Your opinion is important to us
Your opinion is important to us
At National Bank Insurance, the client experience is a top priority. No matter what you have to say, we’re here to listen and provide assistance.
If the service you received didn’t live up to your expectations, we want to know. The instructions below will guide you through the process of making a complaint.
National Bank Insurance Auto | Home
Customer Satisfaction: Complaint-Handling Protocol
We, National Bank Insurance Auto | Home and our partner Belair Insurance Company Inc. are committed to providing consumers with exceptional service. It is important to us that you let us know how we are doing. If you are not satisfied with an action, product or service you have received, you have a right to express your dissatisfaction through the complaint-handling protocol. We want to ensure that your concerns are handled fairly and efficiently.
Concern not related to a claim
You may contact us at any time to obtain information on how we process complaints, on how to file a complaint or on the status of a complaint. You may contact us by phone, email, mail or fax or by completing the form from the Autorité des marchés financiers and sending it to us. The form can be found here: Complaint Form.
If you have a general question about your policy, payment or a claim, or require a correction, please contact the Customer service team or your claim adjuster. Kindly note that we do not respond to complaints that are involved in a formal dispute resolution process.
Complaint regarding a claim
Step 1 – Resolve the Problem at the Source
Speak with your claim adjuster
When you have a concern, we recommend that you start at the source. Speak to the claim adjuster involved. If you are not satisfied, ask to speak to a manager or a supervisor. It is usually quicker and easier to check the facts and find a solution at the point where the problem occurred.
Gather the facts
To speed up the process, we recommend that you have all relevant information handy prior to contacting us.
The information needed includes:
- details of your complaint,
- your policy and/or claim numbers,
- supporting documents,
- important dates, and
- the names of any employees with whom you have interacted.
If you remain dissatisfied or your concern is not resolved within 20 days at Step 1, the matter will be
escalated to our Customer Experience team.
Step 2 – Contact the Customer Experience Team
What you can expect
- A Customer Experience Agent will obtain relevant information and transfer your request to the person within the company who is in charge of handling claims complaints.
- The Claims Customer Relations Representative will conduct a thorough review of your file and the dissatisfaction you have raised and then provide you with a clear response explaining our position on the matter within 60 days of the initial receipt of your complaint. However, depending on exceptional circumstances, an additional 30 days may be necessary to complete a thorough review of your file. You will be updated on the progress of your complaint if more time is required.
- Once the Claims Customer Relations Representative has reviewed your complaint and provided you with a final response, your file will be considered closed. Your file will not be reopened unless you can present new and relevant documentation or facts for further consideration.
- Any further action that can be taken with respect to your concern will be discussed with you and/or forwarded to you in writing.
You may reach the Customer Experience team in the following ways:
- By mail: National Bank Insurance Auto | Home and Belair Insurance Company Inc.
Customer Experience Team
2450 Girouard Street West
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 3B3 - By email: customer.experience@nbc-insurance.ca
- By phone: 1-866-405-6763
- By sending us a copy of the Autorité des marchés financiers complaint form, found here: Complaint Form
Step 3 – Contact an External Agency
If your complaint is about a claim and has not been resolved by the Customer Experience team, you can contact the General Insurance OmbudService.
The General Insurance OmbudService is an independent dispute resolution service available to any home, auto or business insurance policyholder in Canada. You can access their services by phone, mail, email or fax or through their website. There is no charge for their service.
The Customer Experience Team will communicate with the General Insurance OmbudService and all applicable provincial and federal regulators in order to resolve the complaint as effectively as possible. Please note that the General Insurance OmbudService does not provide monetary compensation, and its mediation and arbitration services are non-binding.
You may reach the General Insurance OmbudService at:
General Insurance OmbudService
4711 Yonge Street, 10th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M2N 6K8
1-877-225-0446
You may also ask that a copy of the complaint file be forwarded to the Autorité des marchés financiers.
The Autorité des marchés financiers examines all complaints received and may recommend mediation if deemed advisable and the parties agree. Please note that the Autorité des marchés financiers does not provide monetary compensation with respect to consumer claims (other than cases covered under its specific programs).
Contact the Autorité des marchés financiers: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public
Concerns about the complaint-handling protocol
If you have a concern about our complaint-handling protocol and processes, you may contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
Please note that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada does not provide redress or compensation and does not become involved in individual disputes.
