FINANCIALS & POLICIES
1. Policyholders are Members
2. Conflicts of Interest and the Insurance Purchase
- Our policyholder members’ interests come first. Our agents and brokers will put yours ahead of their own;
- We will make you aware of any conflict that could be associated with a transaction or recommendation;
- We will ensure that from the products we offer, we will only recommend those that are the right fit to meet your needs.
South Easthope Mutual, like all insurers in Ontario, is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) (https://www.fsrao.ca/).
3. Insurance at Cost
(Refunds do not apply to automobile premiums. Auto rate and discount schedules must first be filed and approved by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario in advance. It is impossible to anticipate premium refunds.)
Here is a breakdown of where premiums have gone:
- 61% to pay claims
- 15% to purchase reinsurance
- 11% commissions paid to agents and brokers
- 12% to pay other operating expenses
- 6% returned to property policyholder members in the form of a refund
Costs in excess of premiums collected are offset through investment income from reserves and surplus required to be retained by the company for the protection of policyholders in the event of a catastrophic event.
4. Agent and Broker Compensation
As compensation for the services they provide, both the agents and brokers receive commission which is based on a percentage of the premium from each individual policy paid to the company.
Captive agents are employees of the company and receive employee benefits consistent with those of other staff. Certain employment expenses however, they pay on their own. Their primary responsibility is to provide sales service to members of the mutual. When you purchase insurance through an agent, you buy directly from the company.
Commissions for agents are as follows:
- 6% – Renewal Business – All lines of Business
- 12% – New Business – Automobile
- 20% – New Business – Residential & Farm Property and Liability
- 15% – New Business – Commercial Property & Liability
Insurance brokers are separate business operations, independent of an insurance company. They run their own offices and employ their own staff. A broker may represent several insurance companies. A broker provides advice to their clients and purchases insurance on their behalf.
Commissions for brokers are as follows:
- 12% – Automobile
- 20% – Residential Property and Liability
- 15% – Farm Property and Liability
Brokers receive the same level of commission on both new and renewal policies.
5. Performance Bonus
Care in bringing on new members and recommending loss prevention initiatives are in the best interests of all policyholder members. These efforts aid in the fair treatment of policyholder members and the stabilization of competitive rates.
The performance bonus is not automatic and is considered by the Board of Directors on an annual basis. Before it is considered, the company must first realize a bottom line profit. The bonus is based on the net bottom line of their individual portfolio.
The performance bonus paid to all agents and brokers represents less than 1% of all premiums collected by the company. This bonus has no effect on factors considered in approving a premium refund to property policyholder members.
If you have any additional inquiries, we invite you to write us at seins@southeasthope.com
Privacy Statement and Commitment of Confidentiality
You provide personal information to us when you purchase insurance and sometimes at the time of a claim. By sharing this information with us, we assume your consent for our Company to use this information appropriately – that is, rating and issuing your policy and settling claims in a fair and expedient manner. We do not share your information with organizations outside of our member companies that would use it to contact you about their own products or services.
We may also use the information as required to provide you with ongoing service; to help us understand our policyholder members needs better; to develop, enhance, market or provide insurance products and services; and to meet our legal and regulatory requirements under the Insurance Act and other statutes.
Access to your personal information is restricted to those employees and independent representatives who need it to do their jobs. These individuals may only use the information in the files for work-related purposes. This expectation is clearly understood. We’ve also established physical and electronic safeguards, along with the proper processes, to protect customer information from unauthorized access or use.
As a member of South Easthope Mutual you may access the personal information contained in your file. You can ask that information be corrected or amended, or that obsolete information be deleted.
For more information about our privacy policies and procedures, please read The South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company Privacy Code or contact our Privacy Officer.
Email: privacy@southeasthope.com
Telephone: 1-800- 263-9987
Company Privacy Code
Introduction
Protecting the confidentiality of personal information provided by our policyholder members, employees and customers has always been an important part of the way we do business. To reaffirm our commitment to protecting personal information, South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company has adopted a Privacy Code. This Code sets out how and why we collect and use personal information about our customers. It also explains limited circumstances under which we may need or be required to disclose it.
“Personal information” means information that identifies you as a specific individual. It may include an individual’s date of birth, family status, marital status, occupation, medical and health records, assets, liabilities, income, credit ratings, whether or not credit was extended or refused to the individual, credit and payment records of the individual, an individual’s previous insurance experience including claims history, and an individual’s driving record. It does not include the sort of general information that could be found in a business directory or a telephone book.
