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Building trust in commercial insurance
“Forget about commissions. Do the right thing for the client.” This philosophy has guided Karim Chandani since his pivot to commercial insurance at 50, after more than 20 years of running his own business. He is now managing director of real estate and hospitality – North America at Armour Insurance.
Having spent decades as a business owner himself, Chandani says that experience lets him empathize with them and spot problems before they turn into claims. His client base spans the country, from a small optometrist’s office on the West Coast to a client building four large biogas facilities near Halifax.
To serve clients nationally, Chandani has built discipline and flexibility into his work hours to serve clients whenever they call. That consistency has built a referral-driven practice and has led to his recognition as one of IBC’s Top Insurance Brokers for 2026.
Beyond the insurance application
Chandani’s client-centred approach carries into how he evaluates risk in the first place. “I want to know more than what is written on an insurance application,” he says. That instinct built his commercial insurance practice: understand the business first, then work backward to the coverage, rather than start from the policy.
Most of his clients are focused on the same fundamentals as any business owner: profitability, growth, and protecting what they have built. Many of them see insurance as another cost to manage, so he helps control that cost while making clear which risks they are retaining and which they are transferring.
3136 Duchess Avenue, North Vancouver, BC V7K3B6
604 209 2430
karim@armour-insurance.com
linkedin.com/in/karimchandani
armour-insurance.com
Karim Chandani
Managing Director, Real Estate and Hospitality – North America
Armour Insurance Brokers
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Bio
Milestones
2020
2022
2024
2026
Commercial Insurance Broker at Western Financial Group
2020
Commercial Account Manager at La Salle Insurance
2022
Senior Commercial Account Manager at La Salle Insurance
2024
IBC’s Top Insurance Broker
Finalist, Insurance Broker of the Year (Regional) – Insurance Business Canada Awards
2026
Milestones
A focus on senior living and hospitality
Real estate is the common thread across Chandani’s practice, with particular depth in manufacturing facilities, seniors living, hotels, and commercial and multi-residential properties.
“These businesses often have more complex insurance requirements, which gives me the opportunity to really understand the operation and build a program around the client’s specific risks,” he says. Rather than start from the application, he goes directly to a client’s leases and lender requirements to confirm exactly what coverage is needed.
“Spending that extra time allows clients to make informed decisions rather than simply buying coverage because it was presented to them,” he adds.
A business partner first, a broker second
“I meet clients for meals, learn what keeps them up at night, understand where they want to take their businesses, and look for ways I can help them get there,” Chandani says. A simpler signal of satisfaction, he says, is a referral, or a client thanking him for staying in touch between terms rather than only at renewal, and he uses that contact to keep clients current on senior living and hospitality coverage trends.
The habit extends beyond insurance itself: when he sees a chance to connect a client with another specialist or business contact, he makes the introduction, whether or not it touches his own book. “Creating those connections and seeing them benefit my clients has been incredibly meaningful,” he says.
“I meet clients for meals, learn what keeps them up at night, understand where they want to take their businesses, and look for ways I can help them get there”
Karim Chandani, Armour Insurance
“Forget about commissions. Do the right thing for the client”
Karim Chandani, Armour Insurance