Document Library

Our document library contains our annual reports, financial statements, guides and policies, independent reviews and Terms of Reference.

Annual Reports & Financial Statements

Please view and download a copy of the IFSO Scheme Annual Reports and Financial Statements.

Fair and Reasonable Conduct

The Terms of Reference set out the criteria we must use if we make a decision about a complaint. Read our Fair and Reasonable Conduct webpage to give you and your financial service provider a better understanding of how we apply our fair and reasonable jurisdiction.
 

Guide to Compensation

Our Guide to Compensation explains our general approach to compensation and how we award it, based on our Terms of Reference.

Each complaint is considered on its own facts and any compensation will be based on the particular circumstances of the complaint. If we make a decision in your favour, we will look at what needs to be done to fix what has happened. Any compensation provided will focus on putting you back in the position you would have been in if the event had not occurred.

Independent Reviews

In accordance with the Financial Service Providers (Registration and Dispute Resolution) Act 2008 and the IFSO Constitution, an independent review of the IFSO Scheme is required at five yearly intervals. The independent reviews help the IFSO Scheme to continue to deliver a high standard of service to consumers and the financial services industry.

Information Sheets

Info sheets are quick guides to common issues. Consumer tips and case examples are included.

Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy sets out how the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme ("the IFSO Scheme”) manages, collects, uses, and shares personal information.

Remedies for Irresponsible Lending

Our Remedies for Irresponsible Lending guide outlines the approach we take when deciding what Complainants should receive if they have been given unaffordable or unsuitable loans.

The document outlines the way the financial dispute resolution schemes’ apply the remedies available under section 89 of the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 (CCCFA).

Service Charter

Our Service Charter sets out what you can expect of our free service as a customer of an IFSO Scheme financial service provider, and our expectations about how you will engage with us during our complaint resolution process.

Terms of Reference

The Terms of Reference (TOR) sets out the obligations of IFSO Scheme Participants and the IFSO Scheme jurisdiction, including the types of complaints that can be investigated, monetary limits, resolution methods, and decision-making criteria.

The IFSO Scheme’s Terms of Reference are effective from 1 April 2025. 

Previous Terms of Reference and Constitution

Prior to the current TOR, the obligations of IFSO Scheme Participants and the IFSO Scheme complaints handling information and processes were contained in the IFSO Scheme Terms of Reference and Constitution.