You may reach the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada at:
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Enterprise Building, 6th Floor
427 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9
www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency
Concern not related to a claim
Step 1 – Resolve the Problem at the Source
Speak with a service representative
When you have a concern, we recommend that you start at the source. Speak to the representative of the department involved, for example, a certified agent. If you are not satisfied, ask to speak to a manager or a supervisor. It is usually quicker and easier to check the facts and find a solution at the point where the problem occurred.
Gather the facts
To speed up the process, we recommend that you have all relevant information handy prior to contacting us.
The information needed includes:
- details of your complaint,
- your policy number,
- supporting documents,
- important dates, and
- the names of any employees with whom you have interacted.
If you remain dissatisfied or your concern is not resolved after completing Step 1, you can escalate the matter to our Customer Experience team.
Step 2 – Contact the Customer Experience Team
What you can expect
- A Customer Experience Agent will speak with you to obtain relevant information and assign your file to a Customer Relations Representative for review.
- The Customer Relations Representative will contact you about your concerns.
- The Customer Relations Representative will give you an estimated time frame required to review your file.
- Within 20 days of receipt of your initial concerns, the Customer Relations Representative will conduct a thorough review of your file and the concerns you have raised and then provide you with a clear response explaining our position on the matter. Any further action that can be taken with respect to your concern will be discussed with you and/or forwarded to you in writing.
You may reach the Customer Experience team in the following ways:
- By mail: National Bank Insurance Auto | Home and Belair Insurance Company Inc.
Customer Experience Team
2450 Girouard Street West
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 3B3 - By email: customer.experience@nbc-insurance.ca
- By phone: 1-866-405-6763
- By sending us a copy of the Autorité des marchés financiers complaint form, found here: Complaint Form
If you remain dissatisfied or your complaint is not resolved within 20 days of your initial receipt, you may escalate your concerns to the Customer Complaints Resolution Office for an independent review.
Step 3 – Contact the Customer Complaints Resolution Office
Please note that the Customer Complaints Resolution Office will not review a complaint that has not gone through Steps 1 and 2 above first.
Any complaint escalated to the Customer Complaints Resolution Office should be made in writing.
When escalating your complaint, please include:
- a summary of your complaint,
- a list of all unresolved concerns,
- the reason your concerns have not been resolved at Steps 1 and 2 above,
- any documentation and information that you would like to have reviewed, and
- your desired outcome.
The role of the Customer Complaints Resolution Office is to conduct an independent and impartial investigation of your complaint. The objective of this investigation is to examine whether your file was handled fairly and appropriately.
What you can expect
- The Customer Complaints Resolution Office will work with you to resolve your complaint in a fair and impartial manner.
- For complaints that are not easily resolved or require a full investigation, the Customer Complaints Resolution Office will provide you with a formal written response. A written response is usually completed within 40 days. However, depending on exceptional circumstances, an additional 30 days may be necessary to complete a thorough review of your file. You will be updated on the progress of your complaint if more time is required.
When the Customer Complaints Resolution Office has reviewed your complaint and provided you with a final response, your file will be considered closed. Your file will not be reopened unless you can present new and relevant documentation or facts for further consideration.
You may reach the Customer Complaints Resolution Office at:
Belair Insurance Company Inc.
Customer Complaints Resolution Office
700 University Avenue, Suite 1500A
Toronto, Ontario M5G 0A1
customercomplaintsresolution@intact.net
1-866-302-5094
Step 4 – Contact an External Agency
If you remain dissatisfied following the Customer Complaints Resolution Office’s investigation, you can contact the General Insurance OmbudService.
The General Insurance OmbudService is an independent dispute resolution service available to any home, auto or business insurance policy holder in Canada. You can access their services by phone, mail, email or fax or through their website. There is no charge for their service.
The Customer Complaints Resolution Office will communicate with the General Insurance OmbudService and all applicable provincial and federal regulators in order to resolve the complaint as effectively as possible.
Please note that the General Insurance OmbudService does not provide monetary compensation, and its mediation and arbitration services are non-binding.
You may reach the General Insurance OmbudService at:
General Insurance OmbudService
4711 Yonge Street, 10th Floor
Toronto, Ontario M2N 6K8
You may also ask that a copy of the complaint file be forwarded to the Autorité des marchés financiers.
