What a Broker Is For
Fall is my favourite season, even if the end of the year has a way of arriving sooner than any of us would like. A few things worth sharing as we move into the final quarter of 2026.
Ontario Auto Insurance, Three Months In
Renewal packages with Ontario’s new optional auto benefits have started arriving, and they look a little different than they used to. A number of clients have told us the options are confusing, and that is understandable. Our team has been walking clients through it one conversation at a time. The advice has not changed. Your existing coverage carries over at renewal unless you change it in writing. Before making that decision, it is worth having a conversation with your broker to understand what the options mean and how they may affect you.
A Recent Court Decision
Some of you may have seen news of a recent Ontario court decision. A policyholder made changes after his policy renewed and did not tell his insurer or his broker, and the court confirmed that the responsibility to report a material change rests with the policyholder, whether or not anyone reminds them. There is nothing to panic about here. This is how insurance has always worked, and it is a good reminder of what a broker is for. When something changes in your life or your business, let us know. Keeping your coverage in step with both is the whole point of having us.
Business and Community
In September, Rick Chase, our VP, opened the GOHBA and OREB mayoral debate with a point I believe in: organizations like these should have a seat at the table while policy is being developed, not after the decisions are made. Strong businesses help build strong communities, and strong communities give businesses room to grow.
Gifford Carr was also proud to support the 2026 Fight for the Cure in support of The Ottawa Hospital Foundation. Adam Kane, our Director of Client Development, helped coach the red team, and members of our team were in the audience as the event raised a record $1.7 million. Golf season has also ended, and I want to thank the many organizations, from Ottawa to Sudbury, that invited our team to take part in their charitable tournaments this summer. We are always glad to do our part.
Heading South
As the temperature drops, many of our clients are preparing for the winter months down south, and there are a few things worth knowing before you go. Provincial health plans cover very little outside Canada, so travel medical coverage matters more than most people expect. If you own property in Florida, hurricane deductibles are usually a percentage of the home’s value rather than a flat dollar amount, and flood coverage is a separate policy altogether. Both tend to surprise people at claim time. Closer to home, a house left empty through the winter needs to be checked on regularly, or damage from a frozen pipe may not be covered. Our Omni One team in Cape Coral works with Canadians on the Florida side every day, and our team here looks after the rest, so you do not have to sort any of this out on your own.
Heading South
As the year winds down, I want to say how grateful we are for our clients and for a team that treats those relationships with the care they deserve. Fall is a good time to make sure your coverage still reflects where you are and where you are headed, and if something has changed, your broker is the right first call.
I hope you can get outside and enjoy the colours while they last, and that the snow takes its time this year.
Thank you for your continued trust.
– Matt
