This page will provide you with links to information, providers and news relating to distribution products, services, and trends relevant to the insurance industry in Canada.
Information
Insurance distribution has changed radically with the advent of the Internet. The early vision of online insurance sales (if you build it, they will come) has been superceded by reality: just because you built a website does not mean customers will beat a path to your virtual door to buy their insurance.
These days, business-to-business elements of e-business are capturing the lion's share of the attention. Brokers are now emerging from the threat of disintermediation with a renewed focus on the client and prospect -- and armed with new partnerships, kitbags bursting with additional products, and a formidable set of Internet tools. Direct writers are also vying for share with increasingly sophisticated Internet, CRM, and other tools. Never before has the customer been at the centre of such a fierce battle.
If you are doing research and wondering where to buy, check our Provider Profiles below.
Provider Profiles
Each of the following directories contains a brief profile and contact information for a select list of featured providers.
News and Articles
Articles, editorials, commentary, research and published material pertaining to Canadian insurance distribution.
- Western Financial Group announces acquisition of major Victoria insurance brokerage
- PwC Webcast: The Direct Distribution Dilemma
- CCIR Position Paper: The Managing General Agencies (MGAs) Distribution Channel in the Life Insurance Industry
- iClarify Launches to Manitoba Brokers
- Celent - North American SnAppshot: Advisors - An Overview of Mobile Apps
- iClarify rolls out to Alberta Brokers
- Burns & Wilcox Canada Opens Atlantic Canada Office with Plans for Growth
- SGI CANADA and Kanetix partner on online quoting and binding service in Saskatchewan
- IBAO President Rick Orr: Brokers Need to Bring Technology to Play at the March 5 Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference
- Eastbridge Confidence Index: Carriers and brokers are optimistic about growth in new voluntary groups in 2012
- Applied Systems unveils insurance broker benchmark study at Toronto technology conference
- Guy Carpenter Survey: Insurers See Growth in Program Administrators and Managing General Agents Marketplace in 2012
- CCIR Issues Paper: Electronic Commerce in Insurance Products
- Remarks by Greg Purdy, Managing Partner, Pathway Partners Ltd. at the Insurance-Canada.ca Technology Conference, 5 March 2012, in the session "Challenges and Opportunities for Broker Distribution"
- Kanetix.ca launches auto insurance quote service for commercial vehicles
- Keal Technology - Do More With Less - "What has worked in the last 100 years selling insurance will not work in the next 10" - Kimberly Harris Ferrante, Gartner
- MajescoMastek Introduces Elixir Distribution Management Producer Self-Service Portal
- Zurich Canada launches ZurichEZclick.ca, a portal to access online quote and issue products
- IBAO: Does Your Brokerage Have the "It" Factor ?
- ORBiT is excited to welcome IBM Canada Ltd. as our newest sponsor
- Alpine Insurance & Financial (Alberta's Trusted Advisors™) Merges with Westland Insurance (Alberta)
- Ontario Brokers Association Unveils New Strategic Plan
- LIMRA Study: Serving Producers Is Top Reason Life Insurers Adopt Mobile Technology Initiatives
- Western Financial Group Announces Acquisition of Historic Lacombe Brokerage
- ORBiT Appoints John Foreman as Interim Executive Director
- Kaufman Financial Group Announces Purchase of Chesterfield Group, Ltd.
- ACORD User Groups Information Exchange (AUGIE) Sets 2012 Priorities
- Western Financial Group announces acquisition of leading insurance brokerage in Roblin, Manitoba
- Manulife Financial Makes Travel Insurance Convenient and Easy
- iClarify Live to Insurance Brokers throughout Quebec
- Ontario Brokers Association Launch New Member Service Mobile App Hereiam™
- Desjardins General Insurance Group achieves 2 million policies-in-force milestone way ahead of plan
- iClarify Launches to Brokers in Atlantic Canada
- Western Financial Group announces acquisition of leading insurance brokerage in Watrous, Saskatchewan
- Manulife Financial's New app will make it easier for advisors to introduce unique Synergy® insurance solution
- Celent: Mobile Technology for the Life Insurance Producer: Is It a Fad or the Future?
