Message from the President

It is with great pleasure that we bring you this special anniversary edition of Claims Canada in celebration of our association’s 60th anniversary.

History will tell us that it was due to changing times and conditions in the late 40’s, that prompted a number of independent adjusters to begin talking about the need to rally together for the benefit and security of the insurance industry. With Norman Helwig, of Morden and Helwig Limited pushing the project and W.R. Durance of Durance and Maltman making arrangements, a meeting was held in 1948 at the King Edward Hotel in Toronto. It was agreed by all those in attendance that if the Department of Insurance and the insurance companies could approach an association representing independent adjusters, problems could be worked out on an official basis.

It was on December 1, 1953, with over 100 affirmative responses from firms invited to become charter members, and under the chairmanship of Frederick C. Maltman that CIAA’ s founding fathers met to form an association of independent adjusters which they named the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Conference (becoming the Canadian Independent Adjusters’ Association in 1985).

Those in attendance were pleased to hear that the Ontario Department of Insurance had taken a positive attitude toward the new conference. During that organizational meeting, the founding members ploughed through a massive amount of business; adopting a constitution, setting up a system of regional directors and identifying qualifications and restrictions for membership.

Aims considered of vital importance at the time included the necessity of an educational program; exchange of information and availability to the membership of the experience and knowledge of all members and the need for unity and mutual understanding.

Firms represented at that first meeting were: Morden and Helwig Limited; A.K. Macdonald and Company; F.C. Maltman and Company; Adamsons Limited; Andrew Hamilton Limited; Commercial Adjustment; Gilday and Stewart; McDonell-Stewart Company; Dalgleish Adjustment Bureau and Vern Walker and Company.

As the only nationwide group of independent adjusters, gradually over the years, CIAC gained stature and recognition, partly by marshalling claims forces when earthquakes, floods and hurricanes struck and placing them at the disposal of insurers and governments obliged to compensate victims for uninsured losses.

As CIAC was approaching its 20th anniversary, it was at the 1973 CIAC National Convention that founding member L. Vernon Walker (whose son Craig Walker would eventually become President in 2006) was handing over the reins from his year as President.

Ten years later, in January 1983 (when I began my insurance career), Stewart Ponton (who I had not yet met but who would hire me 3 years later) was half way through his term as CIAC President.

Five years later, G. Fred Plant (whose son Fred R. Plant would eventually become President in 2008) was bidding farewell to his year as CIAA President.

Five years after that, in 1993, I attended my first Annual Conference in Toronto and met incoming President David B. Hart (whose son Allan Hart I met many years later at the 2010 Annual Conference in Victoria.)

Five years later in 1998, I was honoured to be part of the organizing committee for the Annual Conference for outgoing President Rexford C. Stephenson, held in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

Also on that organizing committee was Bill Hendry, formerly of Cunningham Lindsey. I recently ran into Bill at an industry function and we ended up chatting about the history of CIAA. Bill started with Morden & Helwig over 40 years ago and although now retired, still keeps his hand in the industry. What I didn’t know was that Bill’s father opened the first branch office for Morden & Helwig in St. Catharines, having come from their Hamilton head office. I found that kind of neat, considering I opened the first branch office for Ponton Coleshill, also in St. Catharines in 1990. Bill told me his father was a friend of Norman Helwig and I was pleased to remind him that Norman was one of the founders of our association.

It is interesting to note that for the first five decades of our association, each one of our Presidents were male. In the last decade, we have had four female Presidents, myself included, with the first being Carol Messervey in 2006, followed by Patti Kernaghan five years later and then Mary Charman. Probably not surprising given the number of females in our industry however I do think it noteworthy all the same.

To all our past Presidents as well as the many others who have served our association, your dedication has helped to keep the flame of our torch alive all these years. Thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one of our members a very happy and prosperous new year. I look forward to seeing you at our Mid-Year meeting in Toronto on February 3rd.