Effective January 1, 2004, the Government of Canada will implement the last phase of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Act (PIPEDA). This federal statue will then apply to insurance companies and many other industry sectors.
This legislation establishes rules and principles for the use and disclosure of personal information based on the ten privacy principles developed by the Canadian Standards Association. These principles recognize that we live in an era when commercial information is exchanged and circulated by electronic means. It balances the individual’s right to privacy in their personal information with the reasonable need of organizations to collect, use or disclose personal information.
Under the new legislation, an organization may collect, use or disclose personal information only for limited purposes that a reasonable person would consider to be appropriate in the circumstances.
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Act requires us to provide the same safeguards for your privacy that we have always provided on a voluntary basis. Our Privacy Code sets out these principles in simple terms. It explains how we ensure that your privacy and the confidentiality of your personal information are protected.
Our Privacy Code
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company’s Privacy Code is based on the following ten principles adopted by the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Principle #1: Our Accountability for the Collection, Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
As a customer of South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company, you have a right to expect we are accountable for the personal information we collect and use. “Customer” means a current policyholder member, a former insured, an applicant for insurance, a claimant under of our policies as well as an individual insured as part of a group or corporate policy.
We are responsible for maintaining and protecting your personal information while it is under our control. This includes any personal information that may need to be disclosed to third parties for processing or other administration functions.
To help ensure the confidentiality of your personal information, we have established policies and procedures to ensure that we comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. We have designated a privacy officer who is responsible for our company’s compliance with the ten privacy principles by the Canadian Standards Association.
If you have any questions or inquiries about how your personal information is stored, or when it may need to be disclosed to others, our privacy officer is there to assist and explain our policies to you.
Principle #2: Identifying Our Purpose for the Collection, Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
Before or when we collect information about you, we will explain how we intend to use it. South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company collects personal information only for the following purposes:
a) to provide ongoing service to our customer;
b) to help us understand our customer’s needs better;
c) to develop, enhance, market or provide insurance products and services;
d) to enable us to underwrite your policy of insurance and set a fair premium;
e) to provide us with the information that we need to adjust a claim in a fair and expeditious way;
f) to meet our legal and regulatory requirements under the Insurance Act and other statutes.
Unless we are required by law, South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company will not use or disclose any personal information that has been collected without documenting the new purpose and obtaining your consent. If you have any questions about these purposes, our privacy officer will be pleased to explain them to you.
Principle #3: Obtaining your Consent for the Collection, Use or Disclosure of Personal Information
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company will make a reasonable effort to make sure that its customers understand and consent to how their personal information will be used by the Company. By providing this information to us, we assume your consent to use this information in an appropriate manner.
We will have obtained your consent by virtue of a signed application before collecting information from third parties such as other insurers and insurance service companies.
In certain circumstances, however, personal information may need to be collected, used or disclosed without the knowledge and consent of the individual. For example, legal, medical, or security reasons may make it impossible or impractical to seek consent.
The Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act recognizes that when information is being collected for the detection and prevention of fraud or for law enforcement, seeking the consent of an individual may defeat the purpose of collecting the information. Seeking consent may also be impossible or inappropriate when the individual is a minor, seriously ill, or mentally incapacitated.
In obtaining your consent, we will always use reasonable efforts to ensure that you are advised of the identified purposes for which any personal information collected will be used or disclosed.
Principle #4: Limiting our Collection of Personal Information
We will always limit the collection of personal information to that which is necessary for the identified purposes. Typically, this is information that is required to enable us to underwrite your policy of insurance and charge a fair premium. We may need to collect personal information from other sources including credit bureaus.
Under certain circumstances we need to collect information to assist us in adjusting or investigating a claim. This may involve the use of licensed and regulated independent insurance adjusters or investigators. We will always collect personal information by fair and lawful means.
Principle #5: Limiting the Use, Disclosure and Retention of Personal Information
Personal information will not be used or disclosed for purposes other than for which it was collected, except with your consent or as permitted or required by law. Your personal information will be retained only as long as it is necessary to fulfill those purposes. South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company may disclose a customer’s personal information to the following organizations:
a) Another insurance company for the reasonable provision of insurance services. This may include another insurance company that is subscribing to the risk insured under our policy.
b) Another person or corporation as part of conducting business. This may include a reinsurance company, subject to that corporation agreeing to manage personal information in accordance with these privacy principles;
c) A person or corporation that is involved in supplying us with claims support services. This may include a licensed independent insurance claims adjuster or investigator, or fire or forensic expert or engineer.
