April 13, 2020
We would like to provide our clients in Northwest Territories with an update to your pandemic claims coverage and the claims process as it stands today.
CDSPI Advisory Services Inc. (CDSPI) acts as your insurance broker, while Aviva Insurance Company of Canada (Aviva) is the insurance underwriter.
Aviva has informed us that the pandemic coverage under the TripleGuard™ insurance policy is activated only where there is an order in place by the government to shut down dental offices. Non-Governmental Orders or direction from a dental association (NWT/NU Dental Association) or dental regulatory body (Office of the Register, Professional Licensing), are not sufficient to meet the requirements of the contract of insurance with Aviva.
NT Compared to Other Provinces and Territories
Based on provincial government orders, Aviva is accepting pandemic claims from dentists in all Canadian provinces and territories, except NT and BC. Their position is that the NT government’s current instructions for NT dentists are not sufficient to trigger pandemic coverage under the plan. The absence of required wording puts NT dentists in a completely unfair and aggreged position. Please be assured that CDSPI is working closely with the NWT/NU Dental Association to seek a swift resolution to the situation.
The NWT/NU Dental Association Executive is communicating with Samantha VanGenne, the Registrar of Professional Licensing for Health & Social Services, Government of the Northwest Territories (‘GNWT’), to change the wording of the original strong recommendation regarding Elective and Non-Essential Dental care; so that it is compliant with Aviva’s requirements. CDSPI will continue to educate Aviva about the unique Regulatory set-up for the Territories, so that Aviva is aware that the original strong recommendation issued by Samantha VanGenne to the NT Dentists was in effect issued by a government authority.
Next Steps
If you have already submitted your initial claims form, there is no further action required on your part. We have your information and will proceed once the situation is resolved.
If you have not already submitted your initial claims information, you can still submit your claim so that we can forward your file to Aviva when the situation is resolved. Please click here to do so.
This is very difficult news to convey to our long-standing NT clients. Rest assured that CDSPI leadership will be working with the NWT/NU Dental Association to find a positive resolution.
CDSPI will continue to advocate on your behalf and provide you with updates as new information becomes available.
Thank you for your patience.
Be well and stay safe.
Ed Dermit
President