Canadian Underwriter


Feature

INDEPENDENCE ALIVE

October 1, 1999 Sean van Zyl, Editor

If anyone harbored doubts of the political clout capable of the independent broker movement in protecting its business turf, such a notion would have been soundly thrashed by the highly effective campaign wielded against the banks in the latest round

illustration: gerald heydens
Feature

The Peripatetic Rep: Four disciplines, one vision

October 1, 1999 Axiom

As we completed our tour of the brokerage’s renovated offices, Saul led me into a small boardroom on the second floor. Three men sitting around the table rose to their feet. “Dave,” he said with a smile, “meet my three

IBAC's new executive directors: From right to left, president Jim Ball, vice president Ginny Bannerman, vice president Randy Parker, chairman Michael Toole, executive director Mabel Sansom, and president elect Kevin Umlah.
Feature

IBAC’s “Wave of Change”

October 1, 1999 by Canadian Underwriter

Jim Ball, appointed president of the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC) for the 1999/2000 term at the association’s recently held annual general meeting in Winnipeg, Manitoba, predicts a secure future ahead for independent brokers. However, like the inevitability of

Feature

Canada/U.S. data shows similar ails

October 1, 1999 by Canadian Underwriter

Canadian and U.S. property and casualty insurance results for the first half of 1999 show a marked decline in earnings, primarily due to weak investment returns and sluggish premium growth. Both the Canadian and U.S. industries witnessed a rise in

Feature

The Future of Financial Services Regulation

October 1, 1999 Michael Hlinka

Last June the federal government released its white paper on financial services regulation. While the gist of the paper was very much in favor of protecting the existing rights of members of the property and casualty insurance industry, contained within

SPLIT OF PERSONAL LINES POOL
Feature

INDEPENDENCE or INTERDEPENDENCE?

October 1, 1999 Sean van Zyl, Editor

Despite the recent and resounding victory of independent property and casualty insurance brokers in blocking banks from branch retailing of insurance, Canada’s brokerage community faces many challenges on the road ahead. Even without the bank threat, the distribution end of

GULLIVER
Feature

Hub acquires wholesale specialist

October 1, 1999 by Canadian Underwriter

In a move paralleling Equisure Financial Network’s 1997 acquisition of wholesale broker South Western Group, broker network The Hub Group has purchased KMS Insurance. Terms and the value of the transaction were not released. Rick Gulliver, president of Hub, says

Feature

The mechanics of Ontario’s collision repair

October 1, 1999 by Canadian Underwriter

Ontario’s collision repair industry is undergoing fundamental change — however, it is a change that spells good news for a besieged industry, insurers as well as a beleaguered consumer.

Feature

Y2K: rollingthe dice

September 1, 1999 Sean van Zyl, Editor

With year 2000 reinsurance treaty negotiationscurrently in full swing, there is a desperate hope among the players that rates will return to moresensible levels. However, faced with increasedcompetition, both locally and globally, reinsurersanticipate a long road ahead before the soft

Feature

LONDON calling

September 1, 1999 Glenn McGillivray, head of corporate communication at Swiss Rein

Since reforms in the mid-1990s, more and more corporate capital is flowing into Lloyd’s of London — much of it from some of the world’s most noted reinsurers. Could this injection of new capital forge the rebirth of the world’s most unique insurance market?

How fast will the "net" change business
Feature

“DO or DIE”, strategy message is to embrace the TECHNOLOGY FUTURE

September 1, 1999 Sean van Zyl, Editor

Whether traditional players in the property and casualty insurance industry continue to hold the lion’s share of business will depend on their willingness to embrace consumer-driven technologies and boost productivity, delegates attending the recently held Strategy Institute conference were told. In particular, the pressure of higher consumer expectations coupled with increased competition from new players to insurance will be felt mostly in the personal lines arena, the speakers warn.

Feature

REINSURANCE BROKER VIEWS

September 1, 1999 by Canadian Underwriter

Donald Alexander, senior vice president of Guy Carpenter & Company Ltd. (Canada). My instincts tell me that the reinsurance market is under-priced. Rating models strongly indicate that market prices are below what they should be. This is not surprising, given