Topic Commercial Auto
Selling your brokerage? Don’t forget to tell your clients
October 31, 2022 by Michael CareyImagine you’re a client who calls your broker to talk about renewing a policy, only to find they’ve sold the business and moved to Florida. It’s hardly an elegant retirement notification. A client would much rather be told about the…
Opinion: How to end subscription policy bottlenecks
October 21, 2022 by Douglas MorrowWhile the worst of the hard market in Canada is gradually drifting behind us and COVID-19 is taking something of a holiday, not all is rosy, especially for commercial lines business. Brokers worked tirelessly over the past several years to…
What do downtime policies cover for truck owners?
October 17, 2022 by Kevin Thomas and Tony MilitelloBusinesses operating trucks can see their livelihoods impacted by unforeseen incidents like mechanical failures, accidents, fires or vehicle thefts. For properly insured businesses, these incidents may result in downtime claims. And those claims often require careful consideration of limitations — because…
Why benefits, retirement and wealth planning are now P&C profit centres
October 14, 2022 by Philip PoradoRecent merger deals announced by Canadian commercial P&C brokerages increasingly feature acquisitions of wealth management and employee benefits firms, and this is no accident, brokers tell Canadian Underwriter. This subset of M&A is about P&C brokerages becoming a type of…
Canadian P&C brokerage M&A explodes in late 2022
October 13, 2022 by Jason ContantP&C brokerage merger and acquisition activity in Canada remains strong and healthy, as evidenced by the number of deals announced in just the past couple of weeks. Those deals involve brokerages that include Westland Insurance Group, BrokerLink, Western Financial Group,…
How new truckers can get a better ‘insurance experience’
October 13, 2022 by Philip PoradoTo reduce claims rates for Alberta-based trucking companies, and loss ratios for commercial trucking insurers, an Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) executive said training regimens aimed at improving the quality of drivers entering the sector needs to improve. At 120…
Are driver shortages fuelling a spike in Alberta trucking claims?
October 11, 2022 by Philip PoradoBorder crossing issues stemming from COVID-19 health restrictions, as well as an aging workforce that’s rapidly reaching retirement, has led to an exodus of drivers from Canada’s trucking sector over the past two years. Stresses from that situation are amplified…
Many Canadians are driving more but are they telling their insurers?
October 6, 2022 by Canadian Underwriter StaffInsurers across Canada gave drivers a break on their premiums during pandemic lockdowns to reflect a sharp reduction in the number of kilometres they were driving each month. But, even as 20% of Canadians report they’re driving to work more…
How do truck owners calculate downtime claims?
October 5, 2022 by Kevin Thomas and Tony MilitelloWhen a business’ profits are dependent on having a truck or fleet of trucks fully operational, any downtime can lead to lost profits. For that reason, many purchase optional coverage and can make claims if a vehicle is inoperable due…
How Hurricane Ian will strain insurers’ capacity
October 3, 2022 by Philip PoradoHurricane Ian’s Florida landfall last week and subsequent return to the Carolinas means it’s shaping up to be one of the costliest storms in U.S. history. But, while the storm that arrived on the heels of Hurricane Fiona caused massive…
How reinsurers view the rise of MGAs: a flash in the pan, or sustainable?
October 3, 2022 by David GambrillGlobal reinsurers are looking at the current rise of managing general agencies (MGAs) with a critical eye, questioning whether the phenomenon will be long-lasting, or simply a fad rooted in a hard-market demand for capacity. “At the risk of sounding…
Which firm racked up 8 mergers over the summer?
September 28, 2022 by Canadian Underwriter StaffBrokerage M&A has been hectic so far in 2022, with one firm bringing eight brokerages across Canada under its wing during the summer. Navacord today announced it closed eight acquisitions during July and August that expands the company’s presence in…