Home » Mandatory Disclosures

The following disclosures apply to the entire HMS Insurance & Financial Services Inc. brokerage, including MacLachlan Insurance Inc., Woods Hodgins Insurance Brokers Inc., Giffen, Pierce & Sinclair Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Privacy Policy

We are committed to providing our clients with excellent service. Doing business with a Property and Casualty insurance broker involves providing information about yourself, so protection of your personal information is one of our highest priorities.

Our brokerage and the insurance industry have a solid track record of respecting your right to privacy and safe guarding your personal information. As a result of federal legislation, we’ve further strengthened our privacy commitment by informing you of why and how we collect, use and disclose your personal information. You can be assured that we’ll only handle your personal information in a manner that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances.

Why do we collect personal information?

When you first become a client or whenever you acquire or renew a product from us, we need to collect some of your personal information. Common purposes for which we collect your personal information are to:

  • Enable us to acquire or renew an insurance policy for you;
  • Assist you and assess your ongoing needs for insurance;
  • Assess your needs for other products, such as financial products, and to offer them to you;
  • Ensure your information is accurate and up-to-date, and
  • Protect us both against error or fraud.

What personal information do we collect?

Personal information is information that identifies you as an individual client and relates specifically to you. Depending on the purpose(s) for which we need to collect it, we may ask for the following personal information about you including:

  • Basic information such as your name, address, telephone and fax numbers, e-mail address, birth date and marital status;
  • Claims history;
  • Credit and past payment records;
  • Driver’s record;
  • Details about your property such as the value of your home and contents;
  • Medical information such as any condition that may affect the operation of a vehicle;
  • Employment information.

We may obtain this information from:

  • You;
  • Insurance Companies;
  • Other insurance brokers or agents;
  • Credit Organizations;
  • Motor vehicle and driver licensing authorities;
  • Financial institutions;
  • Medical professionals.

Who do we disclose your personal information to?

For many of the purposes identified above, we will need to share your personal information with others in order to serve your needs. These other parties commonly include:

  • Insurance Companies;
  • Other insurance brokers or agents;
  • Credit Organizations;
  • Professionals working with us such as adjusters or lawyers;
  • Financial institutions. For example, the organization that carries your mortgage.

How do we protect your personal information?

In order to protect your personal information and right to privacy, we will:

  • Not collect, use or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than those that we identify to you;
  • Keep your personal information only for as long as we need it to fulfill the stated purpose or as required by law;
  • Maintain your personal information in as accurate, complete and up-to-date a form as possible;
  • Safeguard your personal information to the best of our ability;
  • Respond to any request you may make to access or correct the personal information we hold about you;
  • Obtain the appropriate consent from you for the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information.

Consent

We may obtain your express consent or we may determine that consent has been implied by the circumstances.

  • We might ask you for your express consent in writing, for example in a signed consent or application form.
  • We may ask for your express consent in person over the telephone.
  • We may determine that by seeking insurance through our organization, your consent has been implied for us to deal with your personal information in a reasonable manner.

There are also legal exceptions in which we will not need to obtain your consent or explain the purposes for the collection, use or disclosure of your personal information. For example, this could apply when there is an emergency situation, or if necessary, for your protection or ours.

You can control how we handle your personal information.

We want you to know that you do have choices in this matter. You could refuse to allow us to obtain, use or share your personal information or you could also withdraw a previously given consent at any time. However, by doing that, depending on the situation, you may be limiting or even preventing our ability to provide you with the product or service you desire. For example, if you do not allow us to obtain information about your driving record, it is unlikely that we will be able to provide you with auto insurance.

Contact information and resources

We are committed with treating you with respect and courtesy, and to providing the highest level of service. Please contact us directly if you:

  • Wish to access your personal information;
  • Wish to change your consent to the ways in which we may collect, use or disclose your personal information.
  • Have a complaint about our privacy policies, or the manner in which we’ve handled your personal information.

Have any other questions about our privacy policies or request additional information. We will respond to you promptly and do our utmost to resolve your concerns.

To find out more about federal privacy laws, please contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at 1-800-282-1376 or visit their website at http://www.privcom.gc.ca/

Broker Compensation

In order for us to maintain strong relationships with quality insurers, we work with each to provide the type of business they desire. The insurers listed below with an asterisk (*) recognize our efforts through Contingent Commission contract. Payment of this Contingent Profit Commission depends on a combination of growth, profitability (loss ratio), volume, retention and increased services that we provide on behalf of the insurer. Contingent (profit) Commission is not guaranteed.

Brokerage compensation is part of your insurance premium. For your benefit, we have listed the habitational and automobile insurers that we represent and have included the range of compensation each provides as a percentage of your overall insurance premium. This commission percentage is paid to us annually.

Habitational Policies

  • Travelers Canada & Travelers Essential 20% Commision*
  • Intact Insurance 20% Commission*
  • Lambton Mutual Insurance Co. 20% Commission*
  • Economical & Definity 20% Commission*
  • Aviva Canada & Aviva Lifestyle 20% Commission*
  • MutualONE Insurance Co. 20% Commission*

Automotive Policies

  • Travelers Canada & Travelers Essential 12.5% Commision*
  • Intact Insurance & JEVCO 5-12.5% Commission*
  • Lambton Mutual Insurance Co. 12.5% Commission*
  • Economical & Definity 10-12.5% Commission*
  • Aviva Canada & Aviva Lifestyle 12.5% Commission*
  • MutualONE Insurance Co. 12.5% Commission*
  • Facility Association 5-11% Commission*

Credit Consent

In respect of a quotation/application, any policy we issue and subsequent renewals or changes, we may collect, use and disclose personal information reports including policy history, claims history, investigative information, rating information, risk information and only with respect to you, your personal credit information including credit score, as permitted by law and in accordance with our privacy policies. Do you, and on behalf of others listed, authorize us to collect, use and disclose to appropriate third parties, including your broker, this information solely relating to your personal property.

Privacy Officers:
(H) Woods Hodgins Insurance Brokers Inc., Geoff Hodgins
(M) MacLachlan Insurance Inc., Brent MacLachlan
(S) Giffen, Pierce & Sinclair Insurance Brokers Ltd., Kathryn Veltman