GAA’s oversight for automobile damage appraisal covers a number of aspects, including standards, procedures and quality control.
Standards and procedures
To oversee the activities carried out by automobile damage appraisers, GAA establishes appraisal standards and procedures that must be respected by all appraisers who hold a qualification certificate issued by GAA.
Quality control
To verify that the appraisers respect the defined standards and procedures, GAA created a quality control service.
GAA quality controllers audit appraisal files before and during repairs. If they note a deficiency, they recommend the necessary corrective measures to the appraiser and to the insurer.
Any physical or legal person may submit a written complaint to the Complaints Officer concerning the conduct of an appraiser in the performance of his or her duties. The complaint must briefly state the nature and circumstances of the alleged offence and the date and place where the events occurred. Any documentation that supports the statement of the complaint must also be provided.
Upon receipt of the complaint, the Complaints Officer will forward the "Complainant's Standard Agreement" to the complainant, informing the complainant of the confidentiality of the disciplinary process and ask the complainant to review and agree to it in writing within 15 days of receipt, failing which the complaint will be dismissed.
The complainant's cooperation and, where applicable, his or her attendance at the hearing are mandatory, failing which the complaint will be dismissed.
Please note that a GAA-qualified appraiser is someone who holds a Certificate of Qualification in automobile damage appraisal issued by GAA.
Holders of an Appraiser's Certificate of qualification in automobile damage appraisal are employed by either an insurance company or an appraising firm.
The latter are subject to the Code of Ethics for Automobile Damage Appraisers.
To check if the status of an Appraiser's Certificate of qualification in automobile damage appraisal is active, consult the Certified Appraisers Registry.
The Complaints Officer:
- conducts an impartial and objective analysis of the complaint. It may contact any person who may provide information relevant to the handling of the complaint and obtain its version.
- at the conclusion of the investigation, the Complaints Officer may file a disciplinary complaint and a report with the Disciplinary Committee if he or she has reasonable grounds to believe that a breach of the Code of Ethics for Automobile Damage Appraisers has been committed.
If a complaint is filed with the Automobile Damage Appraisers Disciplinary Committee, the Committee will determine if the appraiser committed an act prohibited under the Code of Ethics for Automobile Damage Appraisers. If that is the case, the Committee can impose one of the following sanctions: reprimand, suspension or the complete and final withdrawal of the Certificate of Qualification as an automobile damage appraiser.
Important:
- This process only addresses professional misconduct by a GAA-qualified automobile damage appraiser.
- If you are not satisfied with the claim for damages filed with your insurer, GAA will not handle your complaint.
- No monetary compensation is paid to a complainant for a complaint of a disciplinary nature. Possible sanctions include a reprimand, temporary suspension or permanent suspension of the Appraiser's Certificate of qualification in automobile damage appraisal.
Filing a complaint:
- By email: plainte_deontologique@gaa.qc.ca
Transmission by e-mail should be favored to optimize the handling of a complaint. - By mail – marked confidential:
Complaints Officer
Groupement des assureurs automobiles
1981 McGill College Avenue, Suite 620
Montreal, QC H3A 2Y1
