Westland grows with Ontario brokerage acquisition

Westland has expanded in Ontario with the acquisition of family-owned brokerage David H. Coons Insurance Brokers Ltd.

With roots tracing back to 1966, David H. Coons Insurance offers home, auto, commercial and travel insurance from its Burlington, Ont. office. The deal was effective Oct. 1.

“The addition of this brokerage helps expand Westland’s Ontario footprint, an area where Westland has grown significantly in the last year,” Westland said in a press release last week. The team of insurance professionals at David H. Coons Insurance has a long history of providing personalized service and advice to the Burlington community, added Westland president and CEO Jamie Lyons.

“David H. Coons Insurance Brokers is a long-standing brokerage with a great reputation in the community,” Westland’s EVP of distribution, Tim Mackie, told Canadian Underwriter. “They also have an exceptional team of risk management professionals. This acquisition strategically adds to our presence in Ontario, more specifically the Burlington area, and enhances our ability to serve clients through our distribution network.”

Westland has been active in M&A over the past year. In Ontario in particular, its most recent acquisition announced August was another family-owned brokerage: Hubbard Insurance Group. The Mississauga, Ont.-based brokerage has two divisions: Hubbard Insurance Brokers, a P&C brokerage with a commercial insurance focus, and Hubbard Financial Services, which provides group benefits, life insurance and group disability.

In June, Westland acquired MYCOR Insurance Solutions Inc. and Murphy Insurance Services Inc. Toronto-based MYCOR has a distinctive niche in a “variety of commercial specialty programs with high client retention rates,” while Murphy Insurance specializes in advisory-based solutions across a number of key commercial segments as well as VIP personal lines. It has served the Simcoe and Muskoka areas since 1981.

Other Ontario acquisitions this year include First Durham Insurance & Financial Ltd. and BMT Insurance Brokers Limited.

First Durham is one of the largest and oldest full-service independent brokerages in the Durham region, offering home, personal auto, farm and commercial insurance. Northern Ontario’s BMT has six locations and a full range of personal and commercial insurance products, as well as financial services.

Feature image by iStock.com/chaofann