Topic
Mergers and Aqcuisitions
Westland expands reach into Ontario with recent acquisitions
May 27, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWestland Insurance Group Ltd. has broadened its place in commercial and personal lines with the recent acquisition of two Ontario-based brokerages: MCR Insurance in Aurora and Walter Roberts Insurance in Richmond Hill. Ontario is an area of strategic importance, Westland…
Where have all the good underwriters gone?
May 12, 2022 Gloria CilliersFor years, insurers have poached commercial underwriters from one another amid M&A activity, an aging population and hard/soft markets. But that’s left the industry with less seasoned talent and slower investment in acquisition, training and retention. “Suddenly, more so than…
Legacy systems create IT talent crunch for the industry
May 6, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoThe industry’s heavy reliance on outdated legacy systems may be holding it back from modernizing, panellists note during a Canadian Underwriter webinar — and this could be a problem for attracting IT talent. “Legacy platforms are a big challenge for…
What happens when you negotiate with a hacker?
March 18, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoClients have a tough choice to make when they’re hit with a ransomware attack — to pay or not to pay? “If you decided not to pay the ransom for whatever reason, and that hacker ultimately discloses that information,…
Five factors driving M&A activity in 2022
March 15, 2022 Philip PoradoCalendar 2021 marked the first full year of positive mergers and acquisitions (M&A) performance for the world’s deal makers since 2016, said research compiled for WTW’s Quarterly Deal Performance Monitor. The research, conducted in partnership with the M&A Research Center…
Why this broker was fined $700 after an acquisition
March 3, 2022 by David GambrillAn Alberta broker has been fined $700 for failing to transfer her broker’s license when the Co-operators General Insurance Company took over the ownership of her brokerage. Brokers in Alberta and other provinces must have a license that is connected…
How independent brokers can compete with the ‘big boys’
February 18, 2022 Gloria CilliersOf the list of things keeping independent brokers up at night, none is more daunting than finding ways to compete with an “overwhelming amount of consolidators swallowing the industry,” say members of Canada’s largest network of independent brokers. “It’s a…
Is M&A growth better than organic growth?
February 9, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWhen it comes to expanding your brokerages business, M&A may not always be better than organic growth, said panellists during a Canadian Underwriter webinar on Feb. 8. Doug Morrow, CEO and managing partner, Excel Insurance Group, sent a plea…
Top 5 Canadian brokerage just got bigger
January 10, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoNavacord Corp. has just partnered with Group Lockhart Inc., PGI Financial, and Maritime Group Benefits. Navacord’s brokerages offer commercial and personal insurance, surety, employee benefits, and retirement consulting. Ontario-based Group Lockhart Inc. and PGI Financial specialize in local small- to…
How Beneva is promoting its direct brand at this Quebec event venue
December 3, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCanada’s largest mutual insurer is promoting its new Beneva direct-to-consumer brand by being a major sponsor of Quebec City’s major junior hockey team and official presenter of the Videotron Centre’s calendar of events. Beneva announced Thursday a partnership with Quebecor…
What the future holds for Unica, L’Unique, La Capitale and SSQ brands
November 11, 2021 by Greg MeckbachBeneva plans to replace its La Capitale and SSQ direct-to-consumer brands but it’s business as usual, for the time being, for the broker-distributed Unica and L’Unique brands. “As of today both L’Unique and Unica are brands that exist in the…
NFP acquires Western Canadian brokerage Foster Park
November 9, 2021 by Greg MeckbachEdmonton-based Foster Park Brokers Inc. has been acquired by New York City-based NFP Corp., the property and casualty insurance brokerages announced Tuesday. Foster Park places surety bonds, as well as P&C coverage for a variety of industries including oil and…