Thousands of Desjardins life insurance customers who were unknowingly hit with an extra “cancer protection” premium since 2016 now have three months until February 22, 2024, to file their reimbursement claim.
The filing period for these claims follows a recent agreement to settle a class action lawsuit filed by the Option Consumers Association against Desjardins.
In its request for “collective action,” as the legal term calls it, Option Consumers alleges that Desjardins added cancer coverage to members’ life-savings insurance starting in June 2016 and raised their premiums without asking for their agreement. »
The settlement agreement reached shortly after the Superior Court authorized the class action, Option Consumers said, “Desjardins will refund premiums collected for cancer protection between 1er June 2016 and November 24, 2023 to eligible persons submitting a claim. »
Also, a notice of claims released Thursday mentions Option Consumatures “committed to pay $3 million to Desjardins’ charities” after reimbursement of surcharges and a portion of attorneys’ fees involved in the class action proceeding.
Recall that Desjardins was already sanctioned up to $1.5 million by the Financial Markets Authority (AMF) in 2017, following the first findings of hidden “cancer protection” surcharges in life insurance contracts. Thousands of students are borrowers and personal savers.
According to a recent settlement agreement for a class action brought by Option Consumers, to qualify for a claim for reimbursement of “cancer protection” surcharges, Desjardins life insurance customers must meet these criteria:
- I took life-saving insurance before 1er June 2016 and subsequent years
- Paying “cancer protection” premiums (without consent for years) and not claiming under this protection
- Desjardins did not benefit from the first remedies offered in December 2017 (prior to the collective action).
- Waive the “Cancer Protection” clause for the remainder of your life insurance contract with Desjardins.
In its claim registration notice, Option Consumers also said that “persons who believe they are entitled to compensation may go to the website. http://www.ey.com/ca/protection-cancer To complete the claim form. »
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