The board of directors for the ombudservice for Canada’s private insurance companies will be meeting in Vancouver tomorrow to review the organization’s national progress in its first year of operation.

Established in July 2002, the General Insurance OmbudService (GIO) is the dispute resolution mechanism for federally regulated insurance companies and their customers. GIO’s professional mediators and experienced customer services officers assist insurance companies and customers work towards a solution that is in the best interest of all parties in a fair, independent and impartial environment.

“The GIO is proving to be an efficient and impartial way to reconcile disputes between insurers and their customers,” said Lea Algar, chair of the GIO. “Consumer services officers have helped many policyholders to solve their problems even before they escalated to the point of activating the formal mediation process.”

From July to December 2002, there were almost 37,000 calls, which included both complaints and general enquiries. Only 17 of those calls have gone on to mediation.

The board meeting in Vancouver will focus on fine-tuning the organization’s bylaws, reviewing communications activities and strategic planning.