Regulator greenlights Echelon Insurance acquisition
May 31, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA $166-million deal aimed at getting CAA Insurance some new non-standard auto customers is a done deal. CAA Club Group’s acquisition of Echelon Insurance got final regulatory approval, Echelon Financial Holdings Inc. announced Thursday. The deal officially closed on May…
BrokerLink makes third acquisition in May
May 31, 2019 by Jason ContantBrokerLink has made its third acquisition in May with the purchase of Alberta independent insurance brokerage Thomson Schindle Green Insurance & Financial Services Ltd. (TSG). With branches in Medicine Hat, Calgary, Brooks, Bassano and Edmonton, TSG has been providing insurance…
Intact’s BrokerLink makes double acquisition
May 3, 2019 by Jason ContantBrokerLink has announced the acquisition of two brokerages: the Athabasca, Alta. branch of JDR Insurance and Guelph, Ont.-based Amplex Insurance Brokers Ltd. Both transactions were effective May 1 and terms of the transactions were not disclosed, BrokerLink said in a…
Owner of truck in Broncos crash admits to safety offences
March 28, 2019 Bill Graveland - THE CANADIAN PRESSCALGARY – The owner of the transport truck involved in the deadly Humboldt Broncos bus crash has admitted he did not follow provincial and federal safety rules in the months leading up to the collision. Sukhmander Singh of Adesh Deol…
Eight years jail time for truck driver in Broncos bus crash
March 22, 2019 Bill Graveland and Stephanie Taylor - THE CANADIAN PRESSMELFORT, Sask. _ A truck driver who caused the deadly Humboldt Broncos crash has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Jaskirat Singh Sidhu of Calgary had pleaded guilty earlier this year to 29 counts of dangerous driving. He stood…
One politician’s idea for reducing the severity of school bus crashes
March 1, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSeatbelts with shoulder harnesses should be mandatory on all school buses, an opposition member of Ontario’s provincial parliament told Canadian Underwriter Friday. “We should have the use of three-point seat belts on school buses to prevent injury and even death,”…
Multiple trucking violations by Humboldt semi driver noted in government report
January 29, 2019 Bill Graveland - THE CANADIAN PRESSMELFORT, Sask. – A Saskatchewan government report says the driver of a semi-truck should not have been on the road the day he flew through a stop sign and caused a crash with the Humboldt Broncos team bus. The report…
Alberta insurance tech provider acquires Ontario specialty insurer
January 23, 2019 by David GambrillBesurance Corporation, a Calgary-based insurance and technology company, has agreed to acquire Fenchurch General Insurance Company, an Ontario-based specialty insurer that offers insurance programs across Canada. Specifically, Fenchurch provides programs in warranty, trucking, surety and accident and sickness. Its products…
Sale of Echelon Insurance to CAA gets shareholder approval
January 23, 2019 by Greg MeckbachNon-standard auto insurer Echelon Insurance is a step closer to being acquired by The CAA Club Group of Companies. Shareholders of Echelon Financial Holdings Inc. voted Wednesday in favour of the $175 million deal, Echelon said in a release. In…
Jones Brown acquired by large international brokerage
January 8, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCanadian brokerage Jones Brown Inc. has been acquired by Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Itasca, Ill.-based Gallagher announced Tuesday. Jones Brown, which places both commercial and personal property and casualty insurance, has offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Hamilton. “The…
Training will be mandatory for semi-truck drivers in this province
December 3, 2018 Ryan McKenna - THE CANADIAN PRESSREGINA – The Saskatchewan government is introducing mandatory training for semi-truck drivers almost eight months after the Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Starting in March, drivers seeking a Class 1 commercial license will be required to undergo at least 121.5 hours…
CAA Insurance parent agrees to buy Echelon Insurance
November 9, 2018 by Greg MeckbachCAA Club Group has agreed to buy non-standard auto insurer Echelon Insurance for $175 million, the companies said Friday. The deal will allow CAA Insurance to reach new markets and customers, CAA Club Group president Jay Woo wrote in an…