By The Commonwell
LINDSAY, Ontario, October 11, 2019 – The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group (CMIG) is announcing the successful implementation of an industry-leading insurance technology platform that is modernizing its technology infrastructure to provide an improved experience for their policy holders and drive innovation, speed to market and long-term business growth. The company originally announced the project in January 2018, partnering with two internationally respected and leading firms: Deloitte Inc., and Guidewire Software, Inc., to develop and deploy this new technology.
Tim Shauf, president and chief executive officer, The Commonwell, said, “We realized that our goal of significantly increasing our premium growth and membership, while maintaining our high standards of member value, broker experience, and employee engagement, required a fundamental shift in how our supporting technology was deployed.” By deploying InsurCloud, The Commonwell has successfully delivered immediate member experience benefits as part of our strategic business transformation, both across our organization and distribution partner network.”
“The new technology platform has significantly enhanced our member, agent, and broker experience by increasing efficiencies in underwriting, billing, and rating accuracy,” said Enrico Mastrangeli, CMIG Vice President, Distribution and Member Innovation. “Through Commonwell Connect, our brokers will have a seamless single sign-on journey from their broker management system into The Commonwell Guidewire core systems for new business upload. This enhances their ability to act as trusted advocates who can provide new customers with a once-and-done experience through a real-time enabled technology platform.”
Their Guidewire systems will run as a part of Deloitte’s InsurCloud, a cloud-based implementation, ongoing services and support from Deloitte, a Guidewire PartnerConnect™ Consulting Premier member. Guidewire’s core, reinsurance, and data products have been simultaneously deployed across all lines of business in Ontario, including automobile, farm, residential, and commercial. The company also deployed Guidewire DataHub™ and Guidewire InfoCenter™ which will significantly enhance their enterprise-wide data management and analytics.
“It’s a major investment in the development of our employees and the future growth of our organization,” said Shauf. “We looked at our more than a century of history in the communities we serve and knew that we could do more and we could be more as an employer, a mutual insurance provider and as members of our communities,” he said.
The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group was founded in 2014 and brought together three long-standing mutual insurance companies - Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Company (Lindsay), Glengarry Mutual Insurance Company and Lanark Mutual Insurance Company that has been built on more than a century of hands-on commitment to the local communities it serves.
The mutual insurance business began in the late 1800s with the particular need of farmers to protect their property from fire. Mutual insurance grew steadily over the next century, surviving the setbacks of two world wars, the Great Depression and other fluctuations in the market from the 80s through to today. Insurance products were added – residential, automobile, commercial and watercraft.
“Since our founding almost six years ago, we operate on the same historical premise of our three legacy companies – maintaining a focus on local presence and service to our communities, providing career and skills development for more than 170 CMIG employees, as well as working with a strong network of independent insurance brokers across Ontario,” said Shauf.
Jennifer Baziuk, Vice President, Transformation and Strategic Delivery, said, “Thanks to the strong commitment of our employees and excellent partnerships with Guidewire and Deloitte, we were able to complete the project early and under budget. It’s an exciting time as we offer new skills, training and opportunities for our employees and grow our business.”
The mutual insurance business began in the late 1800s with the particular need of farmers to protect their property from fire. Mutual insurance grew steadily over the next century, surviving the setbacks of two world wars, the Great Depression and other fluctuations in the market from the 80s through to today. Insurance products were added – residential, automobile, commercial and watercraft. One thing remained constant, though, for the now 40 mutual insurance companies in Ontario – their value of personal service, of human interaction and their passion for dealing with like-minded people.
The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group is born from this legacy. It’s an amalgamation of three mutual insurance companies as of January 1, 2014: Farmers’ Mutual Insurance Company (Lindsay), Glengarry Mutual Insurance Company and Lanark Mutual Insurance Company, and it will aim to keep the philosophy of mutual insurance alive and well as we meet the 21st century head on. The only prerequisite for joining is that you’re proud of your life, of its twists and subtle quirks. Because we get it, we’re individuals. Together.
For more info, contact:
Miki Paczek
Manager, Sales and Distribution
The Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group
E: [email protected]
