Canadian Underwriter

Category: Your Business

  • Coming Events (October 01, 1999)

    Announcements in Coming Events are run free of charge as a service to the industry.

    Items should be submitted by the first of the month prior to the month in which the

    announcement is to appear.

    Toronto Insurance Women’s Association: Insurance Information Week. For more information, call Yvonne Lincoln at 416-601-1801. Toronto, Scarborough & Etobicoke, ON. Oct. 18-23.

    Toronto Insurance Women’s Association: Breakfast Meeting. For more information, call Julia Benyak at 416-362-8586 ext. 244. Royal York Hotel, Toronto, ON. Oct. 19.

    London Insurance Professionals: Monthly Meetings. For more information, call Rafiyah Khan at 519-268-3731. Four Points Sheraton Hotel, London, ON. Oct. 20.

    Canadian Association of Insurance Women: Insurance Information Week. For more information, call Glenda Edwardsen at 204-257-4223. Across Canada. Oct. 25-29.

    Insurance Institute of Ontario: Centennial Gala Ball. For more information, call Andrea Lovrics at 416-362-8586 ext. 235. Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON. Oct. 30.

    Association of Certified Fraud Examiners: 5th Annual Toronto Fraud Seminar. For more information, call ACFE at 416-364-0798. Inn on the Park, Toronto, ON. Nov. 1.

    Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade: Learning Breakfast. For more information, call Kathy Kucan at 416-366-7600 ext. 2186. The Sheraton Centre, Toronto, ON. Nov. 2.

    Ottawa Insurance Marketing Representatives Association: 7th Annual Meet The Underwriters Night”. For more information, contact Christine Casey at 613-236-0501 ext. 3300 or 1-800-267-9036. Ottawa Westin Hotel, Ottawa, ON. Nov. 3.

    North American Insurance Conference. For more information, call Bill Star at 905-206-2650. Don Ce Sar Beach Resort & Spa, St. Pete Beach, FLA. Nov. 6-8.

    Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association: Dinner Meeting. For more information, call Karen Dawson at 905-470-0899. Downtown Board of Trade, First Canadian Place, Toronto, ON. Nov. 10.

    Toronto Insurance Women’s Association: Dinner Meeting. For more information, call Julia Benyak at 416-362-8586 ext. 244. Royal York Hotel, Toronto, ON. Nov. 16.

    Waterloo Regional Insurance Professionals: Dinner Meeting. For more information, call Yvonne Nevers at 519-888-9683. Four Points Hotel, Kitchener, ON. Nov. 16.

    London Insurance Professionals: Monthly Meeting. For more information, call Rafiyah Khan at 519-268-3731. Four Points Sheraton Hotel, London, ON. Nov. 17.

    Inter-Action Rehabilitation Inc.: Communication Solutions for Complex Injuries. For more information, call Conference Connections at 905-468-0195. SkyDome Hotel, Toronto, ON. Nov. 18.

  • News (September 01, 1999)

    The Insurance Brokers Association of Canada’s (IBAC) recently held broker-based CEO symposium featured a speech by IBAC president Michael Toole, who outlined association initiatives for the future. One idea bandied about was a decision to move the IBAC management team from its current Toronto headquarters an Ottawa head office. In a letter to Canadian Underwriter though, Mabel Sansom, IBAC’s executive director, denies any such move is imminent and says a possible move was just one of many suggestions offered during a strategic planning session for the organization. “I can assure you we are NOT moving the office from the present Toronto location,” Sansom says.

  • Cooke predicts fair future for independent brokers

    Cooke predicts fair future for independent brokers

    george cooke

    “The future of the independent broker is up to the independent broker,” says George Cooke president of The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company. A favorable future lies ahead of the independent broker if the members of the profession want to realize it, he adds. However, success will depend on two factors, maintaining independence and delivering quality of service. Referring to Insurance Bureau of Canada research, Cooke points out that brokers are currently seen in a more favorable light by consumers than direct writers. But, the pendulum can swing if brokers do not uphold consumer interests as a first objective. “A lot of people [brokers] are doing a lot of things, but it is important to remember that customer service should be the ultimate purpose. An independent broker is someone who serves customers’ best interests, not the company or the brokerage. This is achieved through offering choice and advice.”

    Technology, he points out, is not necessarily the enemy of the broker as is held in certain camps. Technology opens the door for brokers to expand their service abilities, he observes. “What’s more, it is cheap, but unfortunately not many people [brokers] are doing enough.” As such, Cooke says brokers need to increase their level of marketing sophistication, “they need to convince consumers that they are competitive in price and claims settlement”.

  • News (July 01, 1999)

    News (July 01, 1999)

    At a luncheon held May 17 at Ottawa’s Chateau Laurier Hotel, the Insurance Institute of Ontario hosted the national finals of the Inter-Institute Public Speaking Contest before an audience of 75. The 1999 winner of the Canadian Underwriter Trophy was Andrew Vos of Victoria, British Columbia, representing the western zone. Andrew is with Allan Tolsma Agencies (Colwood). His topic was “Saving the Independent Broker”.

    Canadian Underwriter group publisher Jan Lowther made a presentation to the audience on the importance of communication for all insurance professionals. Canadian Underwriter donated a trophy for each of the contestants, continuing more than 30 years support for the event. Pictured with the Canadian Underwriter Trophies are (from left) president of the Insurance Institute of Ontario Dave Simpson, Canadian Underwriter group publisher Jan Lowther, runner-up Gerald Banks (Ontario zone), winner Andrew Vos (western zone), John Delaney (Atlantic zone), Celine Levesque (Quebec zone), and event chairperson Kate O’Hara.

