Moves & Views (December 01, 2008)

1 In the most recent Canadian Underwriter online poll we asked:

Will the financial crisis in the United States lead to a hardening of the North American insurance market within the next 12 months? Of the 154 respondents, an overwhelming majority responded yes (78.57%). Only 21.43% said no, the soft market will continue throughout 2009.

2 Gordon Kerr [2a] has accepted the role of CEO and chief agent of Arch Insurance Group’s Canadian insurance operations. Kerr was previously the chief operating officer of American International Group’s (AIG) Canadian commercial insurance operations. He replaces Michael Baxter [2b], who will become worldwide chief underwriting officer for Arch Insurance Group’s Onshore Energy (Technical Risk) and CAR/EAR platforms. Baxter will oversee these lines across Canada, the United States and Europe.

3 Compu-Quote Inc. has teamed-up with E2Value to release a new insurance-to-value (ITV) tool, ezITV. Compu-Quote previously worked with MSB to provide brokers with the insurance-to-value (ITV) tool RCT EvaluRater. Since 2002, the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) has distributed E2Value’s ITV tool — now known as MCV Costworks calculator, but formerly known as RS Means — as an alternative tool to the RCT EvaluRater. ezITV is an integration of Compu-Quote’s data-gathering technology and E2Value’s cost engine. The new desktop application is fully integrated into PropertyRater. “The RS Means format is by no means a stranger to brokers,” IBAO CEO Randy Carroll says, “but we are nevertheless working with Compu-Quote in the development of a conversion tool that would allow for a smooth transition between the two products [RCT Evalu- Rater and ezITV].” Brokers have the opportunity to test-drive ezITV free of charge until Dec. 31. At that time, it will become the default ITV tool through PropertyRater.

4 Crawford & Company (Canada) has announced five appointments. Santo Carbone has been appointed vice president of the partnerships and regional claims centre (RCC) operations at Crawford & Company (Canada). Carbone brings more than 27 years of claims management and operations experience to Crawford’s Mississauga RCC. Serge Deschenes has been appointed manager of Crawford’s Quebec City branch. Deschenes, who has nearly 20 years experience in the insurance industry, will manage the branch and direct its growth and strategies within the provincial marketplace. MaryLynn Coulas has been appointed manager of Crawford’s North Bay, Timmins and Kapuskasing branches. Coulas will apply her claims and management experience to create and direct growth strategies for these three branches within the Northern Ontario marketplace. Randy LaBrash has been appointed branch manager of Crawford’s Winnipeg branch. LaBrash has been with Crawford since 1986, working in a variety of positions including branch manager in Winnipeg, Peterborough, Toronto West and Toronto East. David Cherrie has been appointed manager of Crawford’s Victoria, Nanaimo and Campbell River branches. Formerly the manager of the Cambridge branch, Cherrie’s cross-country move will result in a greater management role as he takes on responsibility for the Vancouver Island operations.

5 XL Insurance has appointed Ken Lam as senior environmental underwriter, rounding out the company’s specialized environmental underwriting team in Canada. Lam brings more than a decade of specialty underwriting experience to the environmental underwriting team — including six years of professional liability underwriting with XL Insurance’s design professional unit, which provides professional liability coverages to architects and engineers. His career also includes time with Zurich Canada and HB Group Insurance Management.

6 Grant S. McEwen has been appointed the new chief financial officer at Chubb Insurance Company of Canada. McEwan was most recently director and controller of world markets trading and treasury finance at CIBC. He brings international experience to Chubb through his work in Canada, the United States and Australia.

7 Blake Craig, president of J. Leroy Gallant Insurance Limited, has been named president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Prince Edward Island. Craig succeeds the association’s past president, Karen Doiron, who currently serves on the board of directors for the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada. Craig is the grandson of J. LeRoy Gallant, who founded the family-owned brokerage in 1958. Craig took over the management of the agency in 1983. The association’s 2008-10 board of directors includes vice president Darke Carr, secretary Fred Hyndman and treasurer Daniel McInnis.

8 Sylvie Paquette is now the president and chief operating officer of Desjardins General Insurance Group. The appointment comes after Jude Martineau announced his retirement after a 14-year stint as the head of Dejardins Group’s general insurance subsidiaries. Paquette will sit on Desjardins Group’s strategic management committee. She has been with the company since 1984, most recently as senior executive vice president corporate development.

9 CNA Canada has announced four appointments. Matthew Lewis is vice-president, Marine Manager; Stacey Shepherd is vice-president human resources; Garth Huestis, is assistant vice-president, Advanced Medical Technology; and Troy Bohan is manager, Underwriting (Ontario).

10 McLarens Canada has opened four new locations in Ontario. Lynn Brantnall has been appointed branch manager for the new Gravenhurst location. C. Keith Wright has been appointed branch manager of the new Kingston location. Cathy Grant-McDowell has been appointed branch manager of the new Sault Ste. Marie location. Effective immediately, McLarens Canada has acquired Szypka, Welton & Associates in Bolton. George Szypka has been appointed branch manager for the location.

11 Disaster Kleenup Canada Ltd. has announced three appointments. Lisa Arnold has been appointed Western region account manager, Peter Glinka is the new national operations specialist and Jae Drum joins the team as customer service representative. Arnold will be responsible for sales in the western region, overseeing customer relations, driving sales growth and ensuring that the highest industry and company standards are met. Glinka will take on the role of developing and implementing best practices and standard operating procedures for all Disaster Kleenup product and service offerings. Drum will focus primarily on customer satisfaction and overall service level management initiatives designed to decrease timelines and identify areas for improvement, thus increasing overall efficiency throughout the claims process.