Proactive or Reactive

The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company’s answer to the direct writing threat, Chieftian Insurance, is one of the future consumer-interaction options open to brokers, predicts Alan Hanks, vice president field operations of the new company.

Hanks outlined the broad objectives of Chieftian, which is broker-based but employs a direct writing electronic approach to reaching the customer. The operation works call-centre technology which routes consumer calls through to the closest Chieftian-supporting brokerage in the area. Independent brokers and broker-supporting companies can either see the opportunities opening up through technology as a threat or a new opportunity, Hanks says. By employing direct writing consumer convenience with the support of the professional expertise invested in broker, both insurer and broker can prosper from new technology advances, he adds. So far, the broker response to the Chieftian product has outweighed the company’s ability to support its growing network, Hanks says.