d) A medical or rehabilitation specialist or assessment clinic that is providing an opinion to us pursuant to our rights and obligations under the Insurance Act.
e) A company or an individual employed by South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company to perform data processing, accounting, actuarial or statistical functions on our behalf;
f) A person or corporation involved in the development, enhancement, marketing or provision of our insurance products and services. This may include an insurance broker or agent.
g) An agent used by South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company to evaluate your creditworthiness or to collect an outstanding account. This may include credit grantors and reporting agencies;
h) A public authority or agent of a public authority, if the information is required to comply with a provincial or federal statue or regulation.
i) A law enforcement agency, where our customer consents to such disclosure or disclosure is required by law or emergency.
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company does not provide or sell its customer lists to any outside company for use in marketing or solicitation. Only employees with a business “need to know”, or those whose duties require it, are granted access to personal information about our customers.
We keep personal information only as long as it remains necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or as required by law. Personal information that is no longer necessary or relevant for the identified purposes or required to be retained by law is destroyed, erased or made anonymous.
Principle #6: Keeping Your Personal Information Accurate
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company makes every effort to ensure that personal information about its customers is as accurate, complete, and up-to- date as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.
This may require contact with your insurance broker or agent to confirm or update personal information required for underwriting purposes. In addition, the Insurance Act and the terms and conditions of your policy of insurance may require you to notify us of material changes to your personal information. If you have any questions about the accuracy and completeness of the personal information that we have collected or retained, please do not hesitate to contact our privacy officer. If you need to update some aspect of your personal information, please contact your insurance broker or agent directly.
Principle #7: Safeguarding Your Personal Information
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company takes steps to protect personal information with security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information.
Specifically, we have stringent security measures in place to protect personal information against such risks as loss or theft, computer hackers, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use, modification or destruction.
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company protects your personal information regardless of the format in which it is held. We also protect personal information we disclose to third parties by contractual agreements stipulating the confidentiality of the information and the purposes for which it is to be used.
All our employees with access to personal information are required as a condition of their employment to respect the confidentiality of personal information.
Principle #8: Openness Concerning our Privacy Practices
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company pursues a policy of openness about the procedures it uses to manage personal information. We will make specific information about our policies and practices relating to the management of their personal information available to customers upon request.
We ensure openness by providing you with the following information:
a) the title and address of the privacy officer accountable for our compliance with the policy;
b) the name of the individual to whom inquiries or complaints can be forwarded;
c) the means of gaining access to personal information held by our company; and
d) a description of the type of personal information held by South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company, including a general account of its use.
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company makes information available to help its customers exercise informed choices regarding the use of their personal information.
Principle #9: Customer Access to Personal Information
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company informs its customers of the existence, use, and disclosure of their personal information upon request and provides access to that information. Our customers are able to challenge or correct the accuracy and completeness of their personal information and have it amended when appropriate.
When a request is made in writing, we will inform you in a timely fashion, of the existence, use, and disclosure of your personal information and you will be given access to that information. In order to safeguard your personal information, we may require you to provide sufficient identification information to permit us to authorize access to your file.
In certain exceptional situations, we may not be able to provide you with access to all of the personal information we hold. Exceptions may include information that is prohibitively costly to provide, information that contains references to other individuals, information that cannot be disclosed for legal, security or commercial proprietary reasons, information that is subject to solicitor-client or litigation privilege, or, in certain circumstances, information of a medical nature. If this is the case, the South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company will provide the reasons for denying access upon request.
Customers can obtain information or seek access to their individual files by contacting our designated privacy officer at the address described below.
Principle #10: Challenging Compliance
A customer has the right to challenge South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company’s compliance with the above principles by contacting the privacy officer accountable for our compliance with the policy.
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company maintains strict procedures for addressing and responding to all inquiries or complaints from its customers about its handling of personal information. We inform our customers about our privacy practices as well as availability of complaint procedures, if necessary.
Our privacy officer will investigate all complaints concerning compliance with the privacy policy. If a complaint is found to be justified, we will take appropriate measures to resolve the complaint including the amendment of our policies and procedures.
In exceptional circumstances, the privacy officer accountable for compliance with our privacy policy may seek external legal advice where appropriate before providing a final response to individual complaints.
For more information, please contact our Privacy Officer directly through our Website or by calling the toll-free number.
