Insurance Act

R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER I.8

Historical version for the period July 25, 2007 to May 4, 2008.

Last amendment: 2007, c.7, Sched.18.

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CONTENTS

Definitions
1. / Definitions
PART I
GENERAL
Organization
5.1 / Insurance Ombudsman
6. / Director of arbitrations
7. / Committees
8. / Arbitrators
9. / Mediators
11. / Evidence of mediation, evaluation, arbitration
14.1 / Assessment of health system costs
Decisions of Superintendent
15. / Orders
16. / Matters before the Superintendent
17. / Appeal of Superintendent’s decision
19. / Reference hearings
20. / Exclusive jurisdiction
21. / Rules
22. / Proceedings before Director or arbitrator
Administration
23. / Records of Superintendent
25. / Information about insurers, etc.
26. / Official documents as evidence
27. / Right to a licence
28. / Decision of Superintendent
29. / Inquiries
30. / Right of access
31. / Duty to furnish information
32. / Examination of insurers
33. / Service of documents
34. / Deemed service
35. / Service of notice or process on chief agent or Superintendent, insurers outside Ontario
36. / Annual report
PART II
GENERAL PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO INSURERS
39. / Application of Part, insurance business in Ontario
Licences
40. / Necessity for licence
41. / Reinsurance with unlicensed insurer
42. / Authorized insurers and insurance
43. / Classes of insurance and licence conditions
44. / Membership in compensation association
45. / Conditions of automobile insurance licence
46. / Scope of life insurance licence
48. / Capital requirements, etc.
49. / Information preliminary to licence
50. / Documentary, etc., requirements
51. / Filing of changes in by-laws, etc.
52. / Corporate requirements
53. / Right to licence and insurer’s name
54. / Power of attorney of chief agent, insurers outside Ontario
55. / Form, term, conditions of licence
56. / Failure to pay claim, licence cancellation, etc.
58. / Disciplinary action against insurers
62. / Superintendent takes control
63. / Appeal against Tribunal order to take control
64. / Revival of licence
65. / Notice of suspension or cancellation
Withdrawal from Automobile Insurance
65.1 / Withdrawal procedure
Deposits
66. / Deposits
Records and Returns
100. / Report on share transfers
101. / Returns
101.1 / Information on claims
102. / Business statements and capital or asset requirements
103. / Notice of returns
104. / Preparation of financial statements
105. / Published statements
106. / Statements that financial standing guaranteed by government prohibited
Real Estate
Real Property
107. / Powers of insurer to hold real estate
107. / Powers of insurer to hold real property
Life Insurance
109. / Variable life insurance contracts based on segregated funds
110. / Variable life insurance contracts, forms and information folders
111. / Life insurers to separate business accounts
112. / Life insurance, distribution of parts of profits to participating policyholders
Insurance with Unlicensed Insurers
113. / Insurance with unlicensed insurers
General
115. / Trafficking in life insurance policies prohibited
115. / Trafficking in life insurance policies prohibited
116. / Privileged information
117. / Form of insurance policy
118. / Violation of law, effect of, on claim for indemnity
119. / Reporting on applications to register
Agreements with Compensation Association
120. / Authority of Minister
Fees and Regulations
121. / Regulations
121.1 / Fees
121.2 / Forms
PART II.1
ACTUARY OF THE INSURER
121.3 / Definition
121.4 / Appointment of actuary
121.5 / Notice of appointment
121.6 / When officers not to be actuary
121.7 / Chief financial officer
121.8 / Revocation of appointment
121.9 / Ceasing to hold office
121.10 / Filling vacancy
121.11 / Statement of actuary
121.12 / Duty of replacement actuary
121.13 / Actuary’s valuation
121.14 / Superintendent may appoint actuary
121.15 / Right to information
121.16 / Actuary’s report
121.17 / Report to directors
121.18 / Report to officers
121.19 / Qualified privilege
121.20 / Non-application of this Part
121.21 / Non-application of s. 121.17
121.22 / Exemptions
PART II.2
DIRECTORS OF AN INSURER
121.23 / Affiliated individuals
121.24 / Directors’ duties
PART III
INSURANCE CONTRACTS IN ONTARIO
122. / Application of Part
123. / Contracts deemed made in Ontario
124. / Requirement for all terms to be set out in policy; relevance of proposal, etc.
125. / Copy of proposal to be furnished to insured
126. / No contract shall be inconsistent with Act
127. / Contents of policy
128. / Contracts providing for appraisals
129. / Relief from forfeiture
130. / How policy payable
131. / Waiver of term or condition
132. / Right of claimant against insurer where execution against insured returned unsatisfied
133. / Court actions for recovery of insurance money, special rules
