Effective immediately, the insurance companies of Aviva Canada Inc (including Pilot Insurance Company) ("Aviva") have cancelled all broker contracts and relationships with Thomson Jemmett Vogelzang, (The Insurance Centre Inc) ("TJV"). Aviva took this action due to TJV's decision to sell its business to Johnson Inc, a member company of Royal & SunAlliance.
Effective immediately, the insurance companies of Aviva Canada Inc (including Pilot Insurance Company) ("Aviva") have cancelled all broker contracts and relationships with Thomson Jemmett Vogelzang, (The Insurance Centre Inc) ("TJV"). Aviva took this action due to TJV's decision to sell its business to Johnson Inc, a member company of Royal & SunAlliance.
"Our support of the independent broker channel and the BIPPER program is tangible and on record," says Robin Spencer, president and CEO, Aviva Canada Inc "Over a year ago we developed a strategy - our Four Point Plan - to support the broker channel. To date we have helped keep over C$500 million in premium in the broker channel. We are disappointed the shareholders of TJV elected to sell their business to a direct operation, rather than look to companies like Aviva for support to keep it within the independent broker channel."
Spencer also says he believes Aviva has a duty to ensure affected policyholders are aware of their rights. "We fully respect brokers' rights as business owners to sell their business to another broker or to cancel contracts with insurers," he said. "But in the interest of consumers and the broker network, we will not accept the wholesale auction of customers to a direct operation without verifying consumers are aware of the sale and their options and rights."
He said Aviva plans to inform consumers of the Ontario government's Auto Insurance Consumers' Bill of Rights which states they:
- Have the right to remain with (their) insurance company even if that company no longer sells insurance through (their) broker, and
- Have the right to know from which companies (their) broker received quotes and the amounts.
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Media contact:
Sally Turney
Vice President, Corporate Communications
Aviva Canada Inc
Telephone: 416 701 4409
E-mail: sally_turney@avivacanada.com
Notes to editors:
Aviva Canada Inc is one of the leading Property and Casualty insurance groups in Canada, providing home, automobile and business insurance to more than 3 million customers. Our group of companies has more than 3,200 employees, 40 locations and more than 3,000 independent broker partners from coast to coast. Aviva Canada Inc's member companies are: Aviva Insurance Company of Canada, Pilot Insurance Company, Traders General Insurance Company, Elite Insurance Company, and Scottish & York Insurance Co Limited, and S&Y Insurance Company. Aviva Canada Inc is a wholly owned subsidiary of UK-based Aviva plc, the world's fifth largest insurance group. Visit our web site at avivacanada.com.