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 &…
What’s driving Navacord’s M&A growth strategy
June 30, 2023 by David GambrillCanada’s fourth-largest brokerage, Navacord, took another step Wednesday in building what it calls “The Great Canadian Brokerage,” announcing an M&A deal with Mitchell McConnell Insurance Ltd. in New Brunswick. Mitchell McConnell Insurance, whose legacy dates to 1927, is headquartered in…
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,”…
Will fewer mergers reduce reps and warranties insurance pricing?
June 7, 2023 Jason ContantPricing in the representations and warranties (R&W) insurance market has softened relative to the hard market conditions experienced from the start of 2021 into the first half of 2022, industry professionals told CU. R&W insurance protects against financial loss arising…
BrokerLink buys Burlington brokerage
June 6, 2023 Philip PoradoFor the sixth time so far in 2023, BrokerLink has grown its market share through M&A, this time with the acquisition of Burlington, Ont.-based T.K. WoodMar Insurance & Financial Group. WoodMar has offered commercial (business owner, liability and commercial vehicle),…
McDougall-McFarlan merger just the beginning for Definity
May 15, 2023 by David GambrillMcDougall’s $232-million merger with Ontario brokerage McFarlan Rowlands last week is only the beginning for Definity, which is seeking more M&A growth to put it into the Top-5 P&C insurance companies in Canada. In its 2023 Q1 earnings call, Definity…
Stoneridge Insurance Brokers expands its Canadian footprint
February 17, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoStoneridge Insurance Brokers (SIB) has expanded its P&C business on both coasts, with its acquisition of Eisenhauer Insurance Inc. in the Maritimes and Asset Insurance Brokers in western Canada. Plus, SIB’s CEO says the brokerage is in the process…
Canadian P&C insurer reveals plan to go private
December 9, 2022 by David GambrillThe Insurance Company of Prince Edward Island (ICPEI) has proposed deal that would have company directors, executives, certain employees and investors buy a majority stake in the insurance company and take its ownership private. The proposed deal was announced Friday…
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 selling a brokerage and ‘The Bachelor’ have in common
November 17, 2022 Philip PoradoDating takes time, and hours of preparation – even The Bachelor takes a full season for the prospective bride-to-be to sort through all the contestants. And the process of selling your brokerage is no different, according to a brokerage M&A…
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.…
Selling your brokerage? Don’t forget to tell your clients
October 31, 2022 Michael CareyImagine you’re a client who calls your broker to talk about renewing a policy, only to find they’ve sold the business and moved to Florida. It’s hardly an elegant retirement notification. A client would much rather be told about the…