Email: privacy@southeasthope.com
Telephone: 1-800- 263-9987
Accessibility Standards for Customer Service
Policy Statement
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company (“the Company”) strives at all times to deliver goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of all persons with disabilities. South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company is committed to being responsive to the needs of all customers/policyholders and ensuring our goods and services are provided in an accessible manner. The “Company” will make reasonable efforts to ensure that policies, practices and procedures address dignity, independence, and equal opportunity through the following key principals.
- Dignity: Service is provided in a respectful manner consistent with the needs of the individual.
- Independence: Services for persons with disabilities shall support their independence while respecting their right to safety and personal privacy.
- Equal Opportunity: Service outcome is the same for persons with disabilities as for persons without disabilities.
- Integrated: Services allow people with disabilities to benefit from the same services in the same or similar way as other policyholders.
- Responsive: Service is delivered in a timely manner.
Definitions
As per the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005:
“disability” means,
- (a) any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device,
- (b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
- (c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
- (d) a mental disorder, or
- (e) an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997;
Policy
1. Communication
- When communicating with persons with a disability, the “Company” will do so in a manner that takes into account their disability.
- The “Company” will train staff, who communicate with policyholders, on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.
- The “Company” will offer a variety of communication methods for people to access its goods and services to allow individuals to select the method most accessible/suitable to them; for example via telephone, email, letter mail, in person. We will ensure staff is trained to communicate over the telephone, and in person, in clear and plain language, and to speak clearly and slowly
2. Assistive Devices
- The “Company” is committed to serving persons with disabilities who use assistive devices. Assistive Devices are devices used by persons to assist in carrying out activities or in accessing goods and services. They include but are not limited to:
- Communication Aids
- Cognition Aids
- Personal Mobility Aids
- Medical Aids
- The “Company” welcomes persons with disabilities to use their own personal assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from goods and services offered by us.
- In the event that a person with a disability is hindered from accessing the goods and services offered by the “Company”, we will ensure, after consulting with the person, alternative measures are available to accommodate them.
3. Service Animals
- The “Company” is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal, on the parts of our premises that are open to the public.
- Service animals are but not limited to, Guide dogs, Hearing dogs, and Seizure Response dogs. A service animal is defined as:
- Any animal where it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability and/or the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse or any other government issued certification confirming that the person requires the animal relating to the disability.
- We will ensure staff is properly trained on how to interact with persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
- Service animals are to be leashed or otherwise properly controlled. If a service animal becomes disruptive, we may arrange an alternate meeting format, alternate time or alternate location.
4. Support Persons
- The “Company” is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises in areas open to the public.
- A support person means, in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communication, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods and services.
- When attended by a support person, consent from the person being supported must be obtained prior to disclosing confidential/personal information.
5. Format of Documentation
- The “Company” is committed to providing accessible documentation to all of our customers/policyholders.
- Upon request, the “Company”, will provide insurance documents (e.g. forms, wordings, invoices, print materials) or the information contained within the documents in formats that take into account a person’s disability.
- The “Company” shall consult with the person requesting the documents as to what a reasonable accessible alternative format of the document or information would be.
- Staff will be instructed that upon request for an alternative format, they promptly advise their Department Manager who will then consult with the President if needed.
- The time frame for providing documentation in alternative format will vary depending on media chosen and complexity of the conversion. Should the information in the documents be required by the customer/policyholder sooner than the conversion can be completed, the information will be communicated promptly in a way that is accessible to the customer/policyholder. No fees shall be charged for obtaining documentation in alternate format.
- The “Company’s” website is accessible to those persons using a screen reader and is compliant with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 2.0.
6. Disruption of Services
- In the event a temporary service disruption occurs, whether planned or unplanned, that would limit a person with a disability from gaining access to our premises and or goods and services, the “Company” will post notice of the disruption.
- Notice will include information on the reason for the disruption, the anticipated duration and a description of alternative accommodations.
- The means of the notice may be any or all of the following:
- Posted on all entrance doors
- Our Website
- If an unexpected disruption occurs, persons with disabilities will be accommodated by the use of other means possible to deliver the goods and services such as:
- A company representative may provide the goods and service directly to the person with the disability at an alternate place and time.
- Any other measures available and deemed appropriate to deliver the goods and services.
- If appropriate /required delivery of the goods/service to the persons place of residence.
7. Training
- The “Company” will ensure that all employees and who deal with the public will receive training on the accessible provision of its goods and services to persons with disabilities.
- Staff will be trained on policies, procedures and practices that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities.
- The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
- How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities.
- Instruction on how to interact with persons with disabilities who use assistive devices or require the assistance of a service animal or support person.
