Headquarters:
1700 - 601 W. Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC
Year founded:
1989
Number of employees:
150
Phone:
604 669 5211
Email:
marketing@premiergroup.ca
Website:
premiergroup.ca
LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/premier-marine-insurance-managers-group
“We love to win. We’re tenacious, and we believe in getting results”
Brett Vincent,
Vincent Young Lawyers
Mo Kaur
President and Chief Operating Officer
Judy Verhoef
Senior Vice President
Karen Hopkins-Lee
Senior Vice President
Leadership
Mo Kaur has been a driving force in the insurance industry since she began her career in London over 35 years ago. Shortly after joining Royal Insurance UK, she completed her ACII in just 12 months. After immigrating to Canada in 1993, Kaur pursued her passion for commercial lines in British Columbia, achieving remarkable success while raising two children as a single mother. In a bold move, she accepted a senior executive role at PREMIER, one of Canada’s largest MGUs, eventually becoming its president and COO. Kaur has led innovation in specialty lines and was nominated as a 2024 IBC Elite Women finalist. She also serves as VP of the CAMGA, making her a valuable asset to the MGA community in Canada.
President and Chief Operating Officer
Mo Kaur
With over 15 years at PREMIER, Judy Verhoef’s hands-on approach has enabled her to contribute to various initiatives within the organization. From processing and underwriting to claims and operations, she has had the privilege of collaborating with exceptional colleagues. Although insurance wasn’t her original career path, Verhoef has found her niche in the MGA space. Passionate about talent acquisition, she enjoys sharing her personal experiences at PREMIER and highlighting career growth opportunities for others. Her commitment to fostering a positive workplace culture makes her an invaluable asset to the team.
Senior Vice President
Judy Verhoef
Karen Hopkins-Lee is the senior vice president of PREMIER, where she oversees commercial and personal lines underwriting and system development strategy. Joining PREMIER in 2020, she brings over 30 years of underwriting and pricing experience in the P&C MGA and insurer markets in Canada. A former IBC Elite Women finalist, Hopkins-Lee is a graduate of Mount Allison University and has pursued ongoing professional development, earning her CIP, CAIB, AIRC, and ARM designations. Her extensive expertise and leadership contribute significantly to the success of PREMIER.
Senior Vice President
Karen Hopkins-Lee
Leadership
“A true leader can see potential in different employees, regardless of their position. Listening and recognizing the value of each individual not only inspires them but also makes them grow professionally”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
Leadership
Jermaine Stephenson-Lowe
Head of Risk
Jermaine Stephenson-Lowe has 18 years of experience in financial services and 11 years specifically in risk management. He has held several risk positions where he has gained extensive experience in creating, implementing and embedding risk management frameworks.
Head of Risk
Jermaine Stephenson-Lowe
Louise Waugh
Head of Legal
A solicitor with a background in commercial property, Louise Waugh first came into financial services 15 years ago to help split Northern Rock bank. Since then, she has led teams launching a number of new retail products, as well as overseeing the delivery and implementation of major regulatory and restructuring projects.
Head of Legal
Louise Waugh
Established in 1989, PREMIER has built a strong national presence across Canada, with offices in Vancouver (head office), London, Cambridge, Toronto, Laval, and a virtual presence in Calgary. Since its inception as a marine pleasurecraft market, the company has experienced remarkable growth and is now recognized as one of Canada’s largest specialty markets, offering a diverse array of commercial, specialty personal lines, and marine business.
PREMIER operates through two key entities: PREMIER Canada Assurance Managers provides specialized commercial insurance, covering areas such as construction, environmental, professional liability (including medical malpractice), general property, commercial auto (fleet and garage), specialty casualty (like amateur sports and tourism), and specialty personal lines. PREMIER Marine Insurance Managers Group (WEST) focuses on marine pleasurecraft and recreational vehicle insurance products.
The team at PREMIER strives to be the largest and most profitable MGA in Canada by delivering exceptional service to their clients and partners. They are committed to treating every employee, client, and business partner with integrity, transparency, and respect. Their goal is to provide robust protection for their customers while generating underwriting profits for their partners. With PREMIER, it’s all about getting the treatment you deserve — fast turnaround, no runaround!
Nigel Briggs
Head of Compliance and Regulatory Relations
Harriet Shaw
Head of Operations
Iain MacKinnon
Finance Director
Simon Williams
Chief Strategy & Distribution Officer, Arch Insurance International
and Active Underwriter, Syndicate 1955
Nigel Briggs has over 30 years of experience in the financial services industry across a range of sectors, including insurance, pensions, banking and mortgages. He is the former CEO of a mutual savings institution and, for the last nine years, has performed the roles of head of compliance and MLRO.
Head of Compliance and Regulatory Relations
Nigel Briggs
Harriet Shaw has over 30 years of experience in the regulated financial services industry, focusing on credit risk operations in both unsecured and secured products. She has held various operational roles in mortgage servicing.
Head of Operations
Harriet Shaw
Iain MacKinnon has over 17 years of experience in a wide range of senior management roles in regulated financial services, including oversight of investment treasury, tax and pensions at a major international bank. Prior to his career in banking, he was an M&A tax partner at Deloitte.
Finance Director
Iain MacKinnon
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
Kimi leads the Estate Planning and Wealth Protection team and is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners. She understands the complex and delicate nature of family estate planning, the technical requirements around probate and estate administration, and the importance of preserving wealth for future generations. Her advice is accurate, commercial, strategic and tailored to each situation.
Partner
Kimi Shah
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Broker's Pick – Personal Accident and Illness Insurance
Brokers’ Pick – Professional liability
Small business
“We believe in handling our clients’ matters as if they were our own, and with this approach, we seek solutions wherever possible”
Brett Vincent,
Vincent Young Lawyers
“Having four insurance designations, and the wealth of knowledge that comes with it, enables me to better counsel customers regarding the importance of having the appropriate insurance coverage”
Saray Uribe,
CharSan Insurance & Consulting
employee benefits
regional retail P&C
specialty P&C
underwriting
direct-to-consumer programs
Underscoring the value proposition the firm offers, Vincent says, “Our clients get direct access to our partners. We are always available, and we pride ourselves on being highly responsive. We are lean and efficient. Our work is of the quality of larger law firms, without the price tag.”
To operate optimally for clients, the firm engaged the founder of a major construction management company to be chairman. Under their guidance, Vincent Young has expanded its practice areas to include property, projects, commercial and insolvency law. Today, Vincent Young is advised by a chairman and two advisors, none of whom are lawyers, resulting in invaluable industry insight and client-side perspective.
“The balance between technical legal skills and proactive solutions lies at the heart of our business and our success in legal matters,” says Vincent. “We believe in handling our clients’ matters as if they were our own, and with this approach, we seek solutions wherever possible.”
more than $1 million in funds
over $2.3 million in combined monetary and in-kind donations through an annual World Food Derby initiative
2,320 volunteer hours to numerous deserving organizations, making a significant community impact
Alliant’s progress is set to continue, as underlined by Zimmer, who has confidence in the firm’s people to deliver continued excellence.
“We believe in our business plan, and it has proven successful. We don’t feel the need to change that. Our core business plan will continue to drive the company forward, complemented by new opportunities that may arise in the future.”
Program business
Turnaround time – new business
Overall
02 9261 5900