Manulife Customer Care: A Complete, Practical Guide

Who Manulife Serves and Where to Start

Manulife is one of the largest life insurers and asset managers in the world, founded in 1887, serving over 30 million customers across Canada, the United States (as John Hancock), and Asia. Its businesses span individual insurance, group benefits, group retirement, banking (Manulife Bank of Canada), wealth management, and institutional asset management. Because support is structured by product and region, the fastest path to help is to start with the correct portal for your policy or account.

Begin at the official sites: Canada (manulife.ca), Global corporate (manulife.com), U.S. (johnhancock.com), and institutional/investments (manulifeim.com). For Canadian retail customers, most self-serve features—including benefits claims, investment account lookups, and secure messages—are in the MyManulife portal (mymanulife.ca) and the Manulife Mobile app. For banking, use manulifebank.ca or the Manulife Bank mobile app. Always sign in before requesting service; authenticated requests move faster and allow secure document exchange.

Contact Channels and Hours That Actually Work

Manulife routes customer care by product. Instead of using a generic number, use the product-specific line or chat shown after you select your product at manulife.ca/support (Canada) or johnhancock.com/contact (U.S.). Typical channels include phone, secure in-portal messaging, web chat (where available), and, for some products, scheduled call-backs you can book online. Most North American call centres operate during business days from morning to early evening local time, with extended hours for banking and travel/emergency assistance.

Best times to call are mid-week (Tuesday–Thursday) and mid-day. Mondays, paydays (biweekly Fridays), and the first three business days of the month are the busiest across insurance, benefits, and retirement. If your product offers a call-back option, use it—completion rates are high and it preserves your place in queue. For quick policy lookups, claims history, tax slips, and address changes, the portal or app is usually faster than a phone queue.

• Canada: Go to manulife.ca/support, choose your product (e.g., Group benefits, Individual insurance, Group retirement, Investments, Manulife Bank), then select “Call us,” “Chat,” or “Send a secure message.” For travel insurance/emergency assistance, use the emergency contact listed on your wallet card or in your policy documents after logging in.
• United States (John Hancock): Visit johnhancock.com/contact, then select Life Insurance, Annuities, Retirement, or Investments to see the correct line and hours. For John Hancock Vitality, go through your policy dashboard for faster verification.

What to Have Ready Before You Contact Manulife

Have your identifiers open before you call or chat. For insurance and benefits, that typically includes your policy or certificate number and, if applicable, your group/policy sponsor name. For retirement or investment accounts, have your contract or plan number, and for banking, your client number and recent transaction details. Agents will ask for two to three authentication factors (for example, birth date plus postal/ZIP code and a security question or last digits of an ID) before discussing your account.

For claims or transactions, keep digital copies (PDF or image) of supporting documents ready: physician statements, receipts, void cheque for EFT, or proof of address. If you’re uploading via portal or app, combine multi-page documents into single PDFs to avoid rejections; common upload limits are 10–20 MB per file and 5–10 files per submission. If you need someone else to speak on your behalf, arrange a written authorization or power of attorney on file before the call—front-line agents cannot disclose details without it.

Claims and Transactions: Timelines and Fees

Group benefits claims filed through the Manulife Mobile app or MyManulife are typically the fastest to resolve. Digital submissions can auto-adjudicate instantly when the claim matches plan rules; more complex claims route to a claims specialist. Paper claims take longer due to mail and manual entry. To speed up reimbursements, register for direct deposit (EFT) in your portal; mailed cheques introduce postal delays and, in some cases, cheque-cashing fees from your bank.

For investments and retirement plans, expect standard market settlement cycles (e.g., mutual fund trades generally settle T+2). Contributions registered before daily cutoffs are dated that business day; cutoffs vary by fund dealer and plan, so check your plan’s “Transaction cut‑off time” in the portal. Manulife Bank transfers to external institutions usually complete within 1–2 business days by Electronic Funds Transfer. If you are working against a tax deadline (RRSP/IRA), submit well before the final day to account for identity checks and bank holds.

