Keyword
M&A
Selling your brokerage? What your potential buyers are looking for
March 4, 2020 by Jason ContantBrokers who can best balance online distribution with personal advice will reap the benefits in the current merger and acquisition (M&A) environment, a brokerage M&A expert noted recently. “In Canada, brokers have generally been successful in defending against pure direct…
Don’t make this common M&A mistake
February 20, 2020 by Adam MalikGrowing your business doesn’t necessarily mean you’re creating more value for it. That’s a common mistake people make during merger and acquisition deals, according to one expert. Value is created only when the business gets a return on capital in…
Why brokerage M&A in Canada will slow down in 2020
January 24, 2020 by Jason ContantLooking at the number of brokerage acquisitions already in January, you wouldn’t think merger and acquisition (M&A) activity is slowing down. But earlier this month, Willis Towers Watson reported that the global M&A market, with performance in steady decline since…
Who bought who this past week in the Canadian P&C space?
November 4, 2019 by Jason ContantGlobal insurance brokerage Hub International Limited has bought another Canadian firm as part of its ongoing strategy to expand its employee benefits and pension solutions. Hub announced Monday it had acquired R Bruce Inc., doing business as RBI Advisory Group.…
5 lessons for M&A newbies, courtesy of serial acquirers
October 10, 2019 by Jason ContantWhat are some of the best practices in mergers and acquisitions (M&A)? David Hunt, senior director of mergers and acquisitions at Willis Towers Watson, said in a recent blog that newcomers can learn from the best serial acquirers. While not…
How many brokerages have been bought in the past week?
October 8, 2019 by Jason ContantThe trend in brokerage mergers and acquisitions (M&A) remains strong with no sign of abating, as three large brokerages scooped up no less than eight firms in the past week. On Oct. 2, Hub International announced that it had acquired…
How smaller brokerages can survive in a mega-merger environment
August 16, 2019 by Jason ContantAs mergers and acquisitions ramp up in the Canadian P&C space, smaller brokerages will need to go for scale or niche to survive, brokers say. “As of late, with Wawanesa buying Western Financial, NFP buying a half-dozen really big brokers,…
What’s driving brokerage M&A in Canada?
August 13, 2019 by Jason ContantWhat does the current market look like for merger and acquisition (M&A) activity in the Canadian P&C brokerage space? “The current market is primarily being driven by underwriters and private equity (PE) investors,” wrote Mike Berris, partner and practice group…
Two 100-year-old mutual insurers vote to amalgamate
July 13, 2018 by David GambrillNorfolk Mutual Insurance Company and Wabisa Mutual Insurance Company in Ontario have voted to amalgamate under the new name “Nova Mutual.” The two mutuals held separate special general meetings Tuesday on the proposed amalgamation, scheduled to take effect January 1,…
How this top-tier Canadian brokerage plans to double its revenue in 5 years
July 11, 2018 by David GambrillNavacord Inc., Canada’s fifth-largest insurance brokerage by premium volume, has entered into an agreement that will see a management-led buyout of its minority capital partner, Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd., with the support of Madison Dearborn Partners (MDP), a leading private…
Canada’s future M&A battleground: tech acquisitions
February 27, 2018 by Jason ContantNatural resource industries still drive most Canadian mergers and acquisitions, but the financial services, technology and consumer industries are also expected to see a lot of M&A activity as the economy evolves, according to a new report. And one important…
2 key concerns for brokers in 2018
January 4, 2018 by Jason ContantMerger activity and technology are two major issues facing brokers looking forward into 2018, says the new Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) president Brian Purcell. Purcell talked to Canadian Underwriter shortly after beginning his new role as IBAO president…