Topic Management
Stoppage of Aon-Willis combo won’t slow brokerage M&A activity: KPMG Canada deal advisor
July 28, 2021 by Greg MeckbachMid-sized brokers need to be careful in their approach to mergers-and-acquisition proposals but the abrupt cancellation of Aon’s $30-billion acquisition of Willis Towers Watson is not going to slow down deal-making within the brokerage sector, a Montreal-based insurance M&A expert…
The impact of Gore Mutual’s new operating model
July 26, 2021 by Greg MeckbachGore Mutual has gone live with technology that lets the carrier bind policies for brokers, in minutes in some cases. The Cambridge, Ont.-based property and casualty insurer “has completely changed the operating model for personal lines,” CEO Andy Taylor said…
How many people Marsh hired amidst ‘distraction and uncertainty’ of Aon-Willis merger discussions
July 26, 2021 by Greg MeckbachAmid the uncertainty over Aon PLC’s now-scuttled plan to acquire Willis Towers Watson PLC, Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. increased its staff level by nearly 2,000 during the first half of 2021, Marsh & McLennan CEO Dan Glaser says. “We…
Former Bermuda reinsurer CEO now on Intact board of directors
July 23, 2021 by Greg MeckbachEmmanuel Clarke, a former CEO of Bermuda insurer PartnerRe Ltd., is now on Intact Financial Corporation’s board of directors, Toronto-based Intact announced Thursday. Clarke, a French national, was appointed CEO of PartnerRe in 2016, shortly after EXOR S.p.A. completed its…
4 design concepts for the new hybrid office
July 22, 2021 by Jason ContantIn planning their future hybrid offices, Canadian insurance industry employers will need to carefully consider office design approaches, a blog published Thursday by Harvard Business Review advises. “By all indications, the future of work is hybrid,” wrote Jim Keane and…
The legal pitfalls of online and over-the-phone insurance applications
July 20, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA property insurer can be stuck paying out on a claim even though the client made a “material omission” on their insurance application, but the industry can mitigate this risk by being especially careful when taking applications over the phone…
Who’s building your client’s green energy farm? Why you need to know
July 19, 2021 by Adam MalikWhether it’s a solar or wind turbine farm, or any other energy-related facility, an insurer expert is raising red flags about the quality of people at job sites. Underwriters care about a site and its propensity to be hit by…
Lessons learned in a year when strategy changed on the fly
July 16, 2021 by Adam MalikUnderstanding the relationship between your in-person and online communities is a lesson that one brokerage is taking away after 16 months of change when it comes to marketing and attracting new clients. COVID-19 was declared a global pandemic on March…
Do webinars have a future, post-pandemic?
July 14, 2021 by Adam MalikWebinars are here to stay, says a brokerage executive. Many organizations turned to webinars following the onset of the global COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. It was a way to connect, share information, and maintain a foothold in providing expert…
Broker association exec offers thoughts on returning to the office
July 9, 2021 by Adam MalikHow brokers view their work is changing, and brokerage principals need to keep pace with these new expectations, says an executive at Ontario’s broker association. Employers in industries across the board are figuring out how (and whether) their staff will…
Why brokers’ virtual meetings will survive the pandemic
July 8, 2021 by Adam MalikVirtual meetings during the pandemic have allowed brokers to conduct more structured client meetings with a sharper focus, according to an expert from Aon. Sixteeen months ago, at the onset of the global pandemic, video meetings produced some confusion because…
Former Aviva Canada VP now CEO of TD Insurance
July 7, 2021 by Greg MeckbachJames Russell, a former senior executive with The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company and Aviva Canada, is now leading The Toronto-Dominion Bank’s property and casualty insurers. Russell’s appointment results from a re-assignment of several TD senior managers. Russell has…