Complaints Process

Speak to your Insurance Broker, Claims Adjuster, or a Wawanesa representative from the department involved. This is likely the fastest way to resolve any issues.

If your issue is not resolved after completing Step 1, speak with the appropriate Supervisor.

If your issue is not resolved after speaking with a Supervisor, ask to speak to the appropriate Manager.

If you are still not satisfied, you can contact the Office of the Ombudsman for further assistance.

Please note that the Ombudsperson will not review an issue that has not gone through Steps 1-3. If you have not completed Steps 1-3, you will be redirected to someone who can assist you.

Once the Ombudsperson has investigated your complaint, you will receive a final position letter. Investigations take anywhere from 30-60 days. If we expect that the investigation will take longer than 60 days, we will let you know why and when you can expect a response.

Office of the Ombudsman

While the Office of the Ombudsman will make every effort to review each complaint, some matters may fall outside the scope of the Office. These include:

• Availability of insurance;
• Employee conduct;
• Matters that are, will be, or are required to be dealt with by the courts or a dispute resolution process;
• Rate increases filed with regulatory authorities.

If you are not satisfied with the handling of your complaint, you may contact:

General Insurance OmbudService (GIO)

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC)

The FCAC is an independent government body that regulates consumer provisions relating to financial services, including insurance. If you have a specific concern regarding Wawanesa’s Complaint Process or a specific consumer provision, you may raise these concerns with the FCAC. Note that the FCAC does not provide personal redress (i.e., compensation or monetary award); its focus is to ensure that institutions comply with the law.

The Autorité des marchés financiers (Quebec residents)

The Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF) is a regulatory body established by the provincial government of Quebec that offers a complaint process for Quebec residents. You may file a complaint using the Complaint Form found on the AMF’s website or request that your complaint be reviewed or transferred to the AMF at any time.

Wawanesa’s Member Review Council

Depending on the situation, you may be referred to the Member Review Council. For more information, please visit the Member Review Council page.