The Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) has been crowned Ombudsmen and Commission Group of the Year at the Australian Alternative Dispute Resolution Awards, run annually by the Australian Disputes Centre.

AFCA’s team of ombudsmen, adjudicators and panel members make determinations on more than 5500 complaints a year, including from the insurance sector.

"After only three years of operation, and with much more to do, we are very pleased to be recognised for delivering a quality and innovative service,” Deputy Chief Ombudsman June Smith said.

“We currently have multiple initiatives underway, including planning a range of new projects that will further enhance our dispute resolution service and improve the experience for members and complainants,” she said.

AFCA’s process avoids progression to more formal resolution methods, with around 77% of complaints resolved at the registration and case management stages.