The Autorité des marchés financiers examines all complaints received and may recommend mediation if deemed advisable and the parties agree. Please note that the Autorité des marchés financiers does not provide monetary compensation with respect to consumer claims (other than cases covered under its specific programs).
Contact the Autorité des marchés financiers: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public
Concerns about our complaint-handling protocol
If you have a concern about our complaint-handling protocol and processes, you may contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
Please note that the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada does not provide redress or compensation and does not become involved in individual disputes.
You may reach the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada at:
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
Enterprise Building, 6th Floor
427 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9
National Bank Life Insurance
Step 1 – Contact our customer service team
Our team is here to answer your questions, address your concerns and take note of your feedback about our products and services. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time:
- By mail:
National Bank Life Insurance Company
800 Saint-Jacques, office 16701
Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3
- By phone:
1-877-871-7500
514-871-7500 (Montreal area)
Business hours
Monday to Thursday: 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- By email: insurance@nbc.ca
Step 2 – Write to our complaint department
Some situations require additional attention. If you’re not satisfied with the response provided by our customer service team, you can write to our complaint department. Once we receive your complaint, here’s what you can expect:
- The person in charge of handling your complaint will document it and create a file
- They will send you an acknowledgement of receipt within 10 days
- After reviewing your complaint, they will send you a final written response as soon as possible, and no later than 60 days after receiving the complaint1
1N.B.: Notwithstanding the response time specified above, when justified by exceptional circumstances or situations beyond our control, the final written response may be provided within up to 90 days of receipt of the complaint.
In more complex cases, we may need additional documents to analyze your complaint. The person handling your complaint will contact you if this is the case.
You can send us your complaint:
- By email: insurance@nbc.ca
- By mail:
Complaint Handling Department
National Bank Life Insurance Company
800 Saint-Jacques, suite 16701
Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3
You can view our Complaint Policy below for more information.
Step 3 – Request external assistance
If you’re still not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can contact one or more of the following organizations:
1) If the complaint is related to the service received with a banking product:
National Bank Client Complaint Appeal Office:
Phone: 1-888-300-9004 or 514-394-8655
Email: complaintappeal@nbc.ca
Website: nbc.ca
Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI):
20 Queen Street West
Suite 2400, P.O. Box 8
Toronto, Ontario M5H 3R3
Phone: 1-800-451-4519
Fax: 1-888-422-2865
Email: ombudsman@obsi.ca
Website: https://consumerportal.obsi.ca/public/inquiries/inquiry
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada:
427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9
Phone:
- French: 1-866-461-ACFC (2232)
- English: 1-866-461-FCAC (3222)
- Outside Canada: 613-960-4666
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/corporate/contact-us.html
2) If the complaint is related to a refusal of insurance coverage:
Autorité des marchés financiers (for Quebec residents only):
Place de la Cité, Cominar Tower
2640 Laurier Boulevard, Suite 400
Quebec City, Quebec G1V 4C1
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-395-0337
- Quebec City: 418-525-0337
- Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 1-877-285-4378
Email: plaintes@lautorite.qc.ca
Website: http://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/making-a-complaint
OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (for all residents of Canada):
2 Bloor St. West
Suite 700
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-282-2088
- Toronto: 416-777-9002
- Toll-free: 1-888-295-8112
Website: olhi.ca
You can also contact:
National Bank's Client Complaint Appeal Office
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-394-8655
- Toll-free: 1-888-300-9004
Email: complaintappeal@nbc.ca
Website: nbc.ca
COMPLAINT HANDLING AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY FOR NATIONAL BANK LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY
1. PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to establish an equitable procedure for all complaints received by the insurer National Bank Life Insurance Company (hereinafter "NBLIC").
The policy is intended to provide oversight for receiving complaints, delivering acknowledgments of receipt and notices to the complainant, creating complaint files and transferring those files to the regulatory authorities concerned.
2. COMPLAINT HANDLING OFFICER
The Complaint Handling Officer (hereinafter the "Officer") is responsible for applying the policy. They liaise with the relevant regulatory authorities and make sure the organization's employees receive training under their functional supervision.
The Officer must provide employees with the information they need to comply with this policy.