134. / Non-payment of premium
135. / Insurer to furnish forms for proof of loss
136. / When action may be brought under contract
Insurance as Collateral Security
137. / Mortgagee not to receive commission from insurer
138. / Right to refund of premium on termination of contract
Contracts of Guarantee Insurance
139. / Contracts of title insurance
General
140. / No racial or religious discrimination permissible
141. / Payment into court
PART IV
FIRE INSURANCE
142. / Meaning of “agricultural property”, Part IV
143. / Application of Part
144. / Extent of coverage by contract
145. / Renewal of contract
146. / Form of contract
147. / Mortgagees and other payees
148. / Statutory conditions
149. / Limitation of liability clause
150. / Rateable contribution
151. / Special stipulations
152. / Subrogation
Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund
153. / General reinsurance agreement
169. / Fire Mutuals Guarantee Fund
PART V
LIFE INSURANCE
Definitions
171. / Definitions, Part V
Application of Part
172. / Application of Part
173. / Group insurance
Issuance of Policy and Contents Thereof
174. / Insurer to issue policy
175. / Contents of policy
176. / Contents of group policy
177. / Contents of group certificate
Conditions Governing Formation of Contract
178. / Insurable interest required
179. / Insurable interest, defined
180. / Contract taking effect
181. / Default in paying premium
182. / Payment of premium
183. / Duty to disclose
184. / Exceptions
185. / Non-disclosure by insurer
186. / Insurable age
187. / Misstatement of age in group insurance
188. / Effect of suicide
189. / Reinstatement
Designation of Beneficiaries
190. / Designation of beneficiary
191. / Designation of beneficiary irrevocably
192. / Designation in will, etc.
193. / Trustee for beneficiary
194. / Beneficiary’s share of insurance money
195. / Right to sue
196. / Insurance money free from other claims, etc.
Dealings with Contract During Lifetime of Insured
197. / Insured dealing with contract
198. / Insured entitled to dividends
199. / Transfer of ownership
200. / Effect of assignment
201. / Group life insured, enforcing rights
Minors
202. / Capacity of minors
Proceedings under Contract
203. / Proof of claim
204. / Payment of insurance money
205. / Action in Ontario
207. / Documents affecting right to insurance money
208. / Declaration as to sufficiency of proof
209. / Declaration as to presumption of death
210. / Court orders, application under s. 208 or 209
211. / Stay of proceedings
212. / Appeal, ss. 208 to 210
213. / Court orders, insufficient evidence, etc.
214. / Payment into court
215. / Simultaneous deaths
216. / Insurance money payable in instalments
217. / Insurer holding insurance money
218. / Court may order payment
219. / Costs, s. 214 or 218
220. / Minors
221. / Beneficiary under disability
Miscellaneous Provisions
222. / Presumption against agency
223. / Insurer giving information
PART VI
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
224. / Interpretation, Part VI
225. / Exception re insured
226. / Application of Part
226.1 / Out-of-province insurers
Approval of Forms
227. / Approval of forms
228. / Application form
Other Information
229. / Information for applicants, etc.
230. / Information from brokers
Application and Policy
231. / Persons forbidden to act as agent
232. / Policy, formal requirements
232.1 / Inspection requirements
233. / Misrepresentation or violation of conditions renders claim invalid
234. / Statutory conditions
236. / Notice of expiry or variation
237. / Limitation on termination
238. / Grounds to terminate
Motor Vehicle Liability Policies
239. / Policy coverage
240. / Insurer not liable re excluded driver
241. / Coverage of non-owner’s policy
242. / Persons deemed not owners
243. / Territorial limits
244. / Rights of unnamed insured
245. / Additional agreements
246. / Liability for contamination
247. / Other liability, possible exclusions
248. / Liability for damage caused by machinery, etc.
249. / Excluded driver endorsement
250. / Liability, possible exclusions for other uses
251. / Minimum liability under policy
252. / Liability arising from use, etc., outside Ontario
253. / Excess insurance
254. / Agreement for partial payment of claim by insured
255. / Liability for nuclear energy hazard
256. / Advance payments and release by claimant
257. / Defence where more than one contract
258. / Application of insurance money, 3rd party claims, etc.
258.1 / Notice of accident
258.2 / Application of ss. 258.3 to 258.6
258.3 / Notice and disclosure before action
258.4 / Duty to disclose limits
258.5 / Duty of insurer re settlement of claim
258.6 / Mediation
259. / Notice of action and judgment against insured
259.1 / Limitation period
Physical Damage Cover
260. / Physical damage cover, limitations and exclusions
261. / Partial payment of loss clause
262. / Claims under other contracts to be adjusted
