Industry veteran and former Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) Lead Ombudsman for Insurance, John Price, has received the 2022 Society of Consumer Affairs Professionals (SOCAP) Australia Lifetime Achievement Award.

The prestigious award was presented to Mr Price at the Annual SOCAP Australia International Symposium Gala Dinner and Industry Awards for his contributions to the consumer affairs, customer care and complaints management industry over his nearly 50-year career in the legal and financial services sectors.

Mr Price, who retired as Lead Ombudsman – Insurance at AFCA last year, was lauded for his near two-decade commitment to the dispute resolution body.

“John has made an outstanding contribution over his long career and has been instrumental at AFCA and its predecessor schemes in providing independent, fair, efficient and effective dispute resolution,” AFCA Chief Ombudsman David Locke said.

“He has also been a leading voice for many years on broader policy matters affecting insurance influencing improved insurer practices and consumer outcomes.”

In his work, Mr Price was known to be a “bridge” between insurers and consumer groups and praised for his work to ensure engagement with victims of the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires and 2011 Queensland floods.