- Instruction on what to do if a person is having difficulty accessing goods and services from the “Company”.
- Training will be incorporated into the orientation process of new employees/agents. In addition all employees will receive further comprehensive training should there be changes to this policy.
- Training records will be maintained and will record the details of the training provided, the name of the person, location, and date the training was provided.
8. Feedback
- This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers/policyholders with disabilities. Comments regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.
- Feedback may be provided by a person with a disability in a manner deemed most convenient to them, such as by telephone, in writing or by email.
- Feedback/Comments may be provided to:
South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company
62 Woodstock St. S., PO BOX 33
Tavistock ON N0B 2R0Phone: 519-655- 2011
Fax: 519-655- 2021
Email: seins@southeasthope.com - All feedback will be kept in confidence and used to improve customer service. A response will be provided within 30 days, in the same manner as to which it was received.
- Complaints will be addressed according to the Company’s existing complaint handling protocol.
9. Notice of Availability of Documents
- This policy will be made available upon request in a format that takes into account the person’s disability.
- A copy of this policy is available for employees to view in print (AODA Manual) and in pdf format to which a link has been provided in the training materials.
10. Modifications to This or Other Policies
- The “Company” is committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.
- Any policy of the “Company” that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified.
Code of Consumer Rights and Responsibilities
Your rights include the right to be informed fully, to be treated fairly, to timely complaint resolution, and to privacy. These rights are grounded in the contract between you and your insurer and the insurance laws of your province.
With rights, however, come responsibilities including, for example, the expectation that you will provide complete and accurate information to your insurer. Your policy outlines other important responsibilities.
Insurers and their distribution networks, and governments also have important roles to play in ensuring that your rights are protected.
Right to be Informed
You have the right to ask who is providing compensation to your broker or agent for the sale of your insurance. Your broker or agent will provide information detailing for you how he or she is paid, by whom, and in what ways.
Insurance companies will disclose their compensation arrangements with their distribution networks. Brokers and agents are committed to providing information relating to ownership, financing, and other relevant facts.
Responsibility to Ask Questions and Share Information
Right to Complaint Resolution
Responsibility to Resolve Disputes
Right to Professional Service
Right to Privacy
Complaint Handling Guidelines
1. The objective of South Easthope Mutual Insurance Company, as a policyholder-owned, purely
mutual company is to treat policyholders in a fair, courteous, and timely manner. Time lines
mentioned herein are minimum standards.
2. Front line staff are encouraged to consult with their department Vice President to resolve
complaints whenever possible.
3. Department Vice President may consult with members of other departments when relevant or with
the President & CEO.
4. If unresolved at the Vice President level, complainants are invited to submit a formal complaint in
writing to the company “Consumer Complaints Officer”.
5. Any verbal complaints received directly by the President & CEO or the “Consumer Complaints
Officer” will be discussed with the appropriate department Vice President as immediately as
reasonably possible. If unresolved, complainants are invited to submit a formal complaint in writing
to the company “Consumer Complaints Officer”.
6. The company “Consumer Complaints Officer” will review the complaint and acknowledge its
receipt in writing within 5 business days.
7. The company “Consumer Complaints Officer” will consult with all appropriate staff and
independent service providers as required to render a final position and advise the complainant of
such within 60 days from the date of the first acknowledgement letter mailed to the complainant.
8. Formal written complaints extending beyond the scope of coverage’s or practices approved by the
board may be taken to the board for consideration, if the nature of the complaint stems from
limiting circumstances imposed by company policy.
9. Complainants having a dispute regarding Accident Benefits will be invited to forward their
complaint directly to:
Automobile Accident Benefits Service (AABS)
License Appeal Tribunal (LAT)
15 Grosvenor Street, Ground Floor
Toronto, Ontario M7A 2G6
10. Where other complaints remain unresolved, the complainant will be invited to submit their
complaint (and to include the final position letter of the company) to:
Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario
Complaints and Risk Assessment Branch
25 Sheppard Avenue West, Suite 100
Toronto, Ontario M2N 6S6
11. These complaint handling guidelines do not apply to any situation involving litigation by the
complainant against the company or where the complainant has retained legal assistance in that
regard.
12. The “Consumer Complaints Officer” (as filed with FSRA) for South Easthope Mutual Insurance
Company is, Ms. Jennifer Kearsey.
13. Complaints received by the company “Consumer Complaints Officer” will be declared to our
regulators on an annual basis through the Annual Statement on Market Conduct process.