Canadian travel insurance provider names new CEO

Travel insurance and assistance provider Allianz Global Assistance Canada (AGAC) has appointed Chris Van Kooten as chief executive officer, effective immediately.

Van Kooten brings extensive insurance industry experience to his new position, having held executive leadership roles with several Canadian insurance companies. In recent years, he held actuarial roles with increasing responsibility at both The Co-operators General Insurance Company and Economical Insurance, culminating in his final role as chief underwriting officer with Economical.

Most recently, Van Kooten was managing director at Guy Carpenter Canada, where he led strategic relationship management, new business prospecting, designing comprehensive reinsurance programs, developing new products and advising on insurance technology solutions.

AGAC’s outgoing CEO, Phil Hibbert, joined the company in September, 2016. A native New Zealander, Hibbert was previously CEO of Allianz Global Assistance New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia. He is now returning to New Zealand to be with his family and pursue executive-level opportunities within New Zealand’s financial services and insurance industries, Dan Keon, vice president of market management with AGAC, told Canadian Underwriter Monday.

As CEO for Allianz Global Assistance, Van Kooten will lead the company in further scaling its service capabilities as a travel insurance, assistance and cost containment provider, the Kitchener, Ont.-based company said Monday. Van Kooten will also aim to drive strong, sustainable growth for AGAC and its long-standing partners across of all of its strategic distribution channels, including financial services, travel, insurance broker and group benefits lines of business.

AGAC services as an outsource provider for inbound call centre services and claims administration for health insurers, property and casualty insurers and credit card companies. Allianz Global Assistance is a specialist brand of Allianz Partners for assistance and travel insurance, and is a registered business name of AZGA Service Canada Inc. and AZGA Insurance Agency Canada Ltd.