Media Releases

The Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme received 3,922 enquiries and investigated 282 complaints last year. 64% of all enquiries (2,500) were about general insurance, including house, vehicle, travel and contents insurance; 14% (558) related to health, life and disability insurance; 12% (458) related to loans or credit contracts; and 4% (143) financial advisers.

We are delighted to welcome new IFSO Scheme Commissioners: Māori Women’s Leadership Inc CEO, Teresa Tepania-Ashton, and Founder and CEO of financial literacy platform Banqer, Kendall Flutey.

Contact your insurer or financial service provider before making decisions. The IFSO Scheme has received a steady number of Covid-19 related enquiries. The first thing we say to consumers in all circumstances is to understand your options so you can make informed choices.

The new IFSO Scheme website will make it easier for consumers to find information and make a complaint. "We’re here to help - if you have a question or complaint about your insurer or financial service provider, our service is free, independent and fair,” says Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman, Karen Stevens.

IFSO, Karen Stevens, says check with your airline, your travel agent and your travel insurer before you cancel, change or make travel plans. “We’re receiving a lot of calls from people wanting to change or cancel their travel plans, but they’re concerned about insurance."

For a smooth summer holiday, the IFSO Scheme has some tips to help you avoid holiday mishaps resulting in declined insurance claims.

The IFSO Scheme Annual Report, released today, reveals a small increase in complaints (322, up from 320 the previous year) and a significant increase in complaint enquiries (3,805, up from 3,357 the previous year) in 2018-2019.

Last year, the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO Scheme) received over 1,000 complaint enquiries and 46 complaints about vehicle insurance.

“Every five years, we are required to conduct an independent Review, and we welcome it as an opportunity for continuous improvement of our free and independent complaints service,” says Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman, Karen Stevens.

24 years of insurance complaints reveal many people don't know what they need to do to make a claim. 20% of general insurance complaints involve declined claims because the insured can’t prove their loss.