Headquarters:

200 Bay Street, Suite 3100, P.O. Box 119, Toronto, ON M5J 2J3

Year founded:

2005

Number of employees:

1,419

Phone:

1 855 620 6262

Email:

info@nbfc.com

Website:

insurance.archgroup.com

LinkedIn:

linkedin.com/company/arch-insurance-group

“We are driven by providing exceptional customer service, and we take a proactive approach to claims handling, delivering cost-efficient, superior results”

Elizabeth Bull, Arch Insurance Canada

Elizabeth Bull

Senior Vice President, Claims

Deanna Cain

Vice President, Claims

Katherine Solomon

Claims Manager

Leadership

Elizabeth Bull is senior vice president of claims at Arch Insurance Canada. She joined Arch Insurance Canada in 2016 and has more than 30 years of claims technical and operational experience in the Canadian P&C industry. Bull has a Business Administration Diploma, Marketing and her Chartered Insurance Professional designation. She also has Leadership Development Certification from The Wharton Business School and the London Business School.

Senior Vice President, Claims

Elizabeth Bull

Deanna Cain is responsible for examining the multi-line senior-level claims in the Arch Canada claims department. She joined Arch in December 2008 and concentrates her time on specialty claims and managing the company’s in-office claims examiners. Cain is a graduate of Brock University with a Bachelor of Kinesiology. She entered the field of insurance after working three years in the physical rehabilitation sector. She has 20 years of claims handling experience within the commercial insurance industry. Cain has continued with her professional development and has successfully completed her Chartered Insurance Professional certificate, Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional and Certified Risk Management designations.

Vice President, Claims

Deanna Cain

Katherine Solomon is a claims manager at Arch Insurance Canada. She is responsible for examining multi-line senior-level claims in the Arch Canada claims department. She joined Arch in May 2016 and primarily handles professional liability claims, in addition to other lines. Solomon is a graduate of the University of Toronto, obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree with a Sociology major. She has also completed her Chartered Insurance Professional Designation and is currently taking the final course required in order to complete her Certified Risk Management designation. Prior to becoming a claims examiner, Solomon spent one year as a claims coordinator for a large property insurance restoration company. She has 15 years of claims handling experience within the commercial insurance industry, including three years as a third-party administrator for Lloyd’s of London syndicates. She is committed to continuing her professional development through education going forward.

Claims Manager

Katherine Solomon

“We are driven by providing exceptional customer service, and we take a proactive approach to claims handling, delivering cost-efficient, superior results”

Elizabeth Bull, Arch Insurance Canada

Leadership

“We are driven by providing exceptional customer service, and we take a proactive approach to claims handling, delivering cost-efficient, superior results”

Elizabeth Bull, Arch Insurance Canada

Leadership

Val Bosiaga

Claims Manager

Val Bosiaga is a claims manager at Arch Insurance Canada. He is responsible for examining claims of various complexity and severity. He joined Arch Canada as a senior claims examiner in May 2020. Bosiaga is result-driven, customer-oriented, and possesses an excellent understanding of the commercial insurance field and all its intricacies. He has been an insurance professional since 2006, having successfully completed his Chartered Insurance Professional certificate, and is working toward obtaining further professional certificates and designations. Prior to his insurance career, Bosiaga had enlisted with the Canadian Armed Forces as an infantry soldier with the Royal Regiment of Canada.

Claims Manager

Val Bosiaga

Paul MacDonald

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Paul MacDonald is responsible for developing and executing Symcor’s market-driven technology strategy and managing the technical support and core application teams. He began working with Symcor as a consultant in 2015 before being appointed to his current position in 2016. MacDonald has extensive experience as a business and information technology executive from his time as senior vice president and chief information officer at Farm Credit Canada, and as vice president at Ipsos-Reid.

Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer

Paul MacDonald

Arch Insurance Canada stands out as an industry leader in the communities it serves due to its inclusive culture, which empowers employees to excel. The organization’s competitive edge stems from its emphasis on valuing employees’ input, technical expertise, and a customer-centric approach to claims handling. Within Arch’s flat management structure, a culture of collaboration and trust promotes a team-based approach to problem-solving. This culture drives growth and success across its claims department, overall business operations, and strategic partnerships, earning Arch recognition as one of IBC's 5-Star claims insurers of 2024. “We are driven by providing exceptional customer service, and we take a proactive approach to claims handling, delivering cost-efficient, superior results,” says Beth Bull, senior vice president, claims. “Our customer-centric approach is built on a foundation of expert technical acumen and timely, effective communication.” High-level strategies geared toward operational efficiency and technological advancement ensure Arch maintains competitiveness and delivers outstanding service to clients and partners. Arch is undergoing a claims transformation and will implement a new system in the coming years. To prepare, the leading insurer has undergone an in-depth review of its processes and procedures, updating them where required. To manage growth in its GWP in Canada, Arch has prioritized staff recruitment and development, doubling its claims staff over the past few years. In addition, establishing a new claims system and leveraging data have contributed to smoother and more effective claims processing.

