The Government of Quebec is about to put into effect sections of Bill 8 allowing insurance companies to sell funeral expense insurance, a bill that will cause prejudice to consumers. These sections have been drafted secretly without consulting the sector’s stakeholders and organizations or the public in general.
As soon as Alfred Dallaire MEMORIA, an independent family business within the funeral sector in Quebec, heard about the legislative changes brought by Bill 8, it was concerned by the bill’s impact on consumers. Therefore, it conducted its own research.
Research and legal advice from economists, actuaries, lawyers and other intervening parties within the sector showed that funeral expense insurance would disadvantage consumers compared to prearranged funeral services.
Prearranged funeral services are subject to strict legal requirements found in the Consumers Protection Act as well as in the Act respecting prearranged funeral services and sepultures. These acts warrant price-freeze, the deposit in a trust of 90% of the moneys collected, the possibility to change or cancel the contract at any time and to make instalment payments over several years. In addition, these acts forbid funeral services companies to solicit consumers.
Because insurance companies are not subject to the same laws, they would have the right to solicit consumers, charge interests, not insure goods and services for the first two years and impose penalties.
The studies’ results are presented in videos explaining the complexity of the case.
It might be important to remember that the Act respecting prearranged funeral services and sepultures was put into effect in 1988 to prevent funeral companies from soliciting consumers and protect the latter against certain forms of abuse. Enforcement of Bill 8 sections would jeopardize the consumers’ protection.
Giving way to funeral expense insurance would mean creating a two-way system where insurance companies would have complete leeway and funeral services companies would be regulated. It would also mean creating competition between two industries subject to different regulations, and therefore causing prejudice to consumers.
There is still time to act. Express your disagreement with Bill 8 by filling the following form and sharing this information with your contacts.
The Government of Quebec is about to put into effect sections of Bill 8 allowing insurance companies to sell funeral expense insurance, a bill that will cause prejudice to consumers. These sections have been drafted secretly without consulting the sector’s stakeholders and organizations or the public in general.
As soon as Alfred Dallaire MEMORIA, an independent family business within the funeral sector in Quebec, heard about the legislative changes brought by Bill 8, it was concerned by the bill’s impact on consumers. Therefore, it conducted its own research.
Research and legal advice from economists, actuaries, lawyers and other intervening parties within the sector showed that funeral expense insurance would disadvantage consumers compared to prearranged funeral services.
Prearranged funeral services are subject to strict legal requirements found in the Consumers Protection Act as well as in the Act respecting prearranged funeral services and sepultures. These acts warrant price-freeze, the deposit in a trust of 90% of the moneys collected, the possibility to change or cancel the contract at any time and to make instalment payments over several years. In addition, these acts forbid funeral services companies to solicit consumers.
Because insurance companies are not subject to the same laws, they would have the right to solicit consumers, charge interests, not insure goods and services for the first two years and impose penalties.
The studies’ results are presented in videos explaining the complexity of the case.
It might be important to remember that the Act respecting prearranged funeral services and sepultures was put into effect in 1988 to prevent funeral companies from soliciting consumers and protect the latter against certain forms of abuse. Enforcement of Bill 8 sections would jeopardize the consumers’ protection.
Giving way to funeral expense insurance would mean creating a two-way system where insurance companies would have complete leeway and funeral services companies would be regulated. It would also mean creating competition between two industries subject to different regulations, and therefore causing prejudice to consumers.
There is still time to act. Express your disagreement with Bill 8 by filling the following form and sharing this information with your contacts.