BrokerUnion Opens New Barrie Branch, Replicating Their OTL-to-RIBO Brokerage Model

TORONTO, ON, NOVEMBER 24, 2021/insPRESS/ – BrokerUnion is excited to announce the opening of their new branch located in Barrie, Ontario. Following in BrokerUnion’s business model, the Barrie Branch is a converted OTL-to-RIBO location with former Desjardins agent, Laura Vivian, at the helm as Branch Director.

BrokerUnion’s President, Muqit Aziz, also has a direct-writer background and understands the challenges of converting an OTL agency into a RIBO brokerage. Since launching in 2020, the brokerage has focused on establishing relationships with their 16 carriers, streamlining processes for staff, and building connections with their clients. Within the first year of operations, they have grown to employ 40 insurance professionals, 30 of which are licensed brokers.

“Launching a new branch seems like the natural next step in our brokerage’s journey,” comments Muqit Aziz. “We want to provide opportunities for direct-market leaders looking for success in the broker channel. It’s a challenging process; we’ve experienced it ourselves. We’re hoping to not only impart our experience, but we also want to learn from talented professionals such as Laura Vivian, so that we can continuously evolve to make the broker model stronger.”

Prior to joining BrokerUnion, Laura Vivian owned and operated a financial-management agency before transitioning into insurance and running her own Desjardins agency. Operational since September 2021, the Barrie Branch now has four RIBO-licensed brokers, all with prior Other-Than-Life and direct-market experience.

“The transition into a brokerage has been a complex process, going from managing just one insurance company to handling many. But because of BrokerUnion’s resources, mentorship and support, our Barrie Branch was able to hit the ground running,” says Laura Vivian. “Muqit has a door-wide-open policy, which allowed us to learn the nuances of the broker model. This is important to us because we are a local brokerage offering local advice, and we needed to instill confidence in our clients quickly.”

Licensed in Ontario, the Barrie Branch is a local brokerage servicing Barrie, Simcoe County and Muskoka, while BrokerUnion focuses on growth in the GTA. BrokerUnion is part of BrokerTeam Group, a brokerage-management company.

BrokerUnion is currently seeking insurance professionals interested in branch opportunities.

About BrokerUnion

Part of BrokerTeam Group, BrokerUnion is a P&C Insurance and Life Insurance brokerage with access to a full suite of markets, including 16 insurance carriers in Canada and specialty markets. As an Ontario brokerage, BrokerUnion offers localized insurance advice in 22 languages. For more information, visit https://www.brokerunion.ca/.

Media Contact

Muqit Aziz
President, BrokerUnion
muqit.aziz@brokerunion.ca