Jones DesLauriers Insurance expands east with Whitley acquisition

Toronto insurance broker Jones DesLauriers Insurance Management Inc. announced this week it has acquired Whitley Insurance and Financial Services, effective Jan. 8.

Whitley has an office in Belleville, Ontario – 170 kilometres east of Toronto – plus offices in the nearby communities of Trenton, Deseronto and Stirling.

“The acquisition is expected to build a solid presence for JDIMI in Eastern Ontario and position the firm to better service their clients, with strengthened commercial and personal insurance offerings in the region and a new financial services division,” Jones DesLauriers stated in a press release Jan. 8.

Shawn DeSantis, president and CEO of Jones DesLauriers, will lead the teams from both Jones DesLauriers and Whitley.

“Paul Whitley, President of Whitley, has named Loris Clarke as his successor but will remain with the firm for a transition period,” the company stated in a press release. “Clarke and Whitley will work with DeSantis to manage the day-today operations of the company.”

In addition to personal home and auto, Jones DesLauriers offers business insurance including aviation, environmental liability, executive risk and surety bonding, among others. Jones DesLauriers also offers risk management services, including captives, engineering services, fleet safety consulting, disaster recovery and business continuity, Ontario Workplace Safety Insurance Board (WSIB) safety consulting, United States workers’ compensation and claims management.

Whitley also offers personal home and auto, plus business coverages including liability, business interruption, crime, machinery breakdown and bonding. Whitley also provides life insurance and investment services.