- Compu-Quote to unveil Sales Focused Broker at IBAO
- Finance Canada: Online Insurance Business Regulations Balance Marketplace Competition and Consumer Choice
- Western Financial Group announces acquisition of leading Estevan brokerage
- Hub International Acquires Coastal Insurance Services Ltd.
- Hub International to Acquire Horizon Insurance
- Kanetix Ltd. acquired by Monitor Clipper Partners (MCP) combining growth with exceptional service
- kasina Finds the Majority of Sales & National Accounts Compensation Plans Fail to Drive Profitability
- Western Financial Group Announces Acquisition of Leading Gilbert Plains and Rosetown Brokerages
- Eastbridge's mid-year 2011 survey: Voluntary industry Confidence Index dips
- Novarica 2011 Distribution Market Navigator Posted – 15 Solutions Described
- Western Financial Group, leading provider of insurance services in rural communities, now targeting Calgary and Edmonton markets
- Aite Group Report: Insurer-Affiliated Advisors 2011: Key Attributes and Attitudes
- IIABA: The Independent Agents' Opportunity to Take Back Personal Lines
- IBAO Applauds SGI Canada, Mastercom and Zycomp’s Declarations (Dec) Page Attachment Initiative
- kasina Study Finds That Hybrid Wholesaler Productivity is Comparable to Field Wholesalers at Half the Cost
- Sun Life Financial's SunVision Investment Application - easy-to-use, efficient, and environmentally friendly
- Celent: From Financial Education to Financial Capability
- Rhodes & Williams Insurance Brokers offer "A Broker in Your Pocket" Service
- Western Financial Group Announces Acquisition of Leading Winnipeg, Terrace and Berwyn Brokerages
- The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario and ClearRisk Form Strategic Partnership
- CompuOffice: iCompete for the iPad Now Available
- Accenture Survey Finds North American Consumers Prefer to Buy Insurance through Agents
- Excel Insurance and Risk Management implements ProspX Real-Time Collaboration and Networking Platform
- Accenture: The Life Insurance Challenge: Battling Customer Indifference while Increasing Customer Satisfaction
- Eastbridge's U. S. Worksite Sales Report: The recession catches up with voluntary/sales down for the first time ever
- Ontario Brokers Association (IBAO) Launches Beyond Best in Class Pilot Program
- Hub International Acquires Additional Operations of Phoenix Insurance Group
- Accenture Point of View -- Holism: Enabling High Performance Insurance Distribution
- Ontario Brokers Association Announces Results of Recent Brokers Choice Survey
- Hub International Acquires Redcliffe Financial Group
- Moore-McLean Insurance Group Launches Mobile Website
- Applied Systems Acquires Artizan Internet Services
- PPI Solutions' Strategic Alliance with IPG Insurance Inc. will benefit IPG Advisors
- Hub International Acquires M.B. Plumpton Insurance Consultants
- Eastbridge: New report on services provided to brokers by voluntary carriers now available
- ProspX Expands Real-Time Communication and Collaboration Platform to Assurex Global Partners in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa
- The Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers
- comScore Releases Expanded Online Auto Insurance Benchmarker Covering More Insurers and Aggregator Sites
- Celent Report: So What If There Is An App? A Survey of Insurance Consumers
- kasina introduces Intelligent Distribution framework for asset managers
- Celent Report: North American SnAppshot, Life Version: Mobile Apps for Life Insurance and Annuity Consumers
- Cornerstone Insurance Brokers Ltd. Purchases Colley, Borland & Vale Insurance Brokers Limited
- CCIR Issues Paper "Managing General Agencies Life Insurance Distribution Model"
- Eastbridge: New Report on services provided to brokers by voluntary carriers now available
- Progressive's Technology Advisory Board to help independent insurance agents thrive in digital world
- Advocis ready to help implement Financial Literacy Task Force recommendations
- Task Force sets out first-ever national strategy to improve Canadian's financial literacy
- Moore-McLean Insurance Group Joins Intersure
- Hub's Totten Insurance Group Acquires Cule Insurance
- The Co-operators expands in Gaspésie with acquisition of local insurance brokerage
- Zurich and CME announce strategic alliance to offer manufacturers more coverage
- The Co-operators launches online quoting system for term life insurance
- Canada Life now offering CITS-approved business-to-business inforce data feed
- Aite Group: A New Report on Financial Advisors' Use of Social Media
For older articles, see our distribution archive.