Ontario’s Lanoue Insurance Brokers joins Brokerlink

Belle River, Ont.-based Lanoue Insurance Brokers Ltd. announced on Friday that it will join BrokerLink, one of the largest Canadian property and casualty insurance brokerages.

Serving Ontario’s Windsor/Essex area, the firm specializes in personal, commercial, farm and marine insurance. Terms of the transaction, finalized on Thursday, were not disclosed.

“For over 65 years, Lanoue employees have served our community and clients by providing excellent service,” the firm’s president, Gil Lanoue, said in a media release from BrokerLink. “We know BrokerLink shares the same values of serving the community and acting as trusted advisors, which made the decision to join the best choice for our clients and staff.”

The release also noted that BrokerLink’s presence in Ontario is growing. Earlier this year, BrokerLink acquired Chatham, Ont.-based O’Neill Insurance, a family-run business established in 1910. Through the addition of the Lanoue and O’Neill brokerages, BrokerLink has more than 60 offices in the province.

“Welcoming Lanoue into BrokerLink highlights not only our growth in Ontario, but also how we have increased the number of clients and communities we serve,” said Paul Meyer, head of acquisitions for BrokerLink, in the release.

Founded in 1945 by Gil Lanoue Sr., Lanoue Insurance Brokers has grown to include full service personal, farm and commercial lines. It is concentrated on “growing a client base through excellent personalized service and advice from experienced and highly bilingual staff.”

In July 2016, BrokerLink announced it had acquired Cornerstone Insurance Brokers Ltd., increasing its P&C footprint by 90-plus employees. Cornerstone Insurance Brokers is a multi-line, full service and privately-owned brokerage. And in January of 2016, BrokerLink acquired City Insurance Offices Ltd., operating out of Sarnia and Petrolia, Ont. and Philpot & Delgaty Insurance Ltd. in Thunder Bay, Ont. City Insurance offers auto, homeowners, commercial, life, health and group insurance products and retirement plans, while Philpot & Delgaty offers personal, commercial and travel insurance.

The BrokerLink companies, which include Canada Brokerlink Inc., Canada Brokerlink (Ontario) Inc. and Macdonald Chisholm Trask Insurance, were established in 1991. Together the companies constitute one of the largest Canadian P&C insurance brokerages with more than 115 offices supported by over 1,400 employees across Ontario, Alberta and Atlantic Canada. The BrokerLink companies are subsidiaries of Intact Financial Corporation.