Saba Shariff

Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy, Product and Innovation Officer

Elisabeth Demone

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

Kevin Kim

Director of Finance  

David Badurina 

Director, General Counsel  

Saba Shariff oversees multiple teams responsible for designing and launching innovative products that address industry-wide challenges, along with a mandate for charting Symcor’s corporate strategy toward continued growth. She joined Symcor in 2002 and held progressive senior positions thereafter. Prior to joining Symcor, Shariff had preceding experience in both start-ups and telecommunications sectors. Named one of Canada’s Top 50 Women in Fintech, Shariff is a sought-after public speaker who shares insights on topics such as open banking, innovation, and women in technology in the Canadian financial industry.

Senior Vice President, Chief Strategy, Product and Innovation Officer

Saba Shariff

Elisabeth Demone oversees the company’s legal, contractual, and regulatory functions in addition to guiding governance matters as secretary to the Board of Directors. She joined Symcor in 2010, holding progressively senior positions. Prior to joining Symcor, Demone worked at John Deere Credit and Stikeman Elliott LLP. She earned her LLB from Osgoode Hall Law School at York University and holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Western Ontario. She previously served as a director on the board of the Canadian Technology Law Association.

Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

Elisabeth Demone

Kevin Kim is responsible for providing leadership and strategic guidance to the finance team (accounting, planning and analysis, tax, financial reporting and extended warranty and internal audit and financial controls), ensuring compliance with company policies and all financial and government regulations, influencing high-level management decisions, and ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, forecasting, and planning. 

Director of Finance  

Kevin Kim

David Badurina is the director of general council at Hyundai Canada, where he is responsible for the direction of all legal matters pertaining to the company, including providing legal advice to management. He is also responsible for the risk management function, such as advising on all risk-related issues pertaining to events, consumers, and team members. 

Director, General Counsel  

David Badurina  

Director, General Counsel  

David Badurina

Director, General Counsel  

David Badurina  

Sarah M Stewart

Associate Vice President, Leasing and Call Centre Operations

Karen Bannister, CM

Vice President, Marketing

Dave Longbottom

Chief Technology Officer

Alex Ventura

Head of Marketing

Damian Palovick

Senior Vice President of Underwriting AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America

Dr. Mary Lavoie

Head of Risk Management and Senior Vice President AXA XL – Delegated Authority Programs, North America

Mark Bernacki

Chief Underwriting Officer

Ryan Armijo

Chief Operating Officer, Underwriting Division

Bob Petrilli

President, Underwriting Division

Read on

IB Top Brokerages

Award Winner

ARCH INSURANCE CANADA

SPECIAL REPORT

Home

Bio

Read on

Award Winner

SPECIAL REPORT

Home

Bio

Read on

Award Winner

SPECIAL REPORT

Home

Bio

Medal

Small business

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Turnaround time – claims

BDM support

Broker communication, training and development

Overall service level

BDM support

Medal

Overall service level

Broker communication, training and development

BDM support

Turnaround time – claims

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Small business

Medal

Overall service level

Broker communication, training and development

BDM support

Turnaround time – claims

Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance

Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability

Small business

“Our service approach is designed with the customers’ experience in mind to establish strong, long-term partnerships with our brokers and insureds”

Deanna Cain, Arch Insurance Canada

“Our service approach is designed with the customers’ experience in mind to establish strong, long-term partnerships with our brokers and insureds”

Deanna Cain, Arch Insurance Canada

“Our service approach is designed with the customers’ experience in mind to establish strong, long-term partnerships with our brokers and insureds”

Deanna Cain, Arch Insurance Canada

social services fuel oil and propane distribution janitorial services security guard services animal welfare organizations adult residential care facilities and more

Tangram’s experienced team is constantly surveying the landscape and creating ways to add value through broader coverage, elevated service, and competitive pricing. They continue to move with independence, diversity, and responsibility to serve their customers and partners. The Tangram team looks forward to working together.

technical excellence portfolio management data analytics focusing on communication collaboration

