Acera’s latest deal boosts presence in large Canadian city

Acera Insurance Services Ltd. has partnered with Merit Insurance Services Ltd. in a deal that strengthens both brokerages’ presence in Edmonton.

Combined, the brokerages offer more than 100 years of broker experience, and are both based in Alberta’s capital city of Edmonton, Acera says in a press release Monday.

Merit Insurance has specialized in home and auto insurance since 1985. Merit Insurance’s website says the brokerage offers home, auto, vehicle, condo, renters and business insurance. (Merit Insurance Services Ltd. is not to be confused with the similar-sounding Ontario brokerage Merit Insurance Brokers Inc., which offers personal, business, farm and other types of coverage.)

Through the partnership with Acera, Merit Insurance “looks forward to expanding not just its personal insurance offerings but also providing clients with commercial insurance solutions and employee group benefits — while staying true to its long-standing customer promise,” Acera says in the release.

“We see tremendous value in Acera Insurance’s independence and employee-owner model,” says Merit Insurance president Greg Hyland. “Because of this, we know our clients will continue to receive top-notch service and impartial solutions for all their insurance needs.”

Acera reports to be Canada’s largest independent, employee-controlled brokerage, with 1,300 employees across more than 70 offices. The brokerage has $1.4 billion in gross written premiums, $1.3 billion in group retirement savings assets under management and more than 700 employee-owners.

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The deal, which closed Sept. 1, supports Acera’s commitment to maintaining a competitive, independent, Canadian-owned brokerage option in Alberta. The company it has offices in Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Red Deer, Stettler and Sylvan Lake.

The deal with Merit Insurance comes a few months after Acera closed a transaction in May involving Navigate Benefit Solutions. That deal continues Acera’s expansion of its specialty benefits division. A full-service consulting firm, Navigate Benefit Solutions has provided group benefits and group retirement savings solutions since 2002. The firm is headquartered in Calgary, with team members also based in Edmonton and Regina.

Jason Contant

Jason has been an award-winning journalist with Canadian Underwriter for more than a decade, including the past three years as associate editor and, before that, as digital editor for seven years.