The Canadian life and health insurance industry has established a new, independent OmbudService to provide assistance to consumers with concerns or complaints.

The Canadian Life and Health Insurance OmbudService has been incorporated as an independent entity, separate from the industry association, and is headed by a board with a majority of independent directors.

CLHIO’s chairman of the board is the Hon. Gilles Loiselle, former federal Minister of Finance, who has previously served both the federal and Quebec governments in a number of senior capacities. Other members of the Board include:

  • Lea Algar, former Ontario Insurance Ombudsman;,li>Bernard Bonin, former Senior Deputy Governor of the Bank of Canada;
  • Sally Hall, former president of the Consumers’ Association of Canada;
  • Yves Rabeau, Professor of Economics, Université du Québec à Montréal(UQAM);
  • Reginald Richard, former Superintendent of Insurance for New Brunswick;
  • Raymond Garneau, chairman of the board, Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services; and
  • Christopher McElvaine, corporate director, The Empire Life Insurance Company.

The latter two are specifically designated as the industry representatives on the board.

“I am very pleased to be involved with my fellow board members in the oversight of this new organization, which we are confident will serve consumers extremely well”, said Loiselle in a statement.

The CLHIO is a part of the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork announced last December by the banks, life and health insurers, property and casualty insurers, investment dealers and the mutual fund industry.

“We are delighted to welcome this new member of the FSON; the life and health insurance industry’s OmbudService is a vitally important part of the Network”, said Huguette Labelle, chair of the board of the Centre for the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork.

Since 1973, the life and health insurance industry has been handling complaints as one dimension of its Consumer Assistance Centre, which annually handles some 65,000 calls from consumers seeking information and assistance. With the creation of the CLHIO, the OmbudService will be provided by a separate, independent organization.

Over the rest of the summer, efforts will focus on finalizing the operational aspects of the new CLHIO, including working with the other members of the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork to ensure effective referral procedures among the component parts.

The official launch of the CLHIO will coincide with that of the FSON and include announcement of the CLHIO’s 1-800 phone numbers and Web site.