Information on third party client authorizations - one time and ongoing authorizations

The purpose of this document is to help advisors understand the third party client authorization options available.

A third party is anyone other than:

  • the client
  • the advisor of record on the policy(ies) and his/her support staff or delegate
  • an individual legally entitled to act on behalf of the client (eg., Power of Attorney, Public Trustee, Executor)

It is solely the client's right to decide who they want to access their policy information. One-time and ongoing authorizations are designed to support the client in situations where he/she prefers to have a trusted third party obtain information on their policy(ies) on their behalf. For example, elderly parents may ask that their son or daughter have the ability to obtain information about their policies directly from us, rather than having to request the information themselves.

What is a one-time authorization?

  • Phone or signed, written consent from the client to share information with a third party one time only.
  • Phone authorization requires the client to be present with the third party on the call.

What is an ongoing authorization and why submit it?

  • Signed, written consent from the client to share information with a third party on an ongoing basis over time until withdrawn or revoked.
  • The client does not need to be present with the third party each time the third party wants to obtain information on a client's policy(ies).

Requirements for an ongoing authorization:

Third party authorization form (E4379)

Revoking an ongoing authorization:

  • At any time, the client can revoke the ongoing authorization by contacting us in writing or by phone.
  • The ongoing authorization is in effect until the date indicated on the form or when revoked by the client.
  • The death of the client revokes an ongoing authorization.

Clients can submit their signed written consent for a one-time or ongoing authorization to the following address or fax number:

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada
227 King Street South
PO Box 1601 Stn Waterloo
Waterloo, ON N2J 4C5
Fax: 1-866-487-4745

Once the written authorization has been received, we add a user note to the client's file so that customer service representatives can handle requests for information from the authorized third party. It takes us approximately five business days from receiving the written authorization to process the form and add the appropriate user note. The client-authorized third party cannot obtain information over the phone or in writing until the user note has been added to the appropriate screen(s).

The client may choose to provide an advisor, other than his/her advisor of record, one-time or ongoing access to information regarding their policies. This may be due to distribution channel service protection agreements that prevent the clients’ policies from being reassigned to an advisor in another distribution channel or other service related matters.

If you, an advisor, are authorized by the client to access information regarding their policy(ies) on an ongoing basis and you are not the advisor of record, you will want to be aware of the phone and written authentication processes required to verify your status and grant you appropriate access.

Note: you cannot delegate this request to your support staff. Information will only be released to you, the client-authorized third party.

Phone authentication

Call us at the Advisor Service Centre:

1-800-800-4786 (1-800-800-4SUN)

You will be asked to provide your:

  • name and advisor #
  • client contract # and indicate that an ongoing authorization is on file
  • The call will be transferred immediately to the appropriate Tier 2 area where your status as the client-authorized third party will be verified.

Written authentication process

Submit request for information on the client's policy via fax at 1-866-487-4745 including the client contract number and indicate that an ongoing authorization is on file.