If the broker distribution model is to remain dominant in the face of an expanding direct channel, brokers will need to find a way to distinguish themselves from direct writers in something other than price. In my view, the winning…
Read more →A few times a year I get approached by someone asking the question: Why not allow consumers to purchase insurance just before a foreseeable loss is about to occur or immediately after it has occurred? Such suggestions always come from…
Read more →The Financial Services Commission of Ontario has approved Aviva’s plans to offer a product for ride-sharing services like uberX. Aviva’s coverage will be available for drivers licensed for at least six years. Drivers can spend up to 20 hours a…
Read more →The promise to reduce auto insurance premiums by 15% is a failure. In August 2013 the Ontario government announced a two-year rate reduction strategy. What has ensued since that announcement has been a series of reforms to bring down the cost of …
Read more →A recent article published in The Guardian about flood governance in the UK got me thinking about the issue here at home. And while I wouldn’t go as far as that article and call the oversight and management of flood…
Read more →One of my favorite anecdotes on the culture or personality of insurance in general and insurance executives specifically is from when I was invited to talk to a group of students about digital communities in FSS.[1] The audience was a group from a specialized elite Continue reading
Read more →I hope all readers had a quiet Xmas, Hanukkah, Saturnalia, Presentmas or whatever else you happened to be celebrating. This year, I started out wanting to write the usual overview post, but quickly discovered that the Random Thoughts posts I had been putting out over Continue reading
Read more →Not that buying or selling an insurance brokerage is a game of poker, but I am reminded of the song by Kenny Rogers. ‘You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk…
Read more →New technology options offer a rich environment of functionality combined with an engaging user experience. This combination can produce intended and unintended consequences. We believe the winners will be those that can plan for the unknown as well as the…
Read more →According to a report released by Moody’s Investor Service earlier this month, the global market for mergers and acquisitions is at its highest level in many years. The report from Moody’s deals mainly with international insurers and reinsurers, including US…
Read more →It is fair to say that the profitability of many Canadian insurers is largely influenced by their Ontario automobile results. With this in mind, the industry may be in for a rough ride. Ontario automobile, so often the Canadian property…
Read more →Back in June, I confessed that, as a technology professional, I had been ‘economical’ with the truth about the impact new technology would have on employees. Some analysts suggest we are finding a path to a better future, but others…
Read more →Since 2009, Bitcoin has been a reliable source of headlines and controversy – and it’s easy to see why. The digital currency (or cryptocurrency) is both entirely unregulated and incredibly powerful, making it possible for businesses and individuals around the…
Read more →For a broker interested in writing and retaining commercial accounts, there is a lot to be said for conducting a thorough review of a business owner’s operations, making recommendations for appropriate limits and types of coverage, and then ensuring that…
Read more →