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 &…
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…
This holding company’s first foray into Canadian P&C insurance
December 8, 2022 by David GambrillThe Jim Pattison Group, a holding company that does $14-billion in business, has become a minority investor in Alberta-based brokerage HighStreet Insurance Group. The strategic investment marks the entry of the holding company into the Canadian P&C insurance space. Terms…
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…
Does digitizing help smaller brokerages appeal to buyers?
November 28, 2022 Alyssa Di SabatinoSmall or family-owned brokerages prioritizing digitization strategies will be in a better position to grow through a merger or acquisition, experts told Canadian Underwriter. But it may be easier said than done, given financial or resource constraints faced by many…
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.…
Paw-sitively busy times for Canadian pet insurers
November 2, 2022 by David GambrillIt’s official — everyone and their dogs are announcing pet insurance mergers, acquisitions and partnerships. It started two days ago, when Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. completed the US$1.4-billion sale of its interests in Crum & Forster Pet Insurance Group and…
How acquisitions help P&C brokers boost cross-selling options
October 28, 2022 Philip PoradoSeveral Canadian commercial P&C brokerages are actively acquiring wealth management, retirement planning and employee benefits firms so they can boost revenues by adding to their product ranges. The simple math suggests a larger product suite — one that brings in…
How to find P&C talent by acquiring wealth planning advisories
October 27, 2022 Philip PoradoFrequent announcements about Canadian P&C brokerages buying retirement and wealth planning advisories raises an interesting question: What do the acquirers offer to the employees of the firms they buy? The short answer is development opportunities, said Terri Botosan, regional president…
Selling your brokerage? How to look attractive for buyers
October 26, 2022 Philip PoradoPortfolio analysis is key to buying or selling brokerages, and some portfolios are more attractive than others, Herb Cline, president of CF2K Strategic Consultants, told a session at the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario’s recent convention. “The flavor of the…