  • Obituary

    Obituary

    “The elder statesman of Canadian Insurance Journalism, joined Canadian Underwriter as an assistant editor in 1952. What was to be a short stay between newspaper jobs ended up as a 33 year stint, 25 of it as managing editor. The reason? He became hooked on the insurance industry, its problems and its people.”

    KENNETH E. “KEN” MacLEOD (1922-1999)

    Canadian Underwriter Magazine regrets to announce that former managing editor Ken MacLeod has passed away, after a long illness, on April 29. MacLeod joined Canadian Underwriter, after working as a reporter at the Kirkland Lake Daily News and the Regina Leader Post, in 1952. He became managing editor in 1960, a tenure that lasted 25 years until his retirement in 1985. MacLeod was honoured at retirement by the Insurance Institute of Canada with the establishment of the Ken MacLeod Prize which is awarded annually to the top first year student in the Institute’s professional insurance education program. MacLeod graduated from Carleton University with a bachelor in journalism in 1951 before which he served in the Canadian Army during World War II, taking part in the Italian and Northwest campaigns, including the liberation of the Netherlands. Ken leaves his wife of more than 50 years, Claire, and four children, Heather Adams of Simcoe, Ont., Catherine Sywulsky of Whitehorse, and John and Duncan of Toronto, and five grandchildren. He is buried in Bethel Church Cemetery in Haliburton Highlands where he made his home after retirement. Donations in Ken’s honour can be made to the Highlands Health Service Foundation. Canadian Underwriter mourns his passing.

  • Hi-Alta acquisitions continue

    Lewis & Wright Insurance Inc. of Grand Prairie and Soltys Insurance Services Ltd. of Edson, represent the two latest Alberta acquisitions by broker network Hi-Alta Capital Inc. (TSE:HIA). Lewis & Wright will add $6 million in premium to the network, Soltys contributes another $3.5 million in sales.

  • Canada Brokerlink breaks $200 million barrier

    Canada Brokerlink has added two Ontario brokers pushing total annualized premium volume to more than $200 million.

    The publicly traded broker network acquired Hawkesbury-based Charbonneau Bercier Taillon Insurance Brokers Ltd. which has premium volume of approximately $5.1 million and Thunder Bay-based Gordon A. Wilson Insurance Brokers with annual premiums of $2.1 million. The purchases boost Canada Brokerlink’s existing $198.5 million premium threshold through to $205.7 million.

    With these acquisitions and five other recent additions, the company now has 15 owned and 18 member brokerages in Alberta and 32 owned brokerages across Ontario. Over the past two years, Canada Brokerlink has grown to 11 times its original size of $18.3 million premiums, as recorded at December 1996.

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  • BELAIRdirect goes online

    BELAIRdirect, a division of ING Canada, has raised the stakes in direct insurance by going to the Internet as a means of distribution. The direct writer launched its online car insurance quotation system in December.

    The first of its kind in North America, BELAIRdirect’s web-site prompts visitors to answer a step-by-step questionnaire and provides an insurance quote in roughly 10 seconds (not withstanding the fact that it takes about ten minutes to fill out the questionnaire). Consumers are then prompted to purchase the policy directly over the Internet.

    BELAIRdirect senior vice president David Lincoln says the service is valuable for consumers shopping for cars and car insurance. “With instant online quoting, consumers can now compare the insurance cost of different [car] models. The result is a more informed consumer, able to make an educated decision about the final car purchase,” he says.

  • Crossing the line in the battle against cancer

    Insurance broker and vice president of Toronto-based KRG Insurance Group Eileen Greene recently fulfilled a prophesy and raised more than $10,000 in donations for the Women In Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC).

    Her cause was motivated by her mother. Last year Greene’s mother faced surgery to have a cancerous lung removed. Greene recalls from that moment, “she [Greene’s mother] turned to my sister Carmel and said ‘I’ll see you walk down the aisle,’ then she turned to me and said ‘I’m not sure what to say. I have one regret, I’ve never seen you complete a marathon.’”

    At age 72, Greene’s mother survived the operation and a series of radiation therapies and is now in remission. On September 26 last year, Carmel Greene was married and her mother was there. Her vision was finally fulfilled in October when she saw Greene cross the finish line at her second marathon, which took place in Niagara Falls. “I hadn’t expected her to be there,” says Greene, “she had been sick all weekend and I didn’t think she’d be able to make it. When I crossed the finish line all I could see were my mother’s eyes.”

    Through the event, Greene collected $10,000 in pledges for the WICC. With donations still arriving, including a joint donation by CU and freelance writer Andy Walker, Greene expects to organize more running related fundraising efforts this year. Donations are still being accepted and can be made out to the Canadian Cancer Society and mailed c/o Eileen Greene, KRG Insurance Group, 555 Wilson Ave, North York, Ontario, M3H 5Y6, or email eileen@krg.com.

    The $10,000 raised by Greene was combined with other contributors and at a recent Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade breakfast, held at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto, a cheque for $30,000 was presented by WICC to the Canadian Cancer Society. The sell-out crowd of 500 heard Mary Vachon, consultant of Psychological Oncology and Palliative Care with Toronto’s Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre, discuss how to approach and help friends and family members who are battling cancer. Pictured are WICC co-chairs Linda Matthews (right) and Mabel Sansom (left) receiving a certificate of special recognition from Kathleen Morris (centre) of the Canadian Cancer Society in appreciation of the outstanding efforts WICC has made in raising funds and awareness for breast cancer.

    Continues on page 58.