Moves and Views

1 Toronto commercial broker Aligned Insurance Inc. officially launched operations in Ontario March 25. Led by president and chief executive officer Andrew Clark [1], Aligned Insurance is targeting organizations in and around the Greater Toronto Area. The new independent firm is offering a 0% commission (fee-only) structure, says Clark, who has worked with Aon’s business insurance division in Toronto and with Marsh Canada. A Chartered Insurance Professional, he has an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University. 

2 Saskatchewan Mutual Insurance Company – which operates in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, with service offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Regina and Winnipeg – has named Matina Kipouros [2] as its new vice president of underwriting and marketing.Previously a branch manager at Winnipeg-based Wynward Insurance Group, Kipouros has also worked as a commercial underwriter at Economical Insurance, notes her LinkedIn profile.

3 The Co-operators Group Ltd. will roll out usage-based insurance (UBI) technology, developed by Intelligent Mechatronic Systems (IMS), for auto clients in Ontario April 2. Clients will receive a 5% discount and could earn as much as 25% off their auto insurance, depending on their driving behaviour. The 5% discount is applied automatically upon enrolment, and once the policy comes up for renewal – and once the vehicle has passed 125 days and 1,000 kilometres – the discount will be recalculated based on collected data. Data collected through the small wireless telematics device plugged into a vehicle port include instances of sudden braking and rapid acceleration, total distance driven and times of day. 

4 Beacon Underwriting Ltd., a managing general agency, has acquired Can-Sure Underwriting Ltd., a Vancouver-based MGA. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Can-Sure Underwriting operations will add a new office to Beacon’s footprint in Vancouver, Beacon Underwriting notes in a press release. As a result of the acquisition, Can-Sure’s Rick Roberts [4a] will become chairman of Beacon, while Jeff Hart [4b] will take on duties as president. Can-Sure Underwriting offers a range of MGA products to brokers in Western Canada and has offices in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.

5 New York City-based Guy Carpenter & Company LLC, the risk and reinsurance subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, recently launched a new cyber reinsurance practice. In 2013 Q4, the practice designed and implemented a new “Cyber Cat” product that responds to what it calls the “systemic risk inherent in cyber portfolios.” The co-leaders of the specialty practice are Jeremy Platt [5a] and Mike Brown [5b]. “Rapidly developing computer technology and the unrelenting evolution of cyber risks presents one of the biggest challenges to the (re)insurance sector today,” Platt says. Guy Carpenter clients “require comprehensive solutions to manage the accumulation and concentration of cyber liability to large loss and systemic events,” Brown adds.

6 RSA Insurance noted in March that Jacqueline Friedland [6] has taken on duties as the carrier’s chief actuary in Canada. Before joining RSA Insurance, Friedland led KPMG’s property and casualty actuarial practice in Canada. With more than 25 years as an actuarial consultant, she has held positions in Canada, the United States and South Africa. Friedland has led numerous, large-scale engagements on behalf of insurance industry organizations that resulted in an extensive list of reports and textbooks, including the new research paper on Water Damage Risk and Canadian Property Insurance Pricing from the Canadian Institute of Actuaries.

7 The Guarantee Company of North America has partnered with Brovada Technologies Inc. to launch a new eDocs solution for personal lines brokers. The offering is designed to save brokers time by allowing for easy download of policy documents to a broker management system (BMS), the companies note in a press release. Brovada Technologies reports that the solution will also enable streamlined workflows and make it easier to do business with The Guarantee. The eDocs solution gives brokers an automatic download of electronic policy documents from The Guarantee’s policy administration system. eDocs is available for use with BMSs such as TAM, sigXP, The Broker Workstation and Powerbroker.

8 Keal Technology, a Toronto-based broker management system (BMS) software vendor, is integrating its sigXP product with Policy Works Inc.’s commercial management system. Calgary-based Policy Works and Keal announced their partnership in mid-March. “The integration will allow brokers to launch Policy Works transactions directly from sigXP and bring back activities and accounting details into the BMS,” notes a joint statement. Beta testing of the integrated offering is scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2014, with the final release set for the next quarter. 

9 Creechurch International Underwriters Ltd. has announced that Cheryl Hobbs [9] is its new assistant vice president of business development. Hobbs previously served as American International Group (AIG) Canada’s assistant vice president, sales and marketing, national accounts, and has worked for Aon, Willis and Marsh. In her new role at Creechurch, she will be involved in expanding the company’s “Canadian footprint and sourcing new business opportunities,” notes a statement recently issued by the company. Creechurch has offices in Toronto and Montreal. Hobbs is a Certified Insurance Professional, a Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker and is licensed with the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario.

10 Insurance Technology Solutions Inc. reports Affiliated Brokers Exchange (ABEX) Ltd., a managing general agent and a member company of The Precept Group Inc., has launched ABEXAccess using ITS’s BindEasy policy administration product. Brokers can use a secure website to let current or prospective clients get quotes, initiate coverage changes, update policy information, fill out applications for new coverage and obtain copies of certain types of insurance certificates. “We expect that ABEX, by offering such a truly unique and beneficial solution to brokers, will dominate the market for the insurance products they offer,” says Steve Kaukinen [10], president of ITS. 

11 Aviva Canada has obtained certification for eDocs, the Centre for the Study of Insurance Operations (CSIO) reports. CSIO data exchange standards are company-neutral and help solve data compatibility issues, facilitate more efficient and seamless integration of information and improve implementation of technology solutions.