Direct Compensation — Property Damage
263. / Accidents involving two or more insured automobiles
263.1 / Payment for collision repair
Limited Accident Insurances
265. / Uninsured automobile coverage
266. / Statutory accident principle established, automobile use, June 22, 1990 – Dec. 31, 1993
267. / Collateral source rule not to apply, automobile use, Oct. 24, 1989 – Dec. 31, 1993
267.1 / Protection from liability, automobile use, Jan. 1, 1994 - Oct. 31, 1996
267.2 / Publication of deductible amounts
Court Proceedings for Accidents on or after November 1, 1996
267.3 / Definitions, ss. 267.4 to 267.12
267.4 / Application of ss. 267.5 to 267.11, automobile use on or after Nov. 1, 1996
267.5 / Protection from liability
267.6 / No action by uninsured owner or lessee
267.7 / Joint and several liability with other tortfeasors
267.8 / Collateral benefits
267.8.1 / Mandatory arbitration re certain collateral benefits
267.9 / Proceedings by action
267.10 / Structured judgments
267.11 / No gross-up for income tax
267.12 / Liability of lessors
268. / Statutory accident benefits
268.0.1 / Winding-up orders
268.1 / Publication of indexation percentage
268.2 / Rules of interpretation, Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule
268.3 / Guidelines, Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule
268.4 / Immunity
269. / Particulars of insurance
270. / Rights of unnamed insured
271. / Payment into court
273. / Claimant’s obligation to inform
273.1 / Information to Ministry of Community and Social Services, etc.
274. / Release
275. / Indemnification in certain cases
276. / Terms of certain insurances, insurance under s. 265
Other Insurance
277. / Other insurance
Subrogation
278. / Subrogation
Dispute Resolution — Statutory Accident Benefits
279. / Dispute resolution
280. / Mediation
280.1 / Neutral evaluation
281. / Litigation or arbitration
281.1 / Limitation period
282. / Arbitration
283. / Appeal against arbitration order
284. / Application for variation, Director’s or arbitrator’s order
284.1 / Restrictions on who may represent
285. / Stated case by Director
286. / When arbitrator cannot act
287. / Protection of benefits
288. / Finding of possible unfair or deceptive business practice
Changes to Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule
289. / Reports to the Assembly
289.1 / Review of this Part
PART VII
ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE
290. / Definitions, Part VII
291. / Application of Part
292. / Group insurance
293. / Issue of policy
294. / Contents of policy
295. / Confinement clauses void
296. / Contents of group policy
297. / Continuation of accident and sickness insurance where contract terminated
298. / Contents of group certificate
299. / Exceptions or reduction
300. / Statutory conditions
301. / Omission or variation of statutory conditions
302. / Notice of statutory conditions
303. / Termination for non-payment of initial or renewal premium
304. / Right where premium unpaid
305. / Insurable interest, defined
306. / Insurable interest required
Policies on Lives of Minors
307. / Capacity of minors
Misrepresentation and Non-Disclosure
308. / Duty to disclose
309. / Incontestability
310. / Application of incontestability to reinstatement
311. / Pre-existing conditions
312. / Misstatement of age
Beneficiaries
313. / Designation of beneficiary
314. / Death of beneficiary or insured, etc.
315. / Trustee for beneficiary
316. / Documents affecting title and assignment of contracts
317. / Insurance money free from other claims, etc.
318. / Group person insured enforcing rights
319. / Simultaneous deaths
320. / Payment into court
321. / Where beneficiary a minor
322. / Beneficiary under disability
323. / Payments not exceeding $2,000
324. / Payment of insurance money
325. / Action in Ontario
326. / Insurer giving information
327. / Undue prominence
328. / Relief from forfeiture
329. / Presumption against agency
PART X
FRATERNAL SOCIETIES
339. / Definitions, Part X
340. / Application of Part
341. / What fraternal societies required to be licensed
342. / Cases in which societies not to be licensed
343. / Societies deemed not to be fraternal societies
344. / Guarantee and endowment insurance, exception to s. 342 (b)
345. / Central body for Ontario or representative may be dealt with
346. / By-laws and rules
347. / Amendment of rules, Superintendent’s direction
348. / Rules deliverable on demand
350. / Limitation of member’s liability in fraternal society
352. / Conditions of forfeiture restricted
353. / How notice may be given to members
354. / Head offices of Ontario societies
355. / Actuary’s report
356. / Where assets of society insufficient
357. / Reduction of benefits, or increase of rates
358. / Default of society in complying with request of Superintendent
359. / Separate accounts for each class of insurance
361. / Epidemic or unforeseen contingency
362. / General or expense fund