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How to make a complaint

We're committed to continually updating our COVID-19 information page, where you'll find answers to the most frequently asked questions we receive.

Go to sunlife.ca/covid-19 for the latest updates

Sun Life’s Problem Resolution Process

If you’re unhappy with a Sun Life product or service, we want to hear from you. Please follow the steps below so we can get to the root of your concern, fix your problem and learn from your experience.

Please call us at 1 877 SUN LIFE (1-877-786-5433), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET to tell us about the problem you’re experiencing or speak with your advisor.

If you have a problem with a disability claim, your case manager can help. Find their contact information on your claim correspondence or by signing in to your account.

If your plan is through the federal government, call 1-888-757-7427, Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Complaint handling procedure for mutual funds

If you’ve spoken with us or your advisor but your problem hasn’t been resolved, call us at 1 877 SUN LIFE (1-877-786-5433), Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET and ask for the Problem Resolution Team to get involved. The team will review your problem completely and make sure we keep you up to date.

If your plan is through the federal government, call 1-888-757-7427, Monday to Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

If our call centre representative, your case manager or the Problem Resolution Team haven’t been able to fix your problem, we will put you in touch with our Ombudsman’s office.

The Ombudsman’s office will ask you for:

  • Details about your problem and why you’re still not happy about it
  • A list of the people you’ve discussed it with

When they receive your complaint, and all supporting documents, the Ombudsman’s office will review your concerns and the steps taken so far. 

If you haven’t followed Step 1 (Let us know) and Step 2 (Ask for further review) above, the Ombudsman’s office will refer you to the right step in our problem resolution process.

You can share this information with them by email, fax or mail.

Email: ombudsman@sunlife.com

Fax: 416-595-1431

Mailing address:

Ombudsman’s Office

Sun Life Financial

227 King Street S

Waterloo, ON N2J 1R2

The Ombudsman’s Office will get back to you within 30 business days.

Industry Ombudservices

If you’re not happy with the Ombudsman’s Office’s final position and would like to take your complaint further, you can choose one of these options.

For complaints about:

  • Life and health insurance – both Individual and Group
  • An advisor’s conduct (except for mutual fund-related complaints)
  • Trust company products and services
  • Annuities
  • Group Retirement Services and pension products

Contact the OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI). The OLHI is part of the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork, a national industry-based dispute resolution system for consumers of financial services. They can help you if you have concerns about life and health insurance products and services that haven’t been resolved through an insurance company’s problem resolution process.

Website: olhi.ca

Mailing address:

OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI)

20 Adelaide St. East, Suite 802

P.O. Box 29

Toronto, Ontario M5C 2T6

For complaints about:

A mutual fund account or a mutual fund dealer or representative (such as Sun Life Financial Investment Services Inc.)

Contact the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI). OBSI is part of the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork, a national industry-based dispute resolution system for consumers of financial services. They deal with concerns about banking services and investments that haven’t been resolved through a company’s problem-resolution process.

Website: obsi.ca

Mailing address:

Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments

20 Queen St. W. Suite 2400

P.O. Box 8

Toronto, Ontario M5H 3R3

Regulators

Several different regulators oversee Sun Life’s products and services. Most regulators will bring our Ombudsman’s Office into a review of your complaint and will make a final decision. 

For Quebec residents who have complaints about life and health insurance, financial products and services, including mutual fund dealers or representatives.

Contact the Autorité des marchés financiers (AMF). The AMF is mandated by the government of Quebec to regulate the province’s financial markets and assist consumers of financial products and services. At any time, you can ask Sun Life to transfer a copy of your complaint file to the AMF. You can find information about the AMF on its website at lautorite.qc.ca.

Mailing address:

Autorité des marchés financiers

Direction des plaintes et de l’indemnisation

800, rue du Square-Victoria, 22 étage

C.P. 246, tour de la Bourse

Montreal (Quebec) H4Z 1G3

For complaints outside Quebec about a mutual fund account, a mutual fund dealer or representative (Sun Life Financial Investment Services Inc.).

Contact the Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada (MFDA). The MFDA is the national self-regulatory organization for the distribution side of the Canadian mutual fund industry (excluding Quebec). The MFDA’s primary focus is on compliance and enforcement. You can find out more about the MFDA by visiting its website at mfda.ca.

Mailing address:

Mutual Fund Dealers Association of Canada

121 King Street West, Suite 1000

Toronto, ON  M5H 3T9

For complaints about

  • our complaint handling procedures
  • our Public Accountability Statement
  • our compliance with federal consumer protection laws

Contact the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC). The FCAC supervises federally regulated financial institutions to ensure they comply with federal consumer protection laws. For more information about the FCAC, you can visit the FCAC website at fcac-acfc.gc.ca.

Mailing address:

Financial Consumer Agency of Canada

427 Laurier Avenue West, 6th Floor

Ottawa, ON K1R 1B9

Fair Treatment of Clients

At Sun Life, we’re committed to treating our Clients fairly through both our decisions and actions.

Our culture focuses on the needs of our Clients. This means:

  • We treat our Clients fairly and keep them at the centre of everything we do.
  • We work to understand our Clients’ needs and present clear solutions with those needs in mind.
  • We give information to our Clients about our products that’s clear and easy to understand.
  • We ensure that we manage conflicts of interest appropriately.
  • Our Clients’ claims are important to us. We handle them promptly and with care.
  • We give priority to our Clients’ concerns. Our clear channels and processes are accessible and help resolve our Clients’ concerns.

Questions?

We’re here to help. Call us at 1-877-SUN-LIFE (1-877-786-5433) any business day from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET. You can also email us at Client.Advocacy.Canada@sunlife.com.