The Broker Breakdown

Home Insurance is a pretty straightforward process when purchasing a new product, however, the occupancy of that home can alter the type of insurance you place on that property. This week we discuss the differences between some home insurance products including, Student Rentals, Short Term Rentals like AirBnB and Vrbo, Vacant & Under Construction Properties, and Hard to Place & High-Value...

Technology has done great things for many industries, however, we tend to forget that there are behind the scene processes and procedures when it comes to every industry, including insurance. James & Mike review the process that goes on behind the scenes of insurance from start to finish and some elements that each one of them uses during their interactions with their clients. You may hear &qu...

Alex Leite from Tried & True Mortgages joins The Broker Breakdown this week and discusses some critical topics going into the busy springtime for home buyers and sellers. With the market starting to cool off and mortgage rates not changing at this given moment, Alex, James & Mike review how that impacts clients in the present and how specific trickle-down effects could impact that moving f...

Spring is right around the corner, so it is time to start preparing your insurance for it. There are several things to prepare for the warmer weather, including water prevention tips for your home, to getting that summer car ready for the road. All these tips and more will have you and your insurance ready for the warmer weather to come.

Commercial Auto insurance has seen a lot of changes in recent years with apps like Uber and Turo being created for consumers to add their vehicles to services like transportation, food delivery, and rental cars. James & Mike dive into general topics of commercial auto insurance before digging deeper into the topics of new technologies and services like Uber & Turo and how they are currentl...

Investment properties have continued to grow in popularity with the strength of the real estate market in the last couple of years. Both a landlord and a tenant have different responsibilities when it comes to owning or living in a home, and some even overlap in ways. Knowing what role you play is critical to understanding how you insure these risks properly. James & Mike review the difference...

We all love saving money and this episode is about helping clients save money on their insurance. James & Mike review discount opportunities on both the Auto & Home insurance side from Winter Tires, and new technology with Driving Apps, to Mortgage Free discounts and New Home discounts. Knowing what you qualify for as a client is always important because overall if we can put more money ba...

We all love adding a touch of our personality to our cars whether it be some fuzzy dice on the interior or those brand-new rims on the exterior. However, many consumers do not consider if these modifications will impact our insurance. James & Mike discuss the difference between appearance & performance modifications that are commonly made to vehicles and the likelihood of certain modificat...

Kim Pham from Forest City Mazda joins James & Mike and discusses her journey in the auto industry and what has led her to her success so far. Kim shares some new plans for Mazda coming in 2023 and beyond, while also discussing some social media tips and tricks she has found to be successful during her time as a sales representative in the auto industry.

The insurance market has been through its ups and downs over the last few years and 2023 will be no exception to that. Professionals in the industry have known about being in this "Hard Market" for a number of years now, but some experts are suggesting this is going to slowly change and we will see a more stable market soon. James & Mike go over the differences between a Hard & Soft market...

Accidents are accidents, but how do claims and lawsuits impact the insurance industry? James & Mike dive into the recent commercial accidents seen across Canada in the last 6-12 months and how these will and can potentially impact the insurance industry as a whole. They also point out some key coverages to look out for and questions that should be asked to your broker/agent when getting insura...

Special guest Doug Bricknell of Wayne Pitman Ford discusses some unique buying opportunities for consumers in the last few years. James & Mike also dive into the revolution of EVs from Ford, including the first EV truck to the mainstream market, and how they see the insurance industry moving with more and more EV vehicles on the road.

2023 is here and so is Season 2 of The Broker Breakdown. James & Mike have a lot in store for season 2, with more content to help clients guide their way through the insurance world, more special guests to better educate clients on what is going on in the market, and an overview of some of the goals for the podcast moving into 2023. We are super excited to have you listening and want to thank...

In the final episode of 2022, James & Mike discuss some topics that are likely to continue into 2023 or become more popular in the new year. From continued increases by many insurance companies to the creation or change in coverage due to weather and claims, 2023 will be an exciting year for the insurance industry. 

2022 has definitely been a challenging year for businesses as they all alter their ways of operating coming out of the pandemic. Moving into 2023, many companies have already confirmed their desire to scale back their workforce as processes are automated or eliminated totally. James & Mike discuss this week how those trickle-down effects might find their way into the insurance industry if they...

Commercial insurance continues to be part of the insurance industry that many consumers have issues understanding and finding a broker that understands how to protect businesses. James & Mike discuss general insurance knowledge for business owners and what they should look for when exploring their insurance needs. From General Liability to Errors & Omissions Liability, The Broker Breakdown...

James & Mike tackle the ever-lingering issue of insurance fraud and scams in the industry. From the targets of "planned accidents", especially those from tow truck drivers and body shops, to some consumer-based fraudulent actions seen in the industry, James & Mike review some things to avoid at all costs and how fraud and scams impact not only those committing the crimes but also all consu...

The risk of car theft has continued to increase throughout Canada in 2022 and shocking to some, Canada has one of the world's highest car theft rates per capita. Mike & James sit down to chat about some of the trends within the market pertaining to car thefts in Canada, giving some information focused on the insurance side of car thefts and some ways to review how to minimize the risk of havin...

Should I buy a New or Used vehicle? That is a common question that Mike & James see every day, especially in the market we are currently in with a shortage in vehicles both on the new and used side of the industry, increasing financing rates on vehicles and tying this all back into how it impacts your insurance. From the coverages that differ between new and used vehicles and what you should b...

The time of year has come and travelers are trying to escape the colder weather in Canada and migrate to their summer destinations for the winter. James & Mike discuss some common things to look for on your Auto Insurance and then some tips about leaving a property while on vacation and some things to be aware of if you are gone for an extended period of time including checking in on your prop...

Winter is coming and with that comes a whole new set of tips to ensure your vehicles and homes are ready for the wintertime. James & Mike this week discuss some additional discounts that insurance companies provide for winter tires, common tips to help protect your homes and vehicles during the winter months, and finishing off with recreational and seasonal vehicles and storing them for the wi...

James & Mike sit down with David Holton of Holton Mortgages as he gives some great insight into the mortgage world and explains to clients different types of mortgages, conditions of mortgages, mortgage rates and what to expect moving into 2023.

Claims are a constant factor within insurance. James & Mike discuss some of the things to look at when involved in a claim and things to think about even before a claim occurs. From coverages to tips when faced with a claim, they break down the process and challenges faced within the market during 2022.

After a long 3 month break, the hosts are back discussing the impacts of Hurricane Fiona and other natural disasters we see in Canada on the insurance industry. Some preventive measures and things to look for in your insurance that may help you during a natural disaster and also talking how this will trickle down to potential new coverages in the industry within certain parts of Canada.

The Ontario election is over and we look toward the plan for insurance reform across Ontario. Putting Drivers First blueprint was released in 2019 and so far we have seen electronic liability slips allowed in Ontario. What is next for insurance in Ontario now that Conservatives have won another term in office?