The General Insurance OmbudService celebrates 20 years of helping Canadians resolve their home, auto and business insurance disputes

GIO has responded to more than 56,000 Canadians across the country in its 20 years of service

TORONTO, Oct. 12, 2022 /CNW/ - The General Insurance OmbudService (GIO) is celebrating 20 years of providing free and impartial help to over 56,000 Canadians with their home, auto and business insurance disputes.

With the increase in unpredictable and extreme weather events and complex insurance claims, GIO continues to be there for consumers who need help navigating their policies by providing fair and impartial advice.

"The General Insurance OmbudService is delighted to be celebrating 20 years of operation," says April Schulze, Executive Director of GIO. "We are proud that so many Canadians have entrusted us with understanding their concerns and queries over the last two decades.  We have always strived to provide all Canadians with fair and equitable service, and work with our member company Ombuds' offices in an open-minded, respectful, and constructive way to find solutions for consumers. We have also undertaken additional outreach to improve our consumer service, including during a natural disaster by providing relevant information on our website and connecting directly with impacted communities with timely, helpful resources and information during these difficult times."

Highlights from the last 20 years:

• GIO has helped more than 56,000 Canadians across the country with their insurance coverage, including Canadians impacted by recent natural disasters such as the Calgary Hailstorm, Lytton wildfires, Barrie tornado, and most recently hurricane Fiona.
• GIO started out with 132 members in 2002 and has grown to include more than 150 members from across the country who trust GIO to help their policyholders with insurance disputes.
• In 2022, GIO received 4,370 contacts from consumers across the country and 174 of those were escalated to case status.

"Over the last 20 years of service, GIO has continued to improve its services to make it easier for consumers to have their concerns heard," says the Honourable Graydon Nicholas, Chair of GIO's Board of Directors. "GIO continues to offer multiple avenues for consumers to contact GIO, including by telephone, online complaint form, letter and fax. To better serve consumers, GIO launched a new website to ensure this important access point for consumers is easier to navigate."

GIO was established under federal legislation in 2002 to provide independent dispute resolution services for consumers. 

Read the 2021-2022 Annual Report here.

About the General Insurance OmbudService

The General Insurance OmbudService (GIO) is an independent organization, created in 2002, with the sole purpose of helping Canadian consumers resolve disputes or concerns with their home, auto or business insurers. Our goal is to use our extensive experience and industry-related insight to work towards a fair resolution between individuals and their insurance providers. Any home, auto or business insurance consumer in Canada who has a concern or dispute with one of GIO's member insurance companies can initiate the process by contacting us with the details of their complaint. GIO's services are available free of charge, in both English and French. The majority of issues GIO deals with concern claims, interpretation of policy coverage, and policy processing and handling.

SOURCE General Insurance OmbudService

Media contact: Taylor Jantzi, Global Public Affairs, [email protected]