Canadian Underwriter

Topic Brokers

Hybrid workplace in action
News BrokersHROperations

Employees may dig their heels in on hybrid work

February 22, 2024 by Alyssa Di Sabatino

Working five days a week in an insurance office is a thing of the past, industry experts are saying. But P&C industry leaders are still debating whether client experience, workplace culture, and productivity gels with a hybrid work model. “Within

Air Canada Boeing 777 taking off from Vancouver International Airport during sunset. Date: Feb 11, 2022
News BrokersCyberEmerging RisksInsurersLiabilityLoss ControlTechnology

Air Canada chatbot error shows liability implications of AI

February 21, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Air Canada has been ordered to uphold a policy fabricated by its AI customer chatbot in a recent Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) dispute.   The decision is a cautionary tale for why clients need to be sure their AI chatbots

Portrait of an agent consulting a mature couple at office
News B.C.BrokersInsurersLegalPersonal Auto

Brokers needn’t advise new Canadians to obtain a provincial driver’s licence

February 20, 2024 by David Gambrill

Insurance brokers in B.C. aren’t required to advise clients new to Canada that they must apply for a provincial driver’s licence within 90 days of residency in the province, B.C.’s Civil Rules Tribunal has ruled. “I find that the duty

Arrows pointing up symbolizing growth
News BrokersInsurersManagementMergers and AqcuisitionsOperations

PE-driven M&A is slowing, despite record deals in 2023

February 20, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Despite some consolidators slowing their pace — namely, private equity firms — Canadian insurance brokerage M&A reached a record level of deals in 2023. There were 108 publicly announced deals last year, Smythe LLP, a P&C insurance advisory and consulting

Arrows are not targeted, Failure to attack the target. unsuccessful.
News BrokersClaimsCommercial AutoOntarioPersonal Auto

CU Poll: Ontario’s DCPD auto reform widely viewed as a flop

February 16, 2024 by David Gambrill

Ontario’s property and casualty insurance professionals have widely panned the provincial government’s latest move to make mandatory Direct Collision Physical Damage (DCPD) coverage optional to reduce premiums. Canadian Underwriter conducted an online poll with more than 400 P&C professionals nationwide

Busy restaurant that needs to be insured properly
News BrokersBusiness InterruptionCommercialEnvironmentalLoss Control

What brokers need to discuss with hospitality clients

February 16, 2024 by Philip Porado

Hospitality providers are gradually emerging from a pandemic-era slump that nearly scuppered the industry in 2020 and 2021. The new normal, though, means restaurateurs, venue owners and other businesses likely need to review their insurance coverages and consider some very specific

Creating long-term value within your client base
News BrokersCommercialCommercial AutoInsurersManagementOperationsPersonal AutoPersonal Home

Making clients valuable to your brokerage for the long term

February 15, 2024 by Adam Mitchell

When it comes to ensuring clients have the right products and coverage levels, life insurance brokers are doing things much better than personal lines brokers. But there’s no reason the P&C industry can’t operate at that level. You can’t sell

Cutting Canadian dollars to represent price cuts
News BrokersCommercialInsurersLegalLiabilityLoss Trends

Why D&O price cuts may not be justified

February 15, 2024 by David Gambrill

Softer market conditions reported in some professional liability lines are premature and unjustified, a global reinsurer told September’s National Insurance Conference of Canada (NICC) in Montreal. The NICC reinsurance panel followed a presentation on the global economy by Swiss Re’s

Cyber graphic of an arrow pointing upward
News BrokersCatastrophesClaimsCommercialInsurersPersonal AutoPersonal Home

Cats scratch Intact’s bottom line in 2023

February 14, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Intact Financial Corporation (IFC) has reported elevated catastrophe losses in 2023, raising its combined operating ratio (COR) by 4.3 points since 2022. “The past year has been challenging for society, particularly in the face of numerous natural disasters,” said Charles

Building demolished by an earthquake, Christchurch, New Zealand
News BrokersClaimsCommercialConstructionInsurersLegalPersonal Home

The post-pandemic broker E&O trend, and how to prevent it

February 13, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Many clients’ commercial property limits aren’t being adjusted for inflation, and that’s unduly exposing brokers to errors and omissions (E&O) claims, one commercial litigation lawyer observed.  Inflationary increases are typically applied to all building values upon renewal. The problem is,

Business acquisition sealed with a handshake
News BrokersCommercialCommercial AutoHRManagementMergers and AqcuisitionsOntarioOperationsPersonal AutoPersonal Home

Hub’s latest Ontario brokerage acquisition

February 12, 2024 by Jason Contant

Hub International Ltd. has enhanced its personal, commercial and employee benefits services with the acquisition of Ontario brokerage Mitchell Sandham. Located in Oakville, Ont., Mitchell Sandham is one of the oldest and largest independently owned insurance brokerages in the Greater

Group of businesspeople around a table
News AlbertaB.C.BrokersHRManagementMergers and AqcuisitionsOntarioOperations

Brokerage looking to expand outside home province

February 9, 2024 by Jason Contant

British Columbia-based brokerage AMC Insurance Services Ltd. is looking to expand outside its home province, the brokerage’s vice president told Canadian Underwriter recently. “We realized in our core business strategy that if we want to continue to be a provider