Topic Management
What it’s like being hired in a pandemic
March 10, 2021 by Adam MalikThe process of getting hired might be shorter in terms of start to finish these days during a pandemic when everything is virtual, but much more is happening along the way, according to a brokerage leader who recently went through…
Valérie Lavoie, Desjardins General Insurance Group
March 10, 2021 by Greg MeckbachValérie Lavoie, President, Chief Operating Officer, Desjardins General Insurance Group Family responsibilities and unconscious biases are among factors that can hold women back from advancing into the C-suite, says Valérie Lavoie, a senior executive with Canada’s second-largest P&C insurance carrier.…
Health Canada says vaccine boosters will be approved more easily
March 4, 2021 by Mia Rabson, The Canadian PressOTTAWA — Health Canada says it won’t require new clinical trial data from vaccine makers on booster shots being developed to target new variants of COVID-19. Instead, the regulator will rely more heavily on lab tests on blood samples, which…
Is it time to ease up on the video calls?
March 4, 2021 by Adam MalikNew research shows the influx of video calls brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic is tiring people out. “Zoom” has become a verb to describe videoconference meetings, said professor Jeremy Bailenson, founding director of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab.…
How Western Financial made its presence known in Atlantic Canada
March 1, 2021 by Greg MeckbachWestern Financial Group is taking a non-controlling interest in Saint John, N.B.-based Huestis Insurance Group. The exact terms of the deal, announced Feb. 23, were not disclosed, other than it will give the High River, Alta.-based Western Financial a “significant”…
NFP in Canada welcomes new president
March 1, 2021 by Jason ContantJohn Haas is the new president of the brokerage NFP in Canada. He will oversee all strategic and operational aspects of NFP’s business in Canada, collaborating closely with the current leadership team. He will lead the expansion of NFP’s footprint…
How a shrinking office footprint can grow your company
February 26, 2021 by Adam MalikYou can grow your business by shrinking the office footprint, as long as you do it correctly, the CEO of Travelers Canada says. Several P&C insurance company executives are openly discussing how much office space they might actually need once…
Would your client actually buy a pandemic risk product?
February 25, 2021 by Jason ContantEven if insurance products were available for pandemic risk specifically, several businesses say they wouldn’t anticipate becoming more dependent on risk financing or insurance as a result, according to the results of a global survey from Aon. Few companies have…
Workplace Vaccination: Should you force your staff to vaccinate?
February 25, 2021 by Adam MalikEnforcing a vaccination policy on staff is fraught with challenges, a brokerage expert warned. It’s a hot-button issue in the industry, according to the results of a recent online survey of more than 1,150 P&C insurance professionals conducted by Canadian…
Workplace Vaccination: A gateway to workplace wellness discussions
February 24, 2021 by Adam MalikDiscussions about workers’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic have opened the door to broader discussions about workplace health and benefits, one brokerage executive has noticed. If employers want their staff healthy and working productively, they need to make sure staff…
Workplace Vaccination: Follow the leader
February 23, 2021 by Adam MalikIf senior leadership wants employees to follow their guidance on getting vaccinated, they need to set the right example, experts advise. Leaders need to be seen promoting their vaccination programs, says Gigi Acevedo-Parker, a registered nurse and Hub International’s clinical…
How carriers could save brokers from ‘drowning in friction’
February 23, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIf your brokerage is bogged down dealing with the new ways your carrier partners are doing business, you aren’t alone. As insurance companies improve their products, introduce paperless initiatives, and upgrade from legacy systems, their broker partners often need to…