Deanna Cain, vice president, claims, says, “Our team of seasoned claim professionals has extensive multi-line claims handling experience and can adeptly manage claims of all sizes and complexity. Our service approach is designed with the customers’ experience in mind to establish strong, long-term partnerships with our brokers and insureds.” As a specialty insurer licensed to transact all commercial lines of insurance in every province and territory in Canada, Arch focuses on the middle market and has built long-standing relationships with its exclusive distribution network. Regarding its broker relationships, claims manager Katherine Solomon says, “We have impressed upon all the examiners the need for transparent and timely broker communications. We understand brokers must remain informed and maintain positive client relationships. We do not hesitate to reach out to brokers if we need assistance with insureds in providing information or general cooperation.” This collaborative approach is supported by listening to the “voice of the customer,” tailoring claims solutions with dedicated claim resources to individual accounts, and empowering examiners to make decisions. Despite its notable upward trajectory, Arch Canada’s claims team maintains its “small but mighty” mentality. Claims manager Val Bosiaga says, “We value continuous learning, work-life balance, and high ethical standards. Our leaders focus on building a strong team by hiring and developing talented people. We aim to make the claims process smooth, efficient, and fair for everyone involved.” Arch Canada’s executive leadership team has shaped its top performance through local autonomy, strong support from Arch Insurance US, and a hands-on approach from the top down to its lead underwriters. Arch Insurance serves North America from offices in Canada and the US, providing excellent coverage and claims handling through meticulous underwriting of risks and business-friendly solutions. The company maintains a solid track record with over 20 years of operating history and strong financial ratings.

“It’s our willingness to consider unique circumstances and offer innovative solutions where other carriers may not,” says Christine Schneider, senior vice president, casualty claims. “Also, strategically executing on opportunities based on market conditions has continuously supported Arch’s growth.” Leadership encourages all segments of the business to be bold, take calculated risks, celebrate accomplishments, and learn from mistakes. The focus is placed on the goals of each initiative, along with the necessary specific strategies. A key factor in Arch’s success has been the implementation of a new claims system that interlinks with the firm’s ‘North Star’ of placing employees in a position where they can add value on a daily basis. Senior vice president, financial and specialty claims Brian Kristiansen says, “We segment claims by line of business and hire employees with experience in those lines. We provide them with additional training and mentoring to ensure the continued development of expertise in those lines.” Another driver of Arch’s market-leading performance is its investment in data analytics and data transformation, increasing its ability to utilize business intelligence to improve product offerings and the abilities of its claims department, with a strong emphasis on claims handling and claims excellence. In addition, the firm continuously seeks feedback from the broker community on any areas where they would like to see potential improvement, particularly in claims service. Arch Claims specifically has done considerable work around communication with brokers over the past year, including an extensive survey to solicit feedback on the claims experience. Schneider says, “Through their commentary, we strive to be able to build even more trusting, respectful, and responsive relationships with all of our partners.” The claims department underscores the importance of:

Recruitment • Updated job descriptions to be inclusive with gender-neutral language along with highlighting Symcor’s commitment to an inclusive process • Focus on external partnerships to post to diverse job boards and attend career fairs for specific groups • Bias-free screening in HRIS with structured interviews • Set hiring goals to look for underrepresented groups Training • DEIB training and leadership development with courses on unconscious bias, accessibility, and anti-harassment, discrimination, and violence in the workplace • Udemy company-wide platform for self-directed learning, which has an extensive catalogue on DEIB courses

“Over the years, we have seen greater emphasis within the industry, where businesses are developing DEIB strategies and interest from employees who want an employer who has a focus on DEIB,” adds XXX. A second focus of the DEIB framework extends to how Symcor educates clients about its identity. This is achieved by:

• Refresh its DEIB strategy with short- and long-term goals • Enhance its training and development programs • Enhance its metrics and accountability

“We strongly believe that when our employees succeed, we all succeed,” comments XXX. “This spirit of excellence and collaboration flows through every facet of our organization.”

• Showcasing the firm’s culture on LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor • Dedicated careers page on Symcor’s website highlighting the commitment to diversity and inclusion • Providing information around Symcor’s DEIB-related activities in response to questions related to diversity and equity in RFPs from potential clients • Regular reporting on DEIB statistics provided to Symcor’s Board of Directors

All the DEIB initiatives relate to creating an environment where their people can thrive. XXX says, “We developed a people strategy with three key pillars intricately woven in all our employee programs: fostering an environment of belonging; supporting the well-being of our employees; and attracting, retaining, and developing the best people.” This extends to Symcor’s Employee Value Proposition, offered to all employees, guided by the company’s People Strategy, which takes a holistic approach encompassing both tangible and intangible benefits. In addition, the firm formed the EMERGE group with a purpose to focus on DEIB in the workplace by helping to expand, support, amplify and connect Symcor employees. Another key objective was to drive the development of Employee Resource Groups of which there are now five. Committed to continuing their equity and inclusion journey, Symcor plans to:

[CEROS OBJECT]

• Refresh its DEIB strategy with short- and long-term goals • Enhance its training and development programs • Improve its metrics and accountability

“We strongly believe that when our employees succeed, we all succeed,” comments XXX. “This spirit of excellence and collaboration flows through every facet of our organization.”

• Refresh its DEIB strategy with short- and long-term goals • Enhance its training and development programs • Improve its metrics and accountability

“We strongly believe that when our employees succeed, we all succeed,” comments XXX. “This spirit of excellence and collaboration flows through every facet of our organization.”