Power Workers’ Union Retirees

The PWUPP provides coverage to retired members of the Power Workers’ Union (PWU) who reside in Ontario or Quebec as well as:

• Covered family members
• Spouses, which can include:
• A person legally married to the retiree
• A person who is publicly represented by the retiree as their spouse
• A same-sex partner

To be eligible for coverage, children (which includes any child of the retiree or their spouse as well as legally adopted children) must be:

• Unmarried
• Unemployed
• Attending school full time (in which case the student may be employed outside school attendance times)
• Under age 23

Other qualified dependents include children to whom the retiree stands in the position of a parent for purposes of the Income Tax Act, Divorce Act or Family Law Act. This may include nieces, nephews or grandchildren. Such dependents are covered only if they:

• Are under age 19
• Are a resident in Canada living with the retiree
• Are fully dependent on the retiree for support, food and shelter
• Have a personal income of less than the basic personal amount under the Income Tax Act

Notes: While PWU retirees in Quebec are eligible for all coverages, there may be some differences in terms of reimbursements due to the Civil Code of Quebec. We can work with you to ensure you can access the coverage you need. (When you call to apply, please identify yourself as a Quebec PWU retiree.)

Divorced spouses are not covered. Only one person can be considered a qualified spouse at any one time. In the event a retiree takes up residence with an individual and publicly represents that individual as their spouse, the spousal status of any other individual is automatically terminated.

For one low price, PWU retirees can take advantage of:

• Title insurance for existing property owners that kicks in should you be the victim of fraud related to your property or if you have to resolve certain title issues that arise
• Identity theft insurance that goes beyond coverage offered by the banks or credit card companies and provides solid assistance with recovery of your stolen identity

In addition, the PWUPP includes coverage for out-of-pocket expenses not offered by most credit card companies. These include costs related to:

• Defence of certain civil suits (e.g., suits by collection agencies)
• Attorney fees incurred in removing criminal or civil judgments wrongly entered against you
• Costs incurred in challenging information in a credit report
• Re-filing loans
• Certified mail
• Long-distance charges
• Notaries for completing and delivering fraud affidavits
• Lost wages for time taken off work to resolve the problem

Our program also provides you with access to a defined recovery process, identity theft recovery kit, and experienced identity recovery and restoration firms. Some credit card companies provide kits and information on who to call, but they do not generally provide a claims consultant to assist you with the process. We can help you identify how to terminate further losses, end the crime, and then restore and recover your identity.

PWU retirees can also purchase optional coverage for legal defence costs — including lawyers’ fees and disbursements made to defend you in a legal proceeding — as well as costs and legal fees involving a counterclaim (including third party claims) brought directly as part of the defence of a claim against you.

Covered legal actions are:

• Suits heard in courts such as superior, provincial and small claims courts
• Other civil suits
• Family law matters (e.g., divorce, separation)
• Child custody disputes (defense costs only in the event you are sued in relation to child custody matters)
• Criminal charges, including impaired driving
• Charges related to provincial offences (e.g., Highway Traffic Act offences)

The PWUPP is available at the low cost of $369.

For an additional $346.06 for a three-year term, you can get full protection by purchasing legal expense coverage that provides reimbursement of legal expenses related to family law matters and most criminal charges and civil law suits. Also includes identity theft coverage.

Please review these frequently asked questions about our insurance program for PWU retirees. Contact us if you have a question that isn’t answered below.

As an existing property owner, do I need title insurance?

We recommend title insurance for everyone who owns residential property. Mortgage fraud is an increasing problem in Canada and the United States. Title insurance addresses some of the impact felt by residential property owners who find themselves victims of this kind of fraud.

Over the last five years, it has been common for real estate lawyers to include title insurance in every new home or condo purchase. However, if you bought your house, condo, cottage or farm more than five years ago, chances are you do not have title insurance.

Should I purchase title insurance for my existing property through the PWUPP for retirees?

Yes, if:

• You already own a house, condo or other residential property and don’t have title insurance on that property
• Your primary residence is protected by title insurance but any secondary residences you own are not protected (you can apply the coverage to a secondary residence, such as a cottage, rental property or farm)

Is the identity theft coverage offered by the PWUPP for retirees different from that offered by banks and credit card companies?

Yes. Banks and credit card companies do not hold you liable for purchases made fraudulently on your behalf using their credit card. However, identity theft affects more than just your limit or balance with any one financial institution or credit card.

If your identity is stolen by criminals, you could find yourself:

• The holder of a fraudulently taken mortgage or loan
• Having a seriously eroded credit rating
• Unable to get further credit putting your existing mortgage and finances in jeopardy
• Facing criminal prosecution for crimes committed while the thieves veiled themselves in your identity

Will the PWU have access to any information?

Any information obtained as part of the registration form is strictly owned, managed and controlled by the PWU and is collected, retained and used only for purposes of keeping track of and engaging in union business — including the representation of the PWU membership. Consistent with these purposes, this information:

• Will not be accessible by anyone else
• Will not be used by any other third parties for any purposes whatsoever.
• Along with the membership list, will not be used to solicit or sell anything whatsoever

What happens if I have a claim? Will anyone see any information about my claim?

Any information obtained as part of a claim or incident report is strictly private and confidential information between you and the insurance company.

In short, the PWU will not be notified or informed about any type of claim that occurs. The PWU will not have any kind of access to any kind of records or information about any specific claims. This information is strictly protected, and is private and confidential.

Insurance companies are subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act. They cannot and will not use, share or distribute any of your information except strictly for the purposes of managing, adjusting and settling your claim.

The PWU has taken great care in choosing trusted, reputable insurers and developing contracts and agreements to safeguard the security of everyone insured under the PWUPP for retirees.

Who do I contact for help? How do I lodge a complaint?

Phone the PWUPP call centre, which is secure, private and confidential.

What happens when an active PWU member registered for the PWUPP retires?

If the member purchased title insurance through PWUPP prior to retiring, the coverage remains in place for as long as they retain a registered interest in the property to which the insurance applies.

With respect to identity theft coverage, the newly retired member remains covered under the PWUPP for incidents that occur and are reported during the policy period in effect at the time of their retirement. Each policy period extends from February 28 of any given year to February 28 of the following year. For example, if an active member retires in September 2009, they will be covered under the PWUPP identity theft policy for incidents occurring and reported during the period February 28, 2009, to February 28, 2010. At the end of that period, they would need to purchase identity theft coverage under the PWUPP for retirees to maintain their protection.