3. DEFINITION OF A COMPLAINT
For the purposes of this policy, a communication is considered a complaint about NBLIC if it meets the following criteria:
- It expresses a complaint or dissatisfaction with the services or products offered by NBLIC
- It is communicated by an NBLIC client
- It expresses an expectation, explicit or not, that MBLIC will take steps to remedy the situation
The following requests and communications are not considered complaints:
- Comments or feedback
- Requests for information or documents related to a product or service
- Requests for compensation or insurance claims
- Requests to access or correct personal information concerning the client (such requests must be processed in accordance with the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector)
- Requests to correct administrative errors
4. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT
Here are the steps to follow when submitting a complaint:
1. Communicate the complaint or dissatisfaction directly to NBLIC in one of the following ways:
- By email [insurance@nbc.ca]
- By mail
Complaint handling sector,
National Bank Life Insurance Company,
800 Saint-Jacques, Suite 16701,
Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3
- By calling the National Bank Customer Experience Centre
Toll-free: 1-877-871-7500
Montreal: 514-871-7500
Provide any supporting documents that may be needed to analyze the complaint or dissatisfaction.
Clients can contact the National Bank Customer Experience Centre at the numbers indicated above for assistance in expressing their complaint or dissatisfaction.
2. Report the complaint or dissatisfaction directly to the Autorité des marchés financiers (hereinafter "AMF") using the complaint form available on its website: https://lautorite.qc.ca/fileadmin/lautorite/formulaires/grand-public/GP-plainte_formulaire-plainte-an.pdf
5. RECEIPT OF A COMPLAINT
All complaints about NBLIC must be forwarded to the Officer responsible for applying this policy as soon as they are received.
The Officer will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 10 days of receiving it.
The acknowledgement of receipt will contain the following information:
- The identification code of the complaint file
- The date the complaint was received by NBLIC
- Instructions for the complainant to obtain information concerning complaint processing
- The expected timeframe for processing the complaint, as well as the date by which the final response must be communicated
- A hyperlink to the summary of the complaint handling and dispute resolution policy or a copy of it
6. CREATION OF THE COMPLAINT FILE
A separate file is created by NBLIC for every complaint. The file must contain the following documents and information:
- The complaint itself
- A copy of the acknowledgment of receipt delivered to the complainant
- The outcome of the complaint handling process (analysis and supporting documents)
- The final written response to the complainant with justifying reasons
7. COMPLAINT HANDLING
Upon receiving a complaint, the Officer begins the complaint handling process. They must:
- Properly document how the complaint is handled and create a file for it.
- Send the complainant an acknowledgment of receipt within 10 days, as set out in section 5 above.
- Provide a final written response to the complainant as soon as possible and no later than 60 days following receipt of the complaint.
- However, when justified by exceptional circumstances or circumstances beyond the Officer's control, the final written response may be provided up to 90 days following receipt of the complaint.
- If an offer is presented to the complainant, allow a reasonable timeframe for them to assess and respond to the offer.
- If an agreement is reached with the complainant, follow up no later than 30 days after the offer is accepted or, when justified by the complainant's interests, within any other timeframe agreed upon with them.
- Respond to further communications with the complainant, in particular to allow them to submit any new, relevant facts, answer their questions or follow up on their comments, until no further action is required regarding the complaint.
If the complainant refuses or fails to provide the documentation required to handle their complaint, the Officer will send them a letter setting out a grace period. Once that period has expired, a final response will be delivered to them based on the information available in the file.
8. TRANSFER OF A FILE TO THE AUTORITÉ DES MARCHÉS FINANCIERS OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITIES CONCERNED
If the complainant is not satisfied with the final response obtained or the way their complaint was handled, they may, at any time, ask the AMF (or any other regulatory authority applicable to their province of residence) to review the complaint. NBLIC must send the complaint file to the AMF in accordance with the terms and conditions set out on its website within 15 days of receiving the complainant's request to have the AMF examine the complaint file.
9. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective July 1, 2025.
10. FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPLAINT HANDLING
1) If the complaint is related to the service received with a banking product:
National Bank's Client Complaint Appeal Office
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-394-8655
- Toll-free: 1-888-300-9004
Email: complaintappeal@nbc.ca
Website: nbc.ca
Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI):
20 Queen Street West
Suite 2400, P.O. Box 8
Toronto, Ontario M5H 3R3
Phone: 1-800-451-4519
Fax: 1-888-422-2865
Email: ombudsman@obsi.ca
Website: https://consumerportal.obsi.ca/public/inquiries/inquiry
Financial Consumer Agency of Canada:
427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th floor
Ottawa, Ontario K1R 1B9
Phone:
- French: 1-866-461-ACFC (2232)
- English: 1-866-461-FCAC (3222)
- Outside Canada: 613-960-4666
Website: https://www.canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency/corporate/contact-us.html
2) If the complaint is related to a refusal of insurance coverage:
Autorité des marchés financiers (for Quebec residents only):
Place de la Cité, Cominar Tower
2640 Laurier Boulevard, Suite 400
Quebec City, Quebec G1V 4C1
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-395-0337
- Quebec City: 418-525-0337
- Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 1-877-285-4378
Email: plaintes@lautorite.qc.ca
Website: http://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/making-a-complaint
Ombudsman for Life and Health Insurance (for all residents of Canada):
2 Bloor St. West
Suite 700
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-282-2088
- Toronto: 416-777-9002
- Toll-free: 1-888-295-8112
Website: olhi.ca
You can also contact:
National Bank's Client Complaint Appeal Office:
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-394-8655
- Toll-free: 1-888-300-9004
Email: complaintappeal@nbc.ca
Website: nbc.ca
National Bank Insurance Firm Inc.
Step 1 – Contact your Financial Security Advisor directly or our Customer Service
Our team is here to answer your questions, address your concerns and take note of your feedback about our products and services. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time:
- By mail: National Bank Insurance Firm Inc.
800 Saint-Jacques, suite 42521
Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3 - By email: cabn@bnc.ca
Step 2 – Write to our complaint department
Some situations require additional attention. If you’re not satisfied with the response provided by our customer service team, you can write to our complaint department. Once we receive your complaint, here’s what you can expect:
- The person in charge of handling your complaint will document it and create a file
- They will send you an acknowledgement of receipt within 10 days
- After reviewing your complaint, they will send you a final written response as soon as possible, and no later than 60 days after receiving the complaint
- N.B.: Notwithstanding the response time specified above, when justified by exceptional circumstances or situations beyond our control, the final written response may be provided within up to 90 days of receipt of the complaint.
In more complex cases, we may need additional documents to analyze your complaint. The person handling your complaint will contact you if this is the case.
You can send us your complaint:
- By email: ConformiteCabn@bnc.ca
- By mail: Complaint Handling Department
National Bank Insurance Firm Inc.
800 Saint-Jacques, suite 42521
Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3
Step 3 – Request external assistance
If you’re still not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can contact one or more of the following organizations:
1) If your complaint is related to service received from a Financial Security Advisor affiliated with NBIF:
Autorité des marchés financiers (for Quebec residents only):
Place de la Cité, Cominar Tower
2640 Laurier Boulevard, Suite 400
Quebec City, Quebec G1V 4C1
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-395-0337
- Quebec City: 418-525-0337
- Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 1-877-285-4378
Email: plaintes@lautorite.qc.ca
Website: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/making-a-complaint
OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (for all residents of Canada):
2 Bloor St. West
Suite 700
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-282-2088
- Toronto: 416-777-9002
- Toll-free: 1-888-295-8112
Website: olhi.ca
You can also contact:
National Bank's Client Complaint Appeal Office:
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-394-8655
- Toll-free: 1-888-300-9004
Email: complaintappeal@nbc.ca
Website: nbc.ca
2) If the complaint is related to a refusal of insurance coverage:
Please contact the complaints department of the insurer that issued your insurance policy.
SUMMARY OF THE COMPLAINT HANDLING AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY FOR NATIONAL BANK INSURANCE FIRM INC.
1. DEFINITION OF A COMPLAINT
For the purposes of this policy, a communication is considered a complaint about NBIF if it meets the following criteria:
- It expresses a complaint or dissatisfaction with the services or products offered by NBIF
- It is communicated by an NBIF client
- It expresses an expectation, explicit or not, that NBIF will take steps to remedy the situation
2. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT
Here are the steps to follow when submitting a complaint:
1. Communicate the complaint or dissatisfaction directly to NBIF in one of the following ways:
a. By email [ConformiteCabn@bnc.ca]
b. By mail [Complaint Handling Officer, National Bank Insurance Firm, 800 Saint-Jacques, Suite 42521, Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3]
Provide any supporting documents that may be needed to analyze the complaint or dissatisfaction.
