Executive Outlook 2022: Scott Andrew, Andrew Agencies

Scott Andrew, President and CEO, Andrew Agencies Ltd.         

As impacts of the pandemic on business in Canada spilled into a second year, brokers and brokerages continue to adapt to the challenges. Despite this disruption, automation, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), and carrier and client interaction will continue to evolve.

Efforts to streamline broker and carrier distribution in real-time started many years ago with numerous industry working groups and conceptual solutions. Advancement has been slow, but it is happening. The foundations laid and adoption of more efficient digital processes has enabled faster adoption of touchless (digital) service delivery.

Andrew Agencies has invested significantly in real-time over the years with its vendor and carrier partners. We will continue to do this in 2022 with an ease of business migration to those carriers willing to embrace real-time solutions. I encourage other brokerages to influence their key insurance partners for real-time solutions that follow the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada’s data-exchange model.

Brokerage M&A remains prominent in the insurance industry after an initial pandemic pause. Andrew Agencies proceeded with acquisitions in the first half of 2020 and closed several deals in the last quarter of 2021. Selective acquisition, followed by systems and workflow integration, allows us to remain competitive in the market.

An active M&A market continuing into 2022 is expected with local, regional and national acquirers. Selling brokers still have a choice of successors and I believe that remains a key to a healthy brokerage network.

Challenges will continue for brokers operating in public auto insurance markets as service levels remain undefined. In the interests of the consumer, it remains imperative that an independent broker remain involved in all transactions. Many rural offices remain open for auto insurance only by supplementing auto commission with general commissions. Distribution arrangements need to be negotiated around shareholder (government) defined service levels. Once those service level deliverables are clear, the delivery models can be costed.

See all the 2022 Outlooks here.