The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) is going virtual for its annual convention, which has historically been one of the largest insurance events in Canada. Brokers who attend the event, held from Oct. 21-22, can “expect a little bit of everything” and have a lot to look forward to this year, according to one IBAO leader.
“We’ll have so many more things available for everyone – different types of seminars, sessions, and interactions – and the beauty of virtual is it can be so much more interactive because of technology,” said Joseph Carnevale, managing director of sales and partner at Brokers Trust Insurance Group, and IBAO president. “Another bonus is, whereas in years past, people had to travel to the site, and there’s the cost and time it takes to do that, that’s been eliminated, [as well as] the fact that you don’t have to register for a specific seminar – you can register for the whole two-day event.”
Some of the highlights of the upcoming convention announced so far include the always-popular CEO panel, where brokers will be able to get answers to some key questions from top insurance leaders. While COVID-19 will inevitably be a focus of many discussions at the convention, Carnevale pointed to other developments in insurance, such as the hard market and how it has impacted quoting and renewals, that will be on the table, adding that the panel’s moderator and IBAO CEO Colin Simpson will have a set of questions that are going to get down to the crux of what it is brokers want to hear.
The rest of the convention will feature a mix of diverse presentations, including those focused on brokers’ professional, as well as personal, development. Carnevale said that he has no doubt attendees will walk away from the event with more information, and feeling more supported and understood, while also advancing themselves professionally.
“It’s all about supporting our brokers,” he explained, adding that the convention will also be an opportunity to connect with the broader broker community, which many brokers have been missing this year. “We’re very much social beings, and we’re people-people. That’s why we’re brokers, so I think having us all apart has been challenging, not just for brokerages, but for the industry as a whole. We’re taking this opportunity to bring everyone together … not just in theory, but in reality.”
This year in particular has been a challenging one, to say the least, and thanks to technology enabling the conference, brokers located across Canada can dial in to see their peers and colleagues during the IBAO convention.
“We want to make sure that everyone has access, that everyone has an opportunity to gather together, support each other, and talk about all the wonderful things that the industry has accomplished this year,” continued Carnevale. “The great news, too, is there’s a $25 registration fee for members and 100% of those funds go to the Breakfast Club of Canada.”
