The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) is kicking off a six-month roadshow aimed at addressing Australians’ lack of awareness on how to resolve a dispute with insurers and other financial firms.

Launching in Hobart next Monday, the roadshow bus will have visited 77 metropolitan, regional and rural communities by April. AFCA will offer free financial fairness checks and use the nationwide tour to learn more about financial issues faced by regional Australians.

Research shows fewer than half of people with a concern about their financial advice lodge a complaint, AFCA says.

AFCA raised the curtain on the roadshow at Parliament House on Thursday to a diverse mix of industry stakeholders and MPs.

Speakers included AFCA Chairman Helen Coonan and CEO David Locke, and Jane Hume, Assistant Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and Financial Technology, who spoke on the importance of better financial literacy.