address consumers’ specific complaints, the complaint must be delivered directly to the Company. We will not address general, unspecified negative commentary in social media or media and such commentary will not be considered a complaint.
Please note that claims are not complaints but if you have a complaint about how a claim was handled we want to hear from you.
If you have a concern or complaint about the handling of your personal information please review our Privacy Policy.
Addressing Your Complaint
Step 1 – Contact your Broker, Agent or Claims Adjuster
Many complaints arise due to a misunderstanding or miscommunication that can be easily resolved by a discussion with your broker or claims adjuster. If you have a complaint the best place to start is with your broker or claims adjuster. They often can clear things up quickly and efficiently. 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 also has a close relationship with us and they may be able to resolve your complaint quickly. Similarly your claims adjuster has an understanding of your particular situation and may easily be able to address your concern.
Step 2 – Contact ICPEI
If your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed by your broker or claims adjuster please contact us directly. We have a number of ways that you can access our complaint resolution process. Firstly we recommend that you contact the relevant business unit Manager. Your broker or claims adjuster should be able to provide you with contact details but if not please call our office 1-866-404-2734 and you will be directed to the correct person.
You can also deliver your complaint in either written or verbal form by contacting our Complaint Officer.
Phone: 905-602-9940
Fax: 902-626-3529
Email: complaintofficer@icpei.ca
Mailing address:
The Insurance Company of Prince Edward Island
14 Great George
Charlottetown, PEI C1A 4J6
Attn: Complaint Officer
Complaints may also be delivered anonymously by way of the ConfidenceLine. Please visit our Whistleblower Hotline page.
To be able to address your complaint effectively we need you to provide the following information with your complaint:
• your name and contact details including email address
• your policy or claims number
• the nature of the complaint
• any documentation that you have that will help us to understand and address your complaint
• if possible, the outcome you are seeking
Once a complaint is received it will be directed to the relevant Business Unit Manager. The Manager will contact you and try to resolve your complaint as part of their normal business practice. If they cannot resolve your complaint to your satisfaction you will be asked to provide a written complaint, if not already provided. Your complaint will then be escalated to our Complaint Officer.
The Complaint Officer is a person dedicated to addressing your complaints. They are independent of any of our business units. Once they receive your complaint the Complaint Officer will:
- Acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 3 business days.
- Investigate the complaint including contacting you; contacting the relevant Business Unit Manager; and reviewing any documentation you have provided.
- Discuss with you possible resolutions to the complaint.
- Within ten business days of receiving the complaint, provide you with a written response to the complaint. If they cannot provide you with response in 10 business days the Complaint Officer will let you know, in writing, why they need more time and when they will provide you with a written response. Under no circumstance will the written response be delivered more than 20 days after receipt of the complaint by us.
If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint you may submit your complaint for an external independent review.
Step 3 – External Review
If, after the Complaint Officer has provided you with a final written response, you 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 customers have been unable to resolve with their insurer. Please visit giocanada.org for additional information on services provided by GIO and how to request an external review 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 regulator in the province where you reside to address complaints.
Prince Edward Island – Inquiries may be sent to the Superintendent of Insurance at
princeedwardisland.ca
New Brunswick – Information about submitting a complaint to the Financial and Consumer Services Commission can be found at fcnb.ca
Nova Scotia – Information about submitting a complaint to the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance can be found at novascotia.ca
Newfoundland and Labrador – Information about submitting a complaint to the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance can be found at gov.nl.ca
Quebec – At anytime you can choose to address your complaint directly to the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (“AMF”). If you are not satisfied with our written response or with the examination of your complaint by us, you may ask the Complaint Officer, to transfer the file to the AMF at anytime. Once your file is transferred, the AMF will examine it and recommend dispute resolution services, if deemed appropriate. Information about submitting complaints to the AMF can be found at lautorite.qc.ca
For questions concerning the examination of complaints in Quebec, contact the AMF Information Centre:
Autorité des marchés financiers
800, square Victoria, 22e étage
C.P. 246, tour de la Bourse
Montreal (Québec) H4Z 1G3
Montreal: 514-395-0337
Quebec City: 418-525-0337
Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 418-525-9512 or 514-873-3090
Email: information@lautorite.qc.ca
Ontario – Information about submitting a complaint to the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) can be found at fsrao.ca
