Rhodes & Williams expands with new merger
October 10, 2018 by Jason ContantThe Rhodes & Williams Group of Companies has merged with Caiger-Watson Insurance Brokers Ltd. The latter brokerage will operate under the name of Caiger-Watson Insurance Brokers, a division of Rhodes & Williams Limited. Clients of Caiger-Watson will continue to be…
Saskatchewan commercial brokerage joins Navacord
October 9, 2018 by Greg MeckbachCommercial brokerage Henderson Insurance Inc. will become Navacord Corp.’s newest member effective Nov. 1, the companies announced Tuesday. With offices in Regina and Moose Jaw, Henderson is Navacord’s first broker partner in Saskatchewan. The terms of the partnership were not…
The Co-operators acquires personal and commercial lines brokerage in Quebec
October 3, 2018 by Jason ContantThe Co-operators has acquired Robert Poirier & Associés, Courtier d’assurance inc. (Assurance Robert Poirier), a personal and commercial lines brokerage in Gatineau, Que. Guelph, Ont.-based The Co-operators has seen steady growth in Quebec over the past several years, and acquiring…
Will Nova Scotia earthquake spur uptake in insurance coverage?
October 1, 2018 by Jason ContantA small earthquake that struck Nova Scotia’s western shore Saturday has again highlighted the lack of uptake of earthquake coverage in Atlantic Canada. At about 10:30 a.m. on the morning of Sept. 29, a magnitude-3.1 quake struck off the coast…
What changed for insurance industry under the new trade deal?
October 1, 2018 by David GambrillAside from the name change from NAFTA to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), what changed for Canada’s property and casualty insurers under the new free trade agreement announced Monday? Not a whole heck of a lot, it would appear. Regulations…
Working around the workarounds
October 1, 2018 Lisa Kerr, president, Zynamic SolutionsThere is a lot of room to improve the current process for buying commercial insurance in Canada. In a brokerage, fully half of the 24 common touchpoints involved in processing a single new commercial policy could be removed through automation,…
Will higher interest rates kick-start M&A?
September 26, 2018 by Jason ContantWhat impact do rising interest rates have on P&C companies conducting mergers and acquisitions? We’re about to find out, as the Bank of Canada is widely expected to raise the interest rate target at an Oct. 24 rate announcement. “The…
Why brokers should ‘shoot the breeze’ with clients
September 25, 2018 by Greg MeckbachWhile brokers communicate with clients for a variety of reasons, such as renewals and claims, “shooting the breeze” can be just as beneficial for the business, suggests a speaker scheduled to address next month’s Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario annual…
Insurer restricts trampoline insurance coverage after serious injuries
September 21, 2018 by Jason ContantIncreased losses due to significant trampoline injuries has resulted in restrictions on insurance coverage in Alberta. The Alberta Gymnastics Federation (AGF) provided an update on its trampoline coverage on Sept. 7. Due to a recent limitation endorsement, coverage is restricted…
How artificial intelligence can help brokers close sales
September 20, 2018 by Greg MeckbachArtificial intelligence could help a brokerage figure out how likely a prospective client is to actually buy insurance. At least that’s what officials with Surex Direct are hoping. Magreth, Alta.-based Surex Direct places home, auto and commercial lines and says…
More commercial brokerage consolidation could follow Marsh-JLT combo
September 19, 2018 by Greg MeckbachA US$6-billion merger between Marsh & McLennan Companies Inc. and Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group Plc could form the world’s largest commercial brokerage, and more mergers and acquisitions among commercial brokerages will likely to follow, a Canadian M&A expert suggests. Marsh…
Why this brokerage is not looking to hire insurance experts
September 18, 2018 by Greg MeckbachWhen Matt Alston hires workers for his property and casualty brokerage, he is not looking for a walking encyclopedia of insurance. At Surex Direct, personality “always trumps technical skills and accreditations,” said Alston, Surex Direct’s co-founder and chief operating officer.…