OLHI – Free, impartial help with your life & health insurance complaints 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).
Related links:
• *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