Hello all,
New to this forum, please forgive me if this question has been asked before.
I am looking for my GWL" group insurance master contract". It seems they don’t want to give that up willing. The company I work for says it cannot provide me with this as well.
I understand that in some provinces, this is law, and they must provide the Master Contract upon request.
Also are there any federal laws pertaining to this? .
Have searched for the regulation’s but cannot find any.
Please help.
Insurance for the most part is regulated provincially so likely the laws of Nova Scotia would apply. Normally this type of thing is included in provincial Insurance Acts. Unfortunately the laws in Nova Scotia are not as favourable as some other provinces that place obligation on the insurance companies to provide a copy of the policy to an insurance group member. Short of a lawsuit or court motion it is very hard to get a copy of the master policy in Nova Scotia.
David Brannen
Disability Lawyer with Resolute Legal
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Most GWL master policies say that they can release the master policy at their discretion to settle claims.
That said**–most GWL policies have a provision that the employer must make available the policy for employees!**
It is your employer that likely has an obligation to allow you to see the complete policy/contract. We had to go through the Union to obtain (after a threat to file a failure to represent and human rights complaint) It took 22 months to be able to see the complete policy. GWL was in contact with the employer and interfered with my husband getting.
You could ask your Insurer to provide you with the provision that says they do not have to allow you the opportunity to view the contract. Also to your employer.
If they refuse to do that you have a paper trail of the request. Then if there is a provision they want to rely on and it is not spelled out in your group policy booklet–they may have forfeited the right to enforce the complete contract.
Are you being treated unfairly?
I wouldn’t get a lawyer just to get a copy of the master policy.
GWL has denied that they have any duty of good faith or duty to treat my husband fairly under the policy
I would think they have obligations not specified in the policy that are provincially regulated.
I would contact a lawyer.
I am just trying to do my homework and get my ducks in a row, as I am coming up on the change of definition soon.
Not having much luck getting it from GWL or company.
I haven’t dealt with that yet but I can see it being stressful.
I find the uncertainty of having income each month stressful but getting CPP-D will help a lot.
My opinion is that you don’t need the master policy unless you’re having a problem with the insurer.