Behind this brokerage’s plan to build a “best-in-class” employee benefits platform
May 15, 2018 by Jason ContantHub International’s recent acquisition of a brokerage in Quebec is part of its plan to built a “best-in-class” employee benefits platform for Canada, a spokesperson for the Chicago-based global brokerage told Canadian Underwriter Monday. On May 7, Hub International acquired…
Consolidation of employee benefits firms among hot trends affecting P&C commercial lines
May 11, 2018 by David GambrillWhat are some of the hottest trends in Canadian P&C commercial lines right now? Insurtechs in the SME [small and medium sized enterprise] customer segment is a key driver in today’s commercial market, says Jim White, chief sales officer and executive vice president…
Hub acquires Quebec benefits brokerage
May 9, 2018 by Jason ContantHub International has acquired the shares of a Quebec benefits brokerage, a move designed to strengthen benefits and retirement offerings throughout Canada. The Chicago-based global insurance brokerage reported on May 7 that it acquired the shares of Les Avantages Sociaux…
Broker fined after leaving agency with his own book of business
May 8, 2018 by David GambrillA B.C. broker who believed he was leaving one agency for another with his own book of business received a $2,500 fine for a privacy breach when he took a spreadsheet of his clients’ information with him. Before joining his…
Online tool allows brokers to cache data in BMS
May 7, 2018 by Jason ContantApplied Systems’ new IVANS Exchange online tool for Canadian brokers will include a feature that allows caching and housing of data in a broker management system (BMS) for 90 days. This allows brokerages to keep the data, even if their…
One theory why Lloyd’s underwrites so much Canadian business
May 6, 2018 by David GambrillInsurance professionals fresh to Canada’s property and casualty insurance market from Europe may notice how much of Canada’s commercial business is underwritten by Lloyd’s of London. “Lloyd’s (as a market) is again the largest commercial writer in Canada [in 2017],…
Why this broker sold into the independent broker channel
May 6, 2018 by Jason ContantWhen Ron Bagnell was looking to retire, handing over his brokerage to the family was not an option, so he sold into the independent broker channel. “My children had no interest in taking over the business, so I knew that…
Strength of Canadian broker channel may lead to agnostic tech solutions
May 3, 2018 by Jason ContantWith an estimated 45% of personal insurance written through the broker channel in Canada, tech vendors understand the importance of the channel. “Our only business is broker,” Jeff Purdy, senior vice president of international operations with Applied Systems, told reporters…
Hub acquires Alberta brokerage specializing in commercial lines
May 3, 2018 by Greg MeckbachCarlton Insurance Brokers Inc. of Jasper, Alta., a full service brokerage that specializes in commercial auto and oil and gas, has been acquired by Hub International Limited. Carlton places insurance for a variety of clients including trucking companies and the…
Archway snaps up Bay Insurance & Financial in local merger deal
May 3, 2018 by Jason ContantBay Insurance & Financial, a smaller brokerage in Tantallon, Nova Scotia, has merged with one of Atlantic Canada’s largest brokerages, Archway Insurance. Bay Insurance’s existing location on Peggy’s Cove Road in the heart of the St. Margaret’s Bay Area will…
4 ways to cope when your family and work commitments collide
April 27, 2018 by David GambrillYour most important meeting of the year with the brokerage’s biggest client falls on an afternoon when your daughter’s soccer team plays in the city championship game. What do you do? A standard response is to feel stress and guilt,…
Insurer needs an online sales solution, so it invests $3 million in a brokerage
April 27, 2018 by Jason ContantSaskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) has purchased a 15% stake in a Calgary-based online brokerage, a move designed to help the insurer develop real-time data exchange capabilities to sell products online. “This is an investment in a brokerage, not an acquisition,”…