If you have a concern...

When you are not satisfied with the service or a product you receive from Equitable Life, there is a process for acknowledging and addressing your complaint in a timely and confidential manner. 

For privacy related complaint(s), please visit our Privacy Policy.

To forward your complaint to Equitable Life, please follow these steps:

Step 1 - Speak to your advisor or plan administrator

Speak with your advisor (Individual life and health plans or savings and retirement plans) or plan administrator (for group insurance) about the product and/or service issue you are unhappy with.

Step 2 - Contact customer service

If after talking with your advisor or plan administrator you are still not satisfied, contact a customer service representative as follows:

Address

Equitable Life
One Westmount Road North
P.O. Box 1603, Stn. Waterloo
Waterloo, ON  N2J 4C7

Individual client services (Individual life and health plans or savings and retirement plans)

Telephone: 1.800.668.4095
Fax: 519.883.7404
Email: Customer Service

Group insurance plans

Telephone: 1.800.265.4556
Fax: 519.883.7403
Email addresses:

Group Dental Claims

Group Disability Claims

Group Health Claims

Group Life Claims (including life/waiver of premiums/short term and long term disability claims)

Step 3 - Escalate your concern, write to the Complaints Manager

If your complaint remains unresolved, you may then escalate your concerns in writing to the Complaints Manager who will review the complaint. Please be sure to include your name, policy number, the name of your advisor and the specifics of your concern, including the steps taken to try and resolve the concern at hand.

You may write or email the Complaints Manager at:

The Complaints Manager
Equitable Life
One Westmount Road North
P.O. Box 1603, Stn. Waterloo
Waterloo, ON  N2J 4C7
Telephone: 1.800.722.6615 ext. 8012
Fax: 519.883.7425
Email: Complaints Manager

Within 30 days of receipt of your written complaint to the Complaints Manager, appropriate action will be taken to resolve the complaint or explain the position of the Company regarding the issue. If the complaint cannot be addressed within 30 days, you will be advised of why a delay is necessary and when you can expect a response.

For Quebec residents, please note that you may transfer your complaint to the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF): see the “Complaint Reporting Form” at the AMF website or call toll-free: 1.877.525.0337.

For Saskatchewan residents, please note that you may transfer your complaint to the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority of Saskatchewan. See the “file a complaint” material at the FCAA website.

Step 4 - Independent third party resolution

If after the above steps have been followed and you remain unsatisfied, you may contact an independent Third Party dispute resolution service to review your complaint.

OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI)

Toronto Office

OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI)
2 Bloor Street West, Suite 700 
Toronto, Ontario  M4W 3E2

Local: 416.777.9002
Toll Free:  1.888.295.8112 (Canada wide)
Fax:  416.777.9750

Montreal Office

Ombudsman des assurances de personnes (OAP)
2001 University Street
17th Floor
Montreal, Quebec  H3A 2A6

Local Montreal:  514.282.2088
Toll Free:  1.866.582.2088 (within Quebec)
Fax:  514.285.4076

Website: http://www.olhi.ca

For complaints related to a loan payment (other than a policy loan), or the disclosure or manner of calculating the cost of borrowing in respect of a loan or a voluntary code of conduct or a public commitment, you may contact:

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor
Ottawa, ON   K1R 1B9
Telephone: 1.866.461.3222
Ottawa area or outside Canada: 1.613.960.4666

Website: www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca