Category: News

Gilles Loiselle, PC OQ, OLHI’s first Chair of the Board of directors passed away on September 29, 2022. We want to offer our sincerest condolences to Mr. Loiselle’s family and recognize his contributions to our organization.

Between 2002 and 2005, Mr. Loiselle, brought his extensive experience as a journalist, public servant and federal minister to guide our organization as it launched and commenced its operations. His contributions laid the solid groundwork for the free, independent and impartial alternative dispute resolution public service OLHI has provided Canadian life and health consumers for the past twenty years.

At the onset of his tenure as OLHI Board Chair, Mr. Loiselle, stated:

“When in 2002…the industry took steps to strengthen the OmbudService by creating a separate legal entity with its own Board of Directors and an enhanced capacity to issue reports with non-binding recommendations if necessary, I agreed with pleasure to chair this exciting new entity.”

OLHI would not be where it is today without Mr. Loiselle’s early leadership. We are grateful for his time with our organization.

For Immediate Release – July 21, 2022

Montréal, Quebec – The OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance has appointed Mtre Stéphanie Robillard to the position of Senior Deputy Ombudsman, OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI). 

“Stéphanie brings solid leadership credentials to the position,” said Glenn O’Farrell, OLHI’s CEO & Ombudsman. 

“She has the proven ability to contribute to our organization’s mandate to provide free, independent and impartial alternative dispute resolution services for all Canadian consumers.” 

Stéphanie’s team-building skills and professional ethics will directly contribute to the ongoing success of OLHI. 

About Stéphanie

For 20 years, Stéphanie has acted as a litigation lawyer in insurance, specializing in life and health insurance matters. She is an accredited mediator in civil, commercial and labour mediation and also serves as a mediator for the Small Claims Division of the Quebec Court. Throughout her career, she has demonstrated active listening skills and negotiation capabilities, either through out-of-Court settlements, settlement conferences or private mediations of her Court cases. Alternative dispute resolution has always been an important part of the services she has offered, finding equitable and practical solutions for all parties. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (TORONTO, 1 Nov 2021) – Lisa D.’s son has cerebral palsy, and his doctor recommended a treatment to help manage it. Her insurance company said it couldn’t cover the treatment. Lisa turned to the OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance (OLHI) for help and to access our free public service. We worked with her and her insurer to find a solution. In the end, her insurer covered the treatment.

“Lisa’s story is exactly why OLHI exists – to help Canadians and their insurance companies resolve complaints through an alternative dispute resolution process,” said Dr. Janice Mackinnon, Chair of OLHI’s Board of Directors. “We felt we needed to make Canadians more aware of OLHI’s services and the support we can give them if they are unhappy with their insurance company’s final decision about a life or health insurance complaint.”

This is why OLHI is launching a national public education campaign focused on Millennial Canadians for Financial Literacy Month this year.

“We believe that informed consumers make better decisions,” said Stéphanie Robillard, Acting deputy Ombudsman. “Educating Millennials about OLHI will give them confidence that OLHI will be there for them if they ever have a complaint about their extended health benefits, dental coverage, disability claim or any other life or health insurance complaint.”

The campaign will educate Millenials about what OLHI does and when to come to the OmbudService for help. It will run for the entire month of November using digital marketing, social media and media relations to reach Canadians who are 40 and younger. 

“If you just finished university and got your first job with real benefits, started a family and took out a life insurance policy, or opened a new business and purchased a job loss insurance, we want to tell you about our free public service before you need it,” said Glenn O’Farrell, CEO and Ombudsman. “Every day, life and health insurance companies pay out thousands of claims to satisfied consumers, but if you have a concern, OLHI can help.”

About OLHI

The OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance is a free, bilingual, independent and impartial alternative dispute resolution public service for Canadian life and health insurance consumers.

As an alternative dispute resolution public service, OLHI provides accurate and accessible information about life and health insurance concerns.

Our public service includes guiding consumers through the complaints process, answering their questions, and helping them find lost policies or policies of deceased loved ones.

OLHI’s public service is:

Free

Any consumer whose company is an OLHI member can use our services. Ninety-nine percent of Canadian Life and Health Insurance companies are OLHI members.

Impartial

We don’t take the side of the consumer or the insurance company – we take an impartial look at all the facts.

Independent

OLHI is governed by a board of directors with a majority of independent members and is supervised by the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR).

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Related links:

• OLHI Infographic

• OLHI’s complaints process

• *Lisa’s story – An OLHI case study

*Lisa’s story is a real account of a life and health insurance consumer OLHI helped. Her name and some details have been changed to protect her personal information.

Tim Wilson 

Head, Public Education, OmbudService for Life and Health Insurance 

587-707-2800 

[email protected]

OLHI and the Government of Canada are urging you to take immediate measures to return to Canada while flights are still available. The Government of Canada is providing financial assistance for travel arrangements. Some airlines are also offering free services in support of the Government of Canada’s travel advisory to return home immediately.

Please contact Canada’s consular officials for urgent travel assistance: https://travel.gc.ca/assistance/embassies-consulates. If you need your insurer’s contact information, visit  https://oapcanada.ca/for-insurers/member-list/. Insurers’ call centres are dealing with a very high call volume as they help their customers get home quickly. Please be patient.

Please do not call insurers if you want to cancel a trip with a departure in more than 30 days.

Canada’s independent insurance complaint resolution service appoints new Regional Head of Communications and Marketing for Western Canada

Feb. 4, 2020 – The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Kim Alison Fraser as the new Regional Head of Communications and Marketing effective immediately, reporting to OLHI CEO & Ombudsman Glenn O’Farrell.

“The work that OLHI does for Canadians is vital,” says Kim Alison Fraser. OLHI is a free service for consumers: an independent resource where Canadians can have their life and health insurance disputes reviewed. “I am thrilled to have been selected to help build OLHI brand awareness across Western Canada.”

“Ensuring all Canadians have full access to the insurance dispute resolution services OLHI provides is central to our mission,” says OLHI CEO & Ombudsman Glenn O’Farrell. “In addition to serving at the helm of the communications and marketing practice for OLHI, Kim Alison Fraser will lead an Edmonton office focused on outreach to life and health insurance consumers across Western Canada.”

Fraser brings her strategic communications and digital marketing expertise to the national, independent complaints resolution enterprise for the life and health insurance sector.

She is a marketing communications consultant with extensive experience building in-house marketing communications competencies for regional organizations including Banff Lake Louise Tourism, Culture Days and the Alberta University of the Arts (formerly Alberta College of Art + Design).

Fraser began her career in New York City after completing a Master’s Degree in Journalism at Columbia University. She later went on to leadership roles in Toronto with organizations such as Microsoft, Rogers Media and Transcontinental Media. She brings her transformative leadership style and insights-led approach to this newly created role.

Please note our Toronto office is moving to a new location. Our new address is 20 Adelaide Street East, Suite 802, PO Box 29 Toronto ON M5C 2T6

October 2, 2019 (Toronto, Ontario) — The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) announced today the appointment of Marjolaine Cantin to the newly created  role of Senior Deputy Ombudsman, effective immediately.

 “This is great news for OLHI.” said Glenn O’Farrell, CEO and Ombudsman, OLHI. “With this appointment, OLHI moves forward with certainty as it strives to consistently improve the quality and caliber of its service to the life and health insurance marketplace.”

Marjolaine Cantin brings to this role highly regarded professional credentials and a very solid track record of management experience. Working with consumers, insurance companies and regulators at OLHI over the past few years, Marjolaine has demonstrated astute expertise, industrious diligence and premium ethical conduct.

In her new role, Marjolaine will report to Glenn O’Farrell, the recently appointed CEO and Ombudsman for OLHI. She will have overall responsibility and management of the OLHI complaints process consisting of assigning, managing and reviewing the work from the Complaints Analysts as well as reviewing the work of OLHI’s subject matter experts.

“I am grateful for this recognition which really honours me as a professional. OLHI is an organization that invests unwavering commitment to its mission to provide free, impartial, independent and prompt resolution of consumer complaints related to Life & Health insurance. I look forward to continuing to contribute to OLHI’s success with the support of our CEO and Ombudsman and the very talented and dedicated members of our team” said Marjolaine Cantin, newly appointed Senior Deputy Ombudsman, OLHI.

A lawyer with nearly 25 years experience in the life and health insurance industry, Marjolaine brings a wealth of insurance law expertise along with a deep understanding of alternative dispute resolution. She has served in various industry positions including, Senior Litigation Consultant, compliance management roles and also acquired extensive experience in travel insurance.  Marjolaine studied law and graduated from Université Laval. In addition to being a member of the Quebec Bar she is also an accredited mediator with the Québec Bar and a certified Small Claims Mediator.

OLHI is a national, impartial and independent dispute resolution enterprise serving the life, health and employee benefits insurance marketplace. OLHI services are available free of charge to consumers across Canada.

Following its Annual General Meeting on September 19^th, 2019, OLHI released its 2019 Annual Report, outlining a comprehensive overview of all the achievements, statistics and case studies from the past year. The reports can be downloaded at olhi.ca/news-publications/annual-report/ and www.oapcanada.ca/nouvelles-et-publications/comptes-rendus-annuels/.

About the OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance

The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) is Canada’s only independent complaint resolution service for consumers of Canadian life and health insurance. Canadians trust us to review their insurance complaints about life, disability, employee health benefits, travel, and insurance investment products such as annuities and segregated funds. OLHI’s free bilingual services are available to any consumer whose insurance company is an OLHI member – and, currently, 99% of Canadian life and health insurers are. OLHI also offers general information online about life and health insurance. To ensure impartiality, OLHI’s operations are overseen by the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR). For more information, visit olhi.ca.

For further information:

Media contact:

Jerry Grymek
416-440-2500, ext 301
[email protected]

Interviews are available upon request.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 August 12, 2019 (Toronto, Ontario) —The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Mr. Glenn O’Farrell as Chief Executive Officer and Ombudsman. He will assume his functions in the Toronto office on August 19, 2019.

“The Board believes that his extensive experience in management, collaborating with stakeholders and leading organizational change in this age of technology will be essential attributes in executing OLHI’s mission” said Dr. Janice MacKinnon, Chair. “We are fortunate to have someone of Glenn O’Farrell’s caliber and experience to lead OLHI.  Glenn is a skilled communicator with deep leadership capabilities and has a proven track record of execution. His vast experience with the media will help further the development of the organization and promote its services by raising consumer awareness while continuing to strengthen OLHI’s relationships with their members and various stakeholders.”

A native of St-Malachie, Québec, Glenn studied economics, law, business and corporate governance at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia, Université Laval in Québec City, Johnson School of Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. and at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He is a member of the Québec Bar, Canadian Bar Association and Institute of Corporate Directors. He also has served on numerous company boards of directors as well as not-for-profit corporations.

Glenn said, “I am honored and excited to lead OLHI. Its is a privilege to be part of an organization governed by a fair and valuable purpose – providing Canadian consumers an independent, cost-free forum for the resolution of their complaints about life and health insurance products. I am looking forward to share my ideas and expertise in order to help promote our services and enhance the consumer’s experience when dealing with OLHI.”

Until recently, he held the position of CEO of Groupe Média TFO. Prior to this role, Glenn served as Vice-President, Réseau Pathonic TVA, Québec City; General Counsel, Chief Regulatory Officer, Senior Vice-President at CanWest Global, Toronto; President of Global Québec, Montreal, and President & CEO of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters, Ottawa.

About the OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance

The OmbudService for Life & Health Insurance (OLHI) is Canada’s only independent complaint resolution service for consumers of Canadian life and health insurance. Canadians trust us to review their insurance complaints about life, disability, employee health benefits, travel, and insurance investment products such as annuities and segregated funds. OLHI’s free bilingual services are available to any consumer whose insurance company is an OLHI member – and, currently, 99% of Canadian life and health insurers are. OLHI also offers general information online about life and health insurance. To ensure impartiality, OLHI’s operations are overseen by the Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR). For more information, visit olhi.ca.

For further information:

Media contact:
Jerry Grymek
416-440-2500, ext 301
[email protected]

OLHI’s third independent review has been completed and is being published on our Website to receive comments from interested parties, such as consumers, industry, regulators and the public at large.  Comments will be received in writing only at [email protected] and must be submitted by Tuesday, September 3, 2019.  Confidentiality of submissions is assured and comments will be aggregated to protect anonymity.  Click here to view the report on OLHI’s third independent review.