2. Report the complaint or dissatisfaction directly to the Autorité des marchés financiers (hereinafter "AMF") using the complaint form available on its website: https://lautorite.qc.ca/fileadmin/lautorite/formulaires/grand-public/GP-plainte_formulaire-plainte-an.pdf
3. RECEIPT OF A COMPLAINT
All complaints about NBIF must be forwarded, as soon as they are received, to the Complaint Handling Officer (hereinafter the “Officer”), who is responsible for applying this policy.
The Officer will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 10 days of receiving it.
The acknowledgement of receipt will contain the following information:
- The identification code of the complaint file
- The date the complaint was received by NBIF
- Instructions for the complainant to obtain information concerning complaint processing
- The expected timeframe for processing the complaint, as well as the date by which the final response must be communicated
- A hyperlink to the summary of the complaint handling and dispute resolution policy or a copy of it
4. COMPLAINT HANDLING
Upon receiving a complaint, the Officer begins the complaint handling process. They must:
- Properly document how the complaint is handled and create a file for it.
- Send the complainant an acknowledgment of receipt within 10 days, as set out in section 5 above.
- Provide a final written response to the complainant as soon as possible and no later than 60 days following receipt of the complaint.
- However, when justified by exceptional circumstances or circumstances beyond the Officer's control, the final written response may be provided up to 90 days following receipt of the complaint.
- If an offer is presented to the complainant, allow a reasonable timeframe for them to assess and respond to the offer.
- If an agreement is reached with the complainant, follow up no later than 30 days after the offer is accepted or, when justified by the complainant's interests, within any other timeframe agreed upon with them.
- Respond to further communications with the complainant, in particular to allow them to submit any new, relevant facts, answer their questions or follow up on their comments, until no further action is required regarding the complaint.
If the complainant refuses or fails to provide the documentation required to handle their complaint, the Officer will send them a letter setting out a grace period. Once that period has expired, a final response will be delivered to them based on the information available in the file.
5. TRANSFER OF A FILE TO THE AUTORITÉ DES MARCHÉS FINANCIERS OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITIES CONCERNED
If the complainant is not satisfied with the final response obtained or the way their complaint was handled, they may, at any time, ask the AMF (or any other regulatory authority applicable to their province of residence) to review the complaint.
NBIF must send the complaint file to the AMF in accordance with the terms and conditions set out on its website within 15 days of receiving the complainant's request to have the AMF examine the complaint file.
COMPLAINT HANDLING AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY FOR NATIONAL BANK INSURANCE FIRM INC.
1. PURPOSE OF THE POLICY
The purpose of this policy is to establish an equitable procedure for all complaints received by National Bank Insurance Firm (hereinafter "NBIF").
The policy is intended to provide oversight for receiving complaints, delivering acknowledgments of receipt and notices to the complainant, creating complaint files and transferring those files to the regulatory authorities concerned.
2. COMPLAINT HANDLING OFFICER
The Complaint Handling Officer (hereinafter the "Officer") is responsible for applying the policy. They liaise with the relevant regulatory authorities and make sure the organization's employees receive training under their functional supervision.
The Officer must provide employees with the information they need to comply with this policy.
3. DEFINITION OF A COMPLAINT
For the purposes of this policy, a communication is considered a complaint about NBIF if it meets the following criteria:
- It expresses a complaint or dissatisfaction with the services or products offered by NBIF
- It is communicated by an NBIF client
- It expresses an expectation, explicit or not, that NBIF will take steps to remedy the situation
The following requests and communications are not considered complaints:
- Comments or feedback
- Requests for information or documents related to a product or service
- Requests for compensation or insurance claims
- Requests to access or correct personal information concerning the client (such requests must be processed in accordance with the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector)
- Requests to correct administrative errors
4. PROCEDURE FOR SUBMITTING A COMPLAINT
Here are the steps to follow when submitting a complaint:
1. Communicate the complaint or dissatisfaction directly to NBIF in one of the following ways:
a. By email [ConformiteCabn@bnc.ca]
b. By mail [Complaint Handling Officer, National Bank Insurance Firm, 800 Saint-Jacques, Suite 42521, Montreal, Quebec H3C 1A3]
Provide any supporting documents that may be needed to analyze the complaint or dissatisfaction.
