Topic
Professional Development
Economical Insurance expecting “significant growth” in broker channel over the next five years: Gavan at IBAO Convention
October 21, 2016 Jason Contant, Online EditorEconomical Insurance is expecting “significant growth” in its broker channel over the next five years, possibly 25% bigger than where it is today, outgoing president and CEO Karen Gavan said on Thursday during the 96th annual Insurance Brokers Association of…
Insurers who fail to “adapt to what millennials are looking for” will let go of “majority” of customers: Intact president
October 20, 2016 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorInsurance providers need to “rethink” how they provide advice to customers in their 20s and 30s, the president of Intact Insurance suggested Thursday to an audience of Ontario brokers. “Millennials still want advice,” Intact Insurance president Jean-Francois Blais said during…
Global IT spending to reach US$3.5 trillion in 2017: Gartner
October 19, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterDriven by growth in software and IT services revenue, worldwide IT spending is forecast to reach US$3.5 trillion in 2017, up 2.9% from 2016 estimated spending of US$3.4 trillion, according to the latest forecast by Gartner, Inc. Gartner, an information…
Brokers are ‘not competition to each other,’ IBAO keynote speaker says
October 19, 2016 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorInsurance brokers who compete against one another need to change their mindset and work with their competitors to address threats which could disrupt the industry, a speaker suggested Wednesday in Toronto. “If you all think each other are the competition,…
49% of Alberta SMEs surveyed do not have business continuity plan: ATB Financial
October 18, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterFewer than half of Alberta small enterprises surveyed reported having a business continuity plan, ATB Financial announced Monday. In its Business Beat Survey, 300 owners and operators of small and mid-sized enterprises were asked in a phone survey whether their…
Diane Brickner to serve as interim president and CEO of Peace Hills Insurance
October 18, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterThe board of directors of Peace Hills Insurance announced on Monday that Diane Brickner has agreed to serve as interim president and chief executive officer of the company, effective immediately. Brickner replaces Gene Paulsen, who has announced his retirement from…
Crews try to keep massive northern Nevada wildfire at bay
October 17, 2016 The Associated PressRENO, Nev. – Firefighters in Nevada were hoping to stop a wind-driven wildfire, which has already destroyed 22 homes north of Carson City, from jumping any major roads Saturday. The blaze between Reno and Carson City was only 5 per…
Most U.S. small business owners don’t have cyberattack response plan, new survey says
October 13, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterMost small business owners in the United States (78%) still don’t have a cyberattack response plan, even though more than half (54%) were victim to at least one type of cyberattack, according to Nationwide’s second annual Small Business Indicator. The…
Canadian business leadership critical to reducing climate and other natural disaster risks, PwC Canada says
October 7, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterCanadian business leadership is crucial to reducing the risks from climate and other natural disasters, PwC Canada said on Friday. That day, PwC convened a group of private and public sector leaders to discuss the case for Canadian businesses to…
78% of global businesses believe digital start-ups pose threat to their organization: Dell Technologies study
October 7, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterNearly four in five (78% of) global businesses believe that digital start-ups pose a threat to their organization, either now or in the future, and almost half (45%) surveyed fear that they may become obsolete in the next three to…
U.S. insurers failing to deliver on digital customer experience: study
October 6, 2016 by Canadian UnderwriterInsurers in the United States could only answer 28% of queries across digital channels and 14% of companies failed to respond successfully on either email, social media or chat, according to new research from multichannel customer engagement software provider Eptica.…
Changing Ownership
October 4, 2016 Brenda Rose, Vice President and Partner, FCA Insurance BrokersWhen developing perpetuation plans, brokerage principals need to consider financing for prospective successors. They also need to consider their brokerage experiences as well as soft skills, including positive attitude and the ability to enable and motivate producers.