Through the acquisition of Schill Insurance in B.C., BrokerLink is now a truly national brokerage with offices across Canada.
Originally founded in 1972, Schill Insurance is among the province’s largest brokers, with 11 locations spread across the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island.
Schill offers home, auto and business insurance with specialties in construction, automotive dealers, residential realty (strata), ‘private client’ (high net worth), marine, and travel insurance, among others. It is based in Surrey, B.C.
Schill is the first deal BrokerLink has made in the B.C. market, “marking a major milestone as the brokerage becomes a true national player with more than 200 locations coast-to-coast,” as BrokerLink describes the deal Friday.
“BrokerLink has built a solid presence in all the communities we serve across Canada, and we see a strong future in B.C.,” says BrokerLink president Joe D’Annunzio. “Many BrokerLink customers across the country already own personal and commercial property in the province and this move strengthens our ability to deliver an even more seamless customer experience, while maintaining ongoing relationships.”
BrokerLink ventured into two other provinces for the first time last June through the acquisition of The Standard Insurance Brokers Ltd., which has locations in northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
“Our decision to choose BrokerLink was based on three factors,” Al Schill, president of Schill Insurance, said of the deal. “Alignment in values and the commitment to putting our people first. Our desire to build and maintain deep and long-standing customer relationships built on trust and respect. And an exciting opportunity to have meaningful impact on growth in B.C.”
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Existing Schill clients will likely not see any outward signs of change as a result of the acquisition, BrokerLink announced.
Schill Insurance locations continue to operate business as usual, with leadership remaining in place and the existing team members continuing to serve their clients.
“The Schill Insurance team has built trusted relationships in the communities it serves and will continue to provide the exceptional service and expertise that customers have come to expect,” says D’Annunzio. “Welcoming these experienced and knowledgeable employees allows us to establish our presence in B.C., by maintaining local relationships and building new ones.”
For Schill, being part of the BrokerLink organization gives it access to resources and scale. It now has access to a greater market reach, a broader customer base, employee growth and professional development opportunities, and technology solutions, per a BrokerLink statement.
BrokerLink Inc., a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation, now has 200 branches and 4,000 employees across Canada.
Feature image courtesy of iStock.com/AscentXmedia
