Westoak Insurance Group Inc. (“Westoak Insurance”), including other insurance companies, brokers, and agents selling home, auto, and business insurance, are committed to safeguarding your rights when you submit a request for insurance or make a claim after a loss. Such rights may include the right to (i) be fully informed, (ii) professional treatment, (ii) timely handling of your claims and complaint resolution, and (iii) privacy.

However, for an effective insurance contract, you also, in return, have responsibilities to play: You are responsible for (i) a clear understanding of your needs, (ii) dispute resolution, and (iii) providing accurate and up-to-date information when asked by the insurers.

To learn more about your responsibilities under an insurance policy, speak with the respective insurance company and/or read your insurance policy.

This right includes Westoak Insurance and other insurance companies explaining to you how insurance works, including how the price involved is calculated based on relevant facts. This right should give you clear information regarding your policy, what it covers, and the settlement process.

If there is a change to or cancelation about your policy, it is your right to be informed by the insurer of changes or cancelation at least 30 days before such changes. The insurer, under normal circumstances, should provide you with the terms and conditions of your policy renewal 30 days before it expires.

You also have the right to be informed of how insurers get compensated for their services and if they have any conflict of interest. You have the right to know how your broker or agent is being paid and who is making such payment to them. Brokers and agents have a commitment to disclosing information about financing, ownership, and other important facts.

You have the right to a professional treatment from brokers and agents who display high ethical standards. These standards include being honest, fair, portraying integrity, and high skills. Brokers and agents must display high knowledge about the services offered including knowing extensively, the products, what it covers, the limitations, and other information. This will enable them to provide the services to you better.

You have the right to be attended to in a timely manner. Westoak Insurance and other insurers owe you the responsibility of letting you know of the procedures and timeliness of settling and the status of your claim. You have the right to know the reason a decision was made over your claim, including why it was denied.

Westoak Insurance, along with other insurers, brokers, or agents, has the responsibility to provide you with detailed information about how your complaint (if any) can easily be heard and attended to, including providing you the process involved. If you have any complaint regarding the service we have provided to you, it is your right to access our complaint resolution process. You also have the right to contact the insurance regulator in your province or the independent General Insurance OmbudService via www.giocanada.org.

Privacy is important in insurance. As an insured, Westoak Insurance along with other insurers owe you the responsibility of providing you a statement about the personal information that is collected from you. You have the right to request a copy of an insurer’s privacy policy and ensure it is compliant with the privacy laws of Canada.

Westoak Insurance and other insurers can only provide the best services effectively to you when you understand your needs. You are responsible for understanding your policy and this may be achieved by asking questions and reading brochures. Visit www.ibc.ca to access every question you should ask your insurer. By understanding your policy and by providing your insurer a clear detail of your circumstances, they will make informed recommendations about your policy.

You owe Westoak Insurance and other insurers the responsibilities of entering the dispute resolution in good faith, providing the necessary information as and when due, and watch out for recommendations made by independent observers.

You owe Westoak Insurance and other insurers the responsibility of providing correct, accurate and up-to-date information when you apply for insurance. Also, when there is a development or changes to any circumstances under insurance such as a purchase of additional property, you must inform your insurance representative of such development.