Topic
Brokers
How Ontario drivers have responded to DCPD opt-out option
January 22, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoFor all the discussion it provoked within brokerage circles, one of the Ontario government’s ideas for auto insurance reform appears to have fallen flat with drivers, albeit it’s only in the first month of the initiative. Thus far, Ontario brokerages…
Why this national consolidator made layoffs
January 19, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWestland Insurance issued an internal email dated Jan. 15, announcing the layoff of about 30 employees, citing the inability to meet its 2023 financial targets, as well as salaries and expenses that exceeded plan. “Today, I’m sharing some very difficult…
What younger job candidates want from P&C insurance jobs
January 18, 2024 Steve Whitelaw, Applied Systems CanadaCanada’s P&C insurance industry needs to adapt in three key areas to better recruit and retain prospects among Millennials and Gen Z. First, it should teach recruits tech skills specific to the P&C industry. Second, it should use digital technology…
Brokerage sees nearly 200% increase in cold weather claims
January 18, 2024 by Jason ContantWith temperatures plummeting across Canada recently, one insurance brokerage has seen a 191% increase in cold weather-related claims in the early days of 2024 compared to 2023. “Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen almost three times as many…
When will Canada’s insurers reach a tipping point over NatCats?
January 17, 2024 Philip PoradoIf insurers’ recent response to drastic storm and fire losses recorded in many parts of the U.S. are any harbinger, some Canadian regions may soon grapple with a future in which standard market insurers simply walk away. It’s already happening…
Your Canadian clients’ top business risks in 2024
January 17, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoCanada’s top three business risks show companies are widely, and primarily, worried about disruption to their operations, according to the Allianz Risk Barometer 2024. Over half (57%) of respondents in Canada said business interruption was their number one risk,…
Why Mitch Insurance opened its first Ontario branch — and what’s next
January 16, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoMitch Insurance has opened a new branch in Kingston, Ontario, with a tri-fold objective to grow its footprint organically, establish a commercial focus in the province and provide entrepreneurial brokers the chance to manage a book of business. The Kingston…
Two brokerages, one MGU involved in recent deals
January 15, 2024 by Jason ContantEditor’s Note: This story has been corrected to clarify that Keyes Insurance was not acquired by the Canadian Broker Network but rather joined its membership. Keyes Insurance remains a fully independent brokerage solely owned by Shaun Keyes. Canadian Underwriter apologizes…
How brokerage mergers could create tax benefits
January 15, 2024 Philip PoradoTax filing season is on the horizon, which means it’s time for Canadian brokerages and insurance companies to consider how they’ll treat GST, HST or QST payments, Yakoob Vayani, a partner at KPMG in Canada in Indirect Tax, Advisory, told…
What do your insurance clients actually need? Ask them
January 15, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoThe first step to conducting research on customer needs is to ask, rather than assume, what your customers want, suggested Robin Shufelt, CEO at First Acre Insurance — a new farming MGA. Yet, despite the insurance industry investing nearly…
Regulators watching how broker sales tied to compensation
January 12, 2024 by David GambrillCanada’s insurance regulators are paying close attention to how insurers are assessing the performance of their sales force and/or linking broker compensation to the fair treatment of consumers. In particular, they are monitoring whether brokers are being assessed using purely…
Ten per cent of country’s insured losses in Alberta alone
January 12, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoFor all the smoke, fire and flood that happened across Canada this year, damage to property in Alberta alone exceeded $330 million, according to estimates from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). That’s nearly 10% of all insured losses across…