General Insurance OmbudService
B.C.’s Insurance Act (s. 12) outlines a dispute resolution process that can be initiated by either the insured or the insurer. The General Insurance OmbudService is a national, independent dispute-resolution service that provides impartial resolution of consumer complaints about home and business insurance.
B.C. insureds seeking alternative dispute resolution services closer to home can find a mediator at Mediate BC.
Brokerages typically have internal mechanisms to review concerns or complaints raised by their auto-insurance customers. For ICBC-related issues, the ICBC Fairness Officer provides another opportunity to be heard.
Canada’s first online tribunal offers an accessible, affordable way to resolve many types of civil law disputes without needing a lawyer or attending court. It resolves:
- Motor vehicle injury disputes up to $50,000
- Small claims disputes $5,000 and under
- Strata property disputes of any amount (some of which have dealt with insurance claims)
- Societies and cooperative associations disputes of any amount
- Claims about intimate images.
Although not technically an administrative tribunal, not a court, B.C.’s Civil Resolution Tribunal is part of the public justice system, and its decisions have the same weight as court decisions.
Property and Casualty Insurance Compensation Corporation
Insurance company failures, although rare, can and do occur. Canada’s P&C insurance companies fund a special program, approved by government regulators, to protect policyholders and claimants. In the unlikely event of the collapse of a P&C insurer in Canada, the industry-funded, non-profit PACICC will respond to claims of policyholders under most policies issued by P&C companies. Insureds don’t need to apply for protection; it is extended automatically to eligible policies.
The Competition Bureau is a federal law enforcement agency, responsible for the administration and enforcement of the Competition Act and other related statutes. The Competition Act governs business conduct in regards to information sharing, meetings, and general conduct. It contains both criminal and civil provisions aimed at preventing anti-competitive practices in the marketplace. The Bureau investigates such anti‑competitive activities as price-fixing, bid-rigging, and false or misleading representations.
Broker relevance: Licensees should ensure their own business practices are in compliance with the Competition Act, and should comply with the act when volunteering with industry stakeholder groups, task forces, or boards. Because association and networking activities by definition involve the interaction of direct competitors, they can in some cases raise serious competition law concerns under the act.
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