Questions & Answers

Can I request my health records from an insurance company?

Insurance companies are not custodians under the HIA; therefore, you are not guaranteed a right to request access to your records under HIA.

Some insurance companies have adopted the practice of providing access to their files to their claimants. Each individual insurance company will determine its own practices. You will have to ask your insurance company if you want to see your file.

If you are unable to access your records informally directly from the insurance company, you may make a formal request to access your records under the Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Personal information in the custody or under the control of provincially regulated private sector organizations are subject to PIPA. PIPA allows individuals to request access to their own personal information directly from the organization, with very limited exceptions, and the organization has 45 days to respond. Please see the PIPA portion on our website for further information.

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