Segment
MGAs
Top 3 M&A insurance deals in 2019
December 20, 2019 by Jason Contant2019 saw a slew of mergers and acquisitions in the Canadian P&C space and it’s unlikely 2020 will buck the trend. In fact, in the past few weeks alone, one Ontario brokerage bought another one, a Florida-based brokerage bought a…
The latest acquisitions in the Canadian brokerage space
December 17, 2019 by Jason ContantAs we near the end of 2019, the trend in brokerage acquisitions shows no sign of slowing down. In the past week-and-a-half, one Ontario brokerage purchased another Ontario brokerage, a different brokerage bought a managing general agency, a large brokerage…
Who will be who in the Intact commercial specialty crew
December 17, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIntact Financial Corp. announced Tuesday some key executive appointments in its commercial specialty and managing general agent business. Effective Jan. 1, Carla Smith will be senior vice president of specialty solutions for Intact. Pete Weightman, currently Intact’s senior vice president…
Brokers should look for these three things in a cyber insurance policy
December 16, 2019 by Jason ContantCyber insurance policies still tend to be confusing for brokers, but there are three areas that they should focus on, recommends Nathan Rose, senior underwriter and business development specialist with Burns & Wilcox Canada. This includes: 1) policies that have…
So when is the P&C industry going to make real money in cyber?
November 28, 2019 by David GambrillThere’s a huge opportunity for Canadian brokers during this hard market and it’s hidden in plain sight — cyber insurance. Cyber protection has been a dominant fixture in industry discussions for the past several years. The product has evolved considerably,…
How Trump’s ethical follies can benefit Canada’s P&C industry
October 29, 2019 by David GambrillAll the talk in the White House these days about “whistleblowers” and “no quid pro quo” echoed in the discussions about ethics last Thursday between Canadian insurers and their brokers at the 2019 Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) Convention.…
New brand name for MGA Encon
October 21, 2019 by Greg MeckbachEncon Group Inc. is changing its brand name to Victor Canada, the managing general agent announced Monday. Ottawa-based Encon, whose coverages include professional liability for architects and engineers and builders’ risk, is part of Victor Insurance Holdings, the managing general…
Regulator reviewing the role of MGAs in the sales process
October 2, 2019 by Jason ContantWhile Ontario’s new financial regulator will not license managing general agencies (MGAs), it is taking a look at the entire sales process as part of its insurance conduct initiatives. “I don’t have the authority to do that, so I’m not…
Is vaping liability covered?
September 30, 2019 by Jason ContantLiability surrounding vaping is being thrust into the spotlight after a London, Ont. high school student was temporarily put on life support from a suspected “severe respiratory illness” associated with smoking electronic cigarettes. “There were lawsuits many years ago to…
The state of insurers’ risk appetite one year after pot legalization
September 12, 2019 by Greg MeckbachBusiness clients in the cannabis industry are having a hard time finding some insurance coverages, A.M. Best Company Inc. warned in a report released Thursday. “Coverage available to canna-business owners remains in short supply,” A.M. Best said in its annual…
Want to do it all online? How this MGA’s portal pulls it off
August 29, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAn Ottawa-based managing general agent may be expanding its use of portal technology that lets brokers enter data from applications and bind commercial policies electronically. Encon Group Inc. pretty much did away with paper files, Encon president David Cook said…
Veteran insurance professional launches new MGA
August 23, 2019 by Jason ContantA new managing general agency (MGA) offering optional auto insurance has launched in British Columbia, with the goal of moving into homeowners’ insurance within a year. Vancouver-based Stratford Underwriting Agency is the only MGA selling the complete private passenger suite…