Accessibility, Language, and Privacy

In Canada, service is available in English and French across major lines, with additional language support for specific regions and products in Asia. If you require TTY/relay services or alternate formats, advise the agent at the outset; documented accessibility preferences can be added to your profile so future agents see them immediately. For hearing-impaired customers, secure messaging is an effective alternative because it is text-based and authenticated.

For privacy and fraud prevention, never email full policy numbers, banking details, or ID images to a general inbox. Use secure upload from within your signed‑in portal or the mobile app. If a document must be mailed, use the product-specific mailing address shown in your portal or latest statement; do not send original government IDs—send certified copies if requested. Manulife will never ask for full online banking passwords or one‑time passcodes over the phone.

Escalations and Complaints in Canada and the U.S.

Most issues resolve at first contact, but there is a formal pathway if you need to escalate. In Canada, escalate from the front-line agent to a team lead/supervisor, then to the Customer Care or Client Relations team for your product line. If still unresolved, the independent Manulife Ombuds Office reviews cases impartially. For life and health insurance matters, the external dispute resolution body is the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (olhi.ca). For investments and dealer matters, use the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (obsi.ca) after Manulife’s internal process is complete.

In the United States (John Hancock), ask for the escalation or “Customer Advocacy” pathway within your product line (Life, Annuities, Retirement). Securities-related concerns may also involve external bodies (e.g., FINRA/SEC) after internal review. Keep a log of dates, agent names, case numbers, and promised follow-ups; this documentation is required if your case proceeds to an ombuds office or regulator.

• Day 0–2: Request a supervisor review if the initial resolution does not address the issue. Obtain a case number and a written summary via secure message.
• Day 3–10: If unresolved, ask for referral to the Customer Care/Client Relations team. Provide supporting documents in one package to avoid rework.
• Day 10+: If still unresolved, request Ombuds Office details in writing. For Canadian life/health insurance, you may approach OLHI (olhi.ca) once Manulife’s process is complete; for investments, OBSI (obsi.ca) is available within their time limits (typically within 180 days of the firm’s final response).

Realistic Service Benchmarks and Pro Tips

Well-prepared calls average 6–10 minutes for straightforward requests (address changes, beneficiary lookups, tax slip reprints). Claims and complex policy changes take longer, especially when third-party verification is needed. Expect higher volumes during January–March (tax slips, RRSP/IRA season) and September (group benefits plan year changes). If you’re adding dependents or making beneficiary updates, use the portal where possible; changes are recorded with time stamps and confirmation numbers you can store.

Use secure messaging for anything that requires an audit trail. It allows you to attach documents, and responses include the agent’s name, timestamp, and reference ID. For time-sensitive matters, pair a call with a same-day secure message summarizing what was agreed. If you work with an advisor, copy them on secure messages (where the portal allows) so they can monitor and follow up on your behalf.

Official Addresses and Sites

Global headquarters (corporate correspondence): Manulife Financial Corporation, 200 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 1E5, Canada. U.S. brand headquarters (John Hancock): 200 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116, USA. Always use the product-specific mailing address shown on your statements or in your portal for claims and forms, as processing centres differ by line of business.

Primary sites: Canada (manulife.ca), Banking (manulifebank.ca), Global corporate (manulife.com), U.S. (johnhancock.com), Institutional/Investments (manulifeim.com). For secure account access in Canada, use MyManulife (mymanulife.ca) or the Manulife Mobile app available on the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Is Manulife a good insurance?

Our rating for Manulife insurance review: ★★★★☆ (4.0)
Overall, they offer some of the best term life insurance policies in Canada and their coverage is likely to suffice for your needs.

How do I contact Manulife customer service?

1-800-268-6195 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Mon. to Fri.) General questions about group coverage, claims and more. You’ll find the appropriate mailing address for your claim included right on the claim form. 1-877-481-9169 (8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, Mon. to Fri.)

Can I withdraw my Manulife pension?

If your plan allows you make a withdrawal online, sign in and go to More account options > My Account > Make a Withdrawal. Follow the instructions. You can withdraw up to $50,000. If you can’t make an online withdrawal or you would like to withdraw more than $50,000, you can request it using a paper form.

What is 1 888 588 7999?

Manulife Mutual Funds customers: 1-888-588-7999.