Any home, auto or business insurance policyholder in Canada who has a concern or dispute with one of GIO’s member insurance companies can initiate the process by contacting us with the details of the complaint. The time to do this is after the consumer has first tried to resolve the complaint directly with the insurance company involved. Consumers can access GIO’s services by telephone, mail, e-mail, fax, or through our web site.
WHEN A DISAGREEMENT ARISES
Disagreements between insurance companies and their customers can often be quickly and easily resolved.
Problems often arise over a simple misunderstanding.
The GIO provides services across Canada to consumers to work out problems they are having with their insurance companies before they become more serious.
STEP ONE - Consumer assistance
consumer assistance If you have a problem, your first step is to contact GIO. We will assign a Consumer Service Officer (CSO) to you. After discussing the situation with you, the Officer will work with you to determine how your problem might be resolved. You may be advised to contact your insurance company’s Complaint Liaison Officer yourself. He or she will help you through the company’s formal complaint handling process. If you still need help, our CSO may proceed to informal conciliation.
STEP TWO - Informal Conciliation
Informal Conciliation Our CSO may help by providing your company with a written summary of the complaint, and discuss unresolved issues with the company’s Complaint Liaison Officer. At the end of this process, the company will provide a Final Position Letter explaining what action they intend to take to resolve your complaint. If this is not resolved to your satisfaction, you may proceed to Mediation or Senior Adjudication.
STEP THREE - Mediation or Senior Adjudication
Mediation or Senior Adjudication At this stage you may be able to proceed to Mediation or Senior Adjudication. Our Manager of Complaints will help at this point and may speak to you to help you make the best choice.
Mediation
If Mediation is the choice, our CSO will help you select a mediator. All of our mediators are independent and
experienced in mediating disputes with insurance companies. Once all necessary documents have been received by GIO, the mediator will facilitate a two hour discussion between you and a representative of your insurance company.
During this session, the mediator will act as a neutral third party to help you and the company representative resolve issues in an informal and confidential environment. At the conclusion, the mediator will prepare a report for GIO setting out what happened, including whether or not an agreement was reached between you and your company. If you and your company still cannot resolve all of the issues at this meeting, you may wish to choose to proceed to Senior Adjudication.
Senior Adjudication
Whether or not Mediation has taken place, you may choose, with the help of GIO, to proceed to Senior
Adjudication. If this is done, our CSO will send a letter to the company advising them of your choice and giving them an opportunity to submit any further written documentation in support of the their position. The CSO will prepare the file and transfer it to GIO’s Senior Adjudicative Officer. The CSO will make sure that the Officer has all necessary material and is fully informed of all aspects of the complaint.
The Officer may wish to speak to you or the company representative to clarify something, but this is not like Mediation. You do not have to attend with the company representative before the Senior Adjudicative Officer. The Officer will review the case and deliver a report containing a non-binding recommendation.
After Mediation or Senior Adjudication
The conclusion of Mediation or the non-binding recommendation received from the Senior Adjudicative Officer concludes the services offered by GIO. If Mediation is not successful or if either party does not accept the non-binding recommendation, then you may wish to consider legal action. None of the services provided by GIO will affect your legal rights or the rights of your company. Any further action you may wish to take, is between you and your legal representative.
(In Alberta only, if Mediation is unsuccessful in resolving your automobile premium complaint, you can apply to the Automobile Dispute Resolution Committee to have your complaint reviewed.)
What Does it Cost?
There are no costs charged to you for GIO’s efforts, including any Mediation or Senior Adjudication that we arrange for you.
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