What’s new: In brief (January 02, 2007)

In the spirit of the holiday season, The Co-operators donated more than $446, 500 to the United Way. Staff members contributed the majority of the funds, which will be distributed in the communities where the donations were made.
“The generosity of our staff members is nothing short of astonishing,” said Kathy Bardswick, the president and CEO of the Co-operators. “I am so proud of this organization, and the sense of community that is so prevalent in our offices across the country.”
The Co-operators also provided a Loaned Representative to assist with fundraising efforts in Guelph on a full-time basis for the duration of the 15-week campaign.
The record-breaking donations from across the country were nearly 20% more than last year’s total of $373,000.

The General Insurance OmbudService (GIO) will improve their online presence with the new website, www.giocanada.org, the company recently announced.
GIO, a company that helps resolve problems between consumers and insurers, has reinvented its website to facilitate the retrieval of information and support for the consumers in order for them to resolve their problems with their home, auto or business insurers.
“A consumer involved in a dispute with their insurance provider is typically a frustrated individual,” said the company’s Executive Director, Glenn Williamson. “Our role is to provide that consumer with quick and easy access to the information and resources they need to work toward a fair solution with their insurance company.”
He added that, “Overall, we made the navigation of the site easier for consumers to find and easier to use. We’ve simplified the navigation and made it more visually appealing. The new site also features helpful explanations of the ombudsman process, step-by-step instructions for engaging our services and even a secure form that consumers can use to submit a claim to us online.”