Advocate Deanne Wood.
The Board of The Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance announced today that Advocate Deanne Wood has been appointed as the new Ombudsman with effect from the 1st March 2016. She has practiced as an advocate for the past sixteen years and has a wide range of experience in dispute resolution including insurance related matters. Ms. Wood has recently been recommended by the Johannesburg Bar Council for Senior Counsel status and this recommendation is awaiting confirmation by the President.
Martin Brassey SC, Chairman of the Board explained that she was the Board’s unanimous choice from a list of candidates compiled after an exhaustive and transparent recruitment process. “We are confident that she will continue to focus on the main objective of the office, namely to resolve short-term insurance disputes in an impartial, informal and cost effective manner. In addition she is well qualified to deal with the regulatory changes that the industry faces and Ombudsman schemes in particular.”
Mr. Brassey also paid tribute to outgoing Ombudsman, Dennis Jooste for the sterling work he has done in enhancing the status of the office and in securing the support of the insurance industry and consumer organisations. Ms. Wood can be expected to build on these notable achievements in order to develop and nurture the organisation so that it will appropriately utilise contemporary communication media and meeting the challenges of regulatory change.
About The Office of the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance
The Office of the Ombudsman for Short-Term Insurance is an independent organisation appointed to serve the interests of the insuring public and the short-term insurance industry. By applying the law and principles of fairness and equity it resolves disputes between short-term insurance companies and their clients.
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