General Insurance Standards Council (GISC)

The General Insurance Standards Council was an independent non-statutory organisation that regulated the sales, advice and service standards of its members. GISC members were insurers or intermediaries or others involved in general insurance such as claims handlers. The main purpose was to ensure that general insurance consumers are treated fairly.

The GISC produced "The GISC General Insurance Code for private customers" which is a set of standards for companies to meet in terms of quality of products and services, pricing, marketing, documentation, confidentiality, security and customer care. This code is still quoted as being adhered to today.

GISC addressed two separate insurance-buying groups:

- individual consumers (private consumers), who are likely to buy products such as insurance for homes (buildings and contents), vehicles, caravans, boats and for pet, travel insurance, private medical, dental and personal accident insurance, extended warranty and breakdown insurance, legal expenses insurance and payment protection for mortgages and other loans

- businesses (commercial customers), buying insurance in respect of a business, for example, employers' liability, business interruption, goods in transit and key man insurance.

GISC did not regulate life assurance and pensions. The GISC Codes (one for Private Customers and one for Commercial Customers) set out standards of good practice which all GISC members must follow when they deal with their customers. GISC members were monitored independently to make sure they follow the Codes.