Alternate processes for mail in the event of a postal service disruption

May 07, 2025

We’re preparing for the possibility of a postal disruption in the coming weeks due to ongoing labour negotiations. At this time negotiations between Canada Post and the Union are still ongoing and mail delivery is not yet impacted.

To ensure business continuity throughout the duration of a postal service disruption, here are the steps you may need to take, as well as the processes we’ll be implementing in order to ensure we continue to serve you and Clients.

Insurance

Inbound payments to Sun Life from Clients

Type Alternate process to mail
Cheques - New Business (new policy payments and existing premium payments)
In force policy payments

Outbound payments from Sun Life to Clients

Type Alternate process to mail

Cheques – New Business 

Inforce policies- withdrawal and policy change requests
  • Encourage Clients to switch to PAC
  • If there is an active PAC, we'll send by EFT
  • If there is no active PAC, encourage to switch to EFT
  • Use Esignature options for requests requiring signatures.
Individual Life Claims
  • If a postal disruption occurs, submit Client Claims using e-claims for Individual Life products.
  • You can upload life claim requirements through the e-claim submission.
  • You can also provide a void chque for EFT payments. If you need to deliver a cheque to a beneficiary in person, we can courier to your firm's address.
Individual Ciritical Illness
  • If a postal disruption occurs, scan Critical Illness claim documents and email to disable@sunlife.com or fax to 1-866-255-5825.
  • When sending documents, include the full name of the policy holder and the policy number. If you don't have the policy number, please include the insured's date of birth.
  • Please provide EFT details via void cheque for payment.
Long Term Care
  • If a postal disruption occurs, scan and email Long Term Care documents to LTCclaims@sunlife.com or fax to 1-866-255-5825
  • When sending documents, please include the full name of the policy holder and the policy number. If you don't have the policy number, please include the insured's date of birth. 
  • Please provide EFT details via void cheque for payment.

Non-payment mail, such as lapse notices, confirmations, etc.

Type Alternate process to mail
New Business Policy Booklets
  • Encourage Clients to create their profile on Sunlife.ca.
Other communications and correspondence
  • All communications will be held by mail services with the exception of the following which will be couriered:
    • Lapse notices
    • PAC return notices
  • If mail volumes exceed courier capacity, please note we may experience delays.
  • You’ll continue to receive the communications that you do today. We encourage you to reach out to Clients for items that require action.
  • For documents not available on Sunlife.ca, advisors or Clients can request information through the Call Centre. 

Accumulation annuities, GICs, payout annuities and segregated funds

Inbound payments to Sun Life from Clients

Type Alternate process to mail
New Business
  • PAC or Wire transfer (depending on product)

Outbound payments from Sun Life to Clients

Type Alternate process to mail
Monthly or annual cheque
  • Switch to EFT or PAC
Individual Life Claims
  • If a postal disruption occurs, submit Client claims using e-claims for Individual Life products.
  • You can upload life claim requirements through the e-claim submission.
  • You can also provide a void cheque for EFT payments. If you need to deliver a cheque to a beneficiary in person, we can courier to your firm’s address.
Individual Critical Illness
  • If a postal disruption occurs, scan Critical Illness claim documents and email to disable@sunlife.com or fax to 1-866-255-5825.
  • When sending documents, include the full name of the policy holder and the policy number. If you don't have the policy number, please include the insured’s date of birth.
  • Please provide EFT details via void cheque for payment.
Long Term Care
  • If a postal disruption occurs scan and email Long Term Care documents to LTCclaims@sunlife.com or fax to 1-866-255-5825.
  • When sending documents, please include the full name of the policy holder and the policy number. If you don't have the policy number, please include the insured’s date of birth.
  • Please provide EFT details via void cheque for payment.

Other non-payment mail, such as year-end statements, etc.

Type Alternate process to mail
Year End Statements
  • We’ll hold statements until mail resumes or where applicable advisors or Clients can request statements through the Call Centre.
  • Encourage Clients to create their profile on Sunlife.ca so they can view statements online.
Welcome Letter and New Contracts
  • We’ll hold welcome letters and new contracts until mail resumes or email to the advisor where applicable.

Resolutions

Type Alternate process to mail
Life Claim submission

Other documents

Type Alternate process to mail
Any type of payment via cheque
  • Processed using EFT (outbound)  
  • Process payment using EFT or Internet Banking 

Compensation

Type Alternate process to mail
Commission cheques for advisors
  • Pay/receive commissions through EFT. We’ll ask you for banking information
Garnishment cheques
  • We’ll use a specific dollar threshold to decide if we hold cheques until postal disruption is over. If the cheque has a high value, we’ll courier.
Bermuda Government for Tax remittance (quarterly)
  • We will courier these cheques to help avoid interest charges.
Termination letters for Terminated Advisors (including Group)
  • We will look to digitize this work as soon as possible. In the meantime, we’ll hold the letters. If required letters will be sent by email.

We’ll continue to monitor the situation and provide you with updates if any information we provided above changes. Once postal service resumes, there may be backlogs and potential delays as mail service returns to business as usual.

Call(s)-to-action

  • Be aware of the alternate processes in place to support Clients during a Canada Post mail disruption
  • Encourage Clients to go paperless and receive digital versions of documents
  • Share the Ready to register online at sunlife.ca brochure with Clients to highlight the benefits of registering online and steps on how to register.
  • More details are also available on the postal service FAQ page.

Contact us

Contact the Advisor Service Centre at 1-800-800-4SUN (4786) for questions and clarification on any of the processes above.