2. Report the complaint or dissatisfaction directly to the Autorité des marchés financiers (hereinafter "AMF") using the complaint form available on its website: https://lautorite.qc.ca/fileadmin/lautorite/formulaires/grand-public/GP-plainte_formulaire-plainte-an.pdf
5. RECEIPT OF A COMPLAINT
All complaints about NBIF must be forwarded to the Officer responsible for applying this policy as soon as they are received.
The Officer will acknowledge receipt of the complaint within 10 days of receiving it.
The acknowledgement of receipt will contain the following information:
- The identification code of the complaint file
- The date the complaint was received by NBIF
- Instructions for the complainant to obtain information concerning complaint processing
- The expected timeframe for processing the complaint, as well as the date by which the final response must be communicated
- A hyperlink to the summary of the complaint handling and dispute resolution policy or a copy of it
6. CREATION OF THE COMPLAINT FILE
A separate file is created by NBIF for every complaint. The file must contain the following documents and information:
- The complaint itself
- A copy of the acknowledgment of receipt delivered to the complainant
- The outcome of the complaint handling process (analysis and supporting documents)
- The final written response to the complainant with justifying reasons
7. COMPLAINT HANDLING
Upon receiving a complaint, the Officer begins the complaint handling process. They must:
- Properly document how the complaint is handled and create a file for it.
- Send the complainant an acknowledgment of receipt within 10 days, as set out in section 5 above.
- Provide a final written response to the complainant as soon as possible and no later than 60 days following receipt of the complaint.
- However, when justified by exceptional circumstances or circumstances beyond the Officer's control, the final written response may be provided up to 90 days following receipt of the complaint.
- If an offer is presented to the complainant, allow a reasonable timeframe for them to assess and respond to the offer.
- If an agreement is reached with the complainant, follow up no later than 30 days after the offer is accepted or, when justified by the complainant's interests, within any other timeframe agreed upon with them.
- Respond to further communications with the complainant, in particular to allow them to submit any new, relevant facts, answer their questions or follow up on their comments, until no further action is required regarding the complaint.
If the complainant refuses or fails to provide the documentation required to handle their complaint, the Officer will send them a letter setting out a grace period. Once that period has expired, a final response will be delivered to them based on the information available in the file.
8. TRANSFER OF A FILE TO THE AUTORITÉ DES MARCHÉS FINANCIERS OR OTHER REGULATORY AUTHORITIES CONCERNED
If the complainant is not satisfied with the final response obtained or the way their complaint was handled, they may, at any time, ask the AMF (or any other regulatory authority applicable to their province of residence) to review the complaint.
NBIF must send the complaint file to the AMF in accordance with the terms and conditions set out on its website within 15 days of receiving the complainant's request to have the AMF examine the complaint file.
9. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective July 1, 2025.
10. FOR ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPLAINT HANDLING
Autorité des marchés financiers (for Quebec residents only):
Place de la Cité, Cominar Tower
2640 Laurier Boulevard, Suite 400
Quebec City, Quebec G1V 4C1
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-395-0337
- Quebec City: 418-525-0337
- Toll-free: 1-877-525-0337
Fax: 1-877-285-4378
Email: plaintes@lautorite.qc.ca
Website: https://lautorite.qc.ca/en/general-public/assistance-and-complaints/making-a-complaint
OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (for all residents of Canada):
2 Bloor St. West
Suite 700
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3E2
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-282-2088
- Toronto: 416-777-9002
- Toll-free: 1-888-295-8112
Website: olhi.ca
You can also contact:
National Bank's Client Complaint Appeal Office:
Phone:
- Montreal: 514-394-8655
- Toll-free: 1-888-300-9004
Email: complaintappeal@nbc.ca
Website: nbc.ca
NBC Assistance
Step 1 – Contact our Customer Service Department
Contact us by mail, by calling 1-888-535-0510, option 1 or online.
Step 2 – Request external assistance
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can contact one or more of the entities listed on https://www.nbc.ca/about-us/governance/complaint-settlement.html.