Two firms complete Ontario acquisitions
March 8, 2024 Philip PoradoBrokerLink announced its acquisition of Owen Sound, Ont.-based Hanbidge & Bowman Ltd. Insurance Professionals. The deal was effective Mar. 1, the company said said in a Mar. 5 press release. Hanbidge and Bowman Insurance was established in 1947 and provides…
Making clients valuable to your brokerage for the long term
February 15, 2024 Adam MitchellWhen it comes to ensuring clients have the right products and coverage levels, life insurance brokers are doing things much better than personal lines brokers. But there’s no reason the P&C industry can’t operate at that level. You can’t sell…
When growing a business, is competition overrated?
January 23, 2024 Adam MitchellA new teammate once asked me how to succeed in our industry. My response was simple: Ask questions, show humility, and it’s amazing how much people will help you. This is a close-knit industry. You’d be surprised at how many…
Aon to acquire NFP in major brokerage merger
December 20, 2023 Philip PoradoAon expanded its worldwide property and casualty insurance market presence by today acquiring NFP — a leading middle market P&C broker, benefits consultant, wealth manager and retirement plan advisor. Aon will acquire NFP for an estimated $13.4 billion at closing.…
What a buyers’ market means for brokerage M&A
December 1, 2023 David GambrillHow can consolidators afford to buy brokerages when interest rates on bank loans to finance deals have steeply increased? Firms that are actively engaged in brokerage buying and selling told CU they have become more selective. “We are getting a…
U.K.-based firm buys two Canada brokerages
September 12, 2023 Canadian Underwriter StaffLooks as if the summer 2023 P&C brokerage merger train will keep on rolling into the fall. Specialist insurance and reinsurance broker BMS Group has acquired Canada-based insurance brokers, Smith & Reid Insurance Brokers Ltd. and O’Neil Insurance. Smith &…
How commercial brokers have evolved into holistic risk advisors
June 20, 2023 David GambrillWith insurance underwriters now voicing preference for ‘best-in-class’ commercial risks, it’s fallen to brokers to educate their clients about how to reduce their losses. And that means commercial brokers are becoming more like holistic risk advisors, making recommendations to their…
What private equity firms have in common with insurance distributers
June 20, 2023 Mitch Green and Ethan WolfePrivate equity (PE) firms are frequently described as caring more about themselves and their investors than their entrepreneur partners. Or they’re called whiz kids who don’t fully understand the industries into which they insert themselves. However, much like top-tier brokerages,…
Acquisition broadens NFP’s Ontario base
June 8, 2023 Philip PoradoNFP has acquired Rhodes & Williams Ltd. in a transaction that closed May 24, the company said in a press release. The move expands NFP’s Ontario presence “and increases its P&C capabilities and scale across personal risk and commercial lines,”…
Which factors impact DEI programs at P&C brokerages
April 3, 2023 Philip PoradoThe size of a Canadian P&C brokerage and the makeup of its senior leadership continues to drive whether employees have access to formal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. A Canadian Underwriter online survey, fielded in Jan. and Feb. 2023, and…
Do digitally efficient brokerages make better acquisition targets?
December 2, 2022 Alyssa DiSabatinoBrokerage owners shouldn’t just invest in digitization for its own sake, says one financial advisor. They should do it to make a purchase and integration easier for consolidators. Consolidators don’t necessarily expect small brokerages to digitize before acquisition, said Alex…
What happens to wealth advisors when P&C brokers buy them out?
November 4, 2022 Philip PoradoSuccession planning is a key component of the acquisition strategies employed by P&C brokers buying wealth management, retirement planning and employee benefits advisories. That said, P&C brokerage buyers aren’t looking for the sellers to leave right away after the sale.…