Why this broker takes exception to usage-based auto insurance app
June 19, 2018 by Greg MeckbachUsage-based insurance has raised the profile of insurers on consumers’ electronic devices, and this could be bad news for some brokers. Several auto insurers are using UBI to offer discounts based on data gather from telematics. That technology lets insurers…
Is the slow pace of regulatory change putting the industry at risk?
June 19, 2018 by Jason ContantThe insurance industry is at risk if regulators don’t recognize that consumer expectations are changing and allow consumers the choice of receiving their policy documents electronically, the president and chief executive officer of the Centre for Study of Insurance Operations…
The downside of being an insurtech trailblazer
June 18, 2018 by Greg MeckbachThe spectre of a Netflix-esque disruption of the property and casualty insurance sector is producing mixed reaction among Canadian executives. The Canadian P&C sector “may be” disrupted in a manner similar to how Netflix disrupted the movie rental industry or…
Quebec places number on brokerage distribution agreements with insurers
June 18, 2018 by Jason ContantThe Quebec National Assembly has adopted Bill 141, which will require brokerages in the province to have at least three distribution agreements in place for personal lines with insurers “that are not in the same financial group.” Hypothetically, brokerages could…
Are independent brokerages in Canada adopting digital technology?
June 13, 2018 by Jason ContantWhile independent brokerages in four countries (including Canada) are not fully embracing digital technology in 2018, Canadian brokerages are showing an increased adoption of cloud hosting, according to a new annual report from software vendor Applied Systems. Applied released Tuesday…
How brokerages should handle employees’ use of social media
June 13, 2018 by Greg MeckbachNegative public reaction to some high-profile Twitter and Instagram posts raises the question of whether insurance brokerage owners should monitor the personal social media accounts of their workers. “We don’t police our staff’s Facebook pages,” reports Calgary brokerage owner Robyn…
Google, Big 4 accounting firm dive into omnichannel insurance game
June 11, 2018 by Greg MeckbachGoogle and KPMG LLP are targeting insurers with clients who want to communicate in a variety of ways – whether by phone, email, text message or even snail mail. KPMG recently announced Intelligent Interactions, available now, which KPMG is offering…
The key for brokers to stand out from the competition
June 11, 2018 by Greg MeckbachFor property and casualty insurance brokers, providing “exceptional customer service” is at least as important as the insurance products themselves, suggests one underwriter. “There are a lot of people out there who sell insurance,” Jenny Hallahan, manager of underwriting for…
New Ontario auto insurance product targets infrequent drivers
May 23, 2018 by Greg MeckbachOntario brokers will have a new auto insurance option for their auto customers this July with MyPace, a product intended for vehicles driven fewer than 9,000 kilometres per year, Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) officials said Wednesday. MyPace, which measures distance…
How one brokerage helped out a competitor during ‘biblical’ flooding
May 23, 2018 by Jason ContantRecent flooding in Grand Forks, B.C. has not only brought a community together, it has brought two local competing brokerages together as well. Sam Cowan, vice president of sales and marketing with RHC Insurance Brokers Ltd., said that the brokerage’s…
How Saskatchewan brokers are handling the French fries challenge
May 17, 2018 by Greg MeckbachRoughly half the motorists in Saskatchewan lack adequate auto insurance because they are only buying the mandatory minimum required by law from the province’s government-run auto insurer, a broker warns. Saskatchewan’s 70-year-old-plus Auto Fund writes basic minimum liability, damage to…
New index measures quarterly premium rate trends in Canadian personal lines
May 16, 2018 by Jason ContantApplied Systems has released its Applied Rating Index, measuring the quarterly premium rate trends being experienced by consumers, brokerages and insurers across the Canadian market. Stephane Lacasse, vice president of product management for Canada and rating products with Applied, told…