Canadian Underwriter

Topic HR

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News HRTechnology

Are your remote workers less engaged?

December 15, 2022 by Jason Contant

Executives’ fears that remote workers are becoming less engaged and spontaneous when working online than they are while in the office may be unfounded, new research has determined. One of executives’ biggest worries about remote work is the reduction in

News HRInsurersOntario

Wawanesa names new VP of Ontario for P&C operations

December 14, 2022 by David Gambrill

Susan Williams-Bonet is Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company’s new vice president of Ontario for the company’s P&C operations. She takes over for Josie Porto, who retires this year following a distinguished 36-year career with Wawanesa. “Together with our broker partners, we

Busy businessman working in the office
News CommercialHRMGAsOperations

How MGAs are dealing with underwriter shortages

December 12, 2022 by Jason Contant

Canadian P&C managing general agencies (MGAs) are dealing with a lack of underwriters due to increased demand for products and services combined with traditional staff turnover, an industry executive told Canadian Underwriter. “MGAs are, from what we see, the fastest

Fayeanne Beattie
News AlbertaB.C.BrokersHROntario

Acera Insurance names industry vet as new CFO

December 7, 2022 by David Gambrill

Fayeanne Beattie is the new chief financial officer of Acera Insurance. She has more than 20 years of experience in the insurance industry in various roles, primarily in finance. Most recently she was the CFO of Gallagher Global Brokerage Americas,

Cloud file folder being accessed by an insurance broker
News BrokersHRInsurersManagementMergers and AqcuisitionsOperationsTechnology

Do digitally efficient brokerages make better acquisition targets?

December 2, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Brokerage owners shouldn’t just invest in digitization for its own sake, says one financial advisor. They should do it to make a purchase and integration easier for consolidators. Consolidators don’t necessarily expect small brokerages to digitize before acquisition, said Alex

digital quotation tool for consumers buying insurance
News BrokersHRMergers and Aqcuisitions

Does digitizing help smaller brokerages appeal to buyers?

November 28, 2022 by Alyssa Di Sabatino

Small or family-owned brokerages prioritizing digitization strategies will be in a better position to grow through a merger or acquisition, experts told Canadian Underwriter. But it may be easier said than done, given financial or resource constraints faced by many

Covid-19 virus image
News AdjustersClaimsClaims ProfessionalsClaims TechnologyCommercialCommercial AutoConstructionHRLegalLiabilityManagementOperationsPersonal AutoPersonal HomeProperty

Does an immuno-compromised adjuster have to return to field work?

November 23, 2022 by The CIP Society, Insurance Institute of Canada

For almost three years, there’s been confusion around COVID-19 protocols. It’s made it hard for people to get on with their daily lives. An example of how these stresses burden our industry is illustrated in a dilemma faced by a

Nav Dhillon, CFO, Aviva Canada
News HRInsurers

Meet Aviva Canada’s new CFO

November 21, 2022 by David Gambrill

Nav Dhillon will join Aviva Canada as Chief Financial Officer, starting December 2022. “I’m delighted to welcome Nav into Aviva’s executive leadership team,” Aviva Canada CEO Jason Storah said in an announcement. “Nav brings with him a broad range of experience in

Woman packing her office belongings in a box
News B.C.BrokersCommercialHRInsurersTechnology

Canadian insurtech announces layoffs

November 16, 2022 by David Gambrill

Vancouver-based insurtech Apollo Insurance has laid off approximately 25% of its workforce of about 125 people across Canada, according to one source familiar with the matter. Employees were told during a 9 a.m. meeting, Pacific Time, according to the source,

Passing the baton
News BrokersHRManagementMergers and Aqcuisitions

Behind the upcoming CEO change at Westland

November 15, 2022 by Jason Contant

Westland Insurance Group is looking to evolve its leadership and talent by bringing in different backgrounds and perspectives, the brokerage’s outgoing CEO, Jason Wubs, told Canadian Underwriter in a recent interview. Effective Jan. 1, 2023, Jamie Lyons will become president

Shopping cart representing selling a business
News BrokersCommercialCommercial AutoConstructionCyberHRLegalManagementMergers and AqcuisitionsOperationsPersonal AutoPersonal HomePropertyTrusted Advisor

Three options for selling your brokerage

November 11, 2022 by Philip Porado

A consistent stream of property and casualty brokerage acquisition announcements over the past few years likely has a lot of brokerage owners thinking about how they’ll eventually exit the business. For most sales transactions, there are three basic options. One

Celyeste Power
News CommercialCommercial AutoHROperationsPersonal AutoPersonal HomePropertyTrusted Advisor

IBC announces new president and CEO

November 10, 2022 by Canadian Underwriter Staff

Celyeste Power will succeed retiring Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) president and CEO Don Forgeron at the end of 2022. Power, who takes over as president and CEO on January 1, 2023, is currently executive vice-president for strategic initiatives and