It's a Service Business

Gore Mutual Insurance Company's commitment to service excellence has been recognized by independent brokers associations across Canada.

In 2005, the Independent Brokers Association of British Columbia voted Gore Mutual the number one insurance company in British Columbia.

Then in 2006, the Independent Brokers Association of Ontario selected Fore Mutual as the premier insurance company in Ontario.

"The Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario congratulates Fore Mutual for being selected the number one insurance company in our 2006 survey. The survey fives our 10,000 members the opportunity to rank insurance companies in their delivery of product and services. Being selected as the number one company reflects Gore Mutual's dedication to providing exceptional service, and their commitment to the insurance industry."
Randy Carroll, Chief Executive Officer, Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario

Let's Do Business Together

Whether you require commercial insurance for your business, or want to discuss your personal insurance needs, we recommend that you speak with an independent insurance broker. Together, you can determine the solution that is best for you. We hope you will choose Gore Mutual, and give us the opportunity to earn your business. Gore Mutual Insurance Company has been proudly serving Canadians since 1839. We look forward to the opportunity of serving you.

Sound Advice You Can Trust

Recognizing the value that an insurance professional can offer, Gore Mutual Insurance Company distributes its products through quality independent brokers.

We appreciate the importance our clients place in having a trusted insurance advisor to answer their questions, ensure they have proper coverage, and be there to assist them in the event of a claim.

And while some insurance companies own brokerages, Gore Mutual does not. We believe Canadians will be best served by an independent insurance broker, looking out for their interests. We do not want to have ownership of a brokerage, and influence where they put your business. "When you work with an insurance broker, you want to know you will be given professional unbiased advice," says Kevin McNeil, President and CEO of Gore Mutual.

You should make an informed choice about who earns your business. Together you and your broker should select the company that offers the best insurance protection, service and stability.

When brokers recommend Gore Mutual, they do so based on our delivery of solid insurance products, financial strength, and team of dedicated individuals ready to serve your needs. We should be judged on nothing less. We are not afraid to set the bar high. The opportunity to earn your business means a lot to us. We have no intention of letting you down.

Laying The Foundation

Gore Mutual Insurance Company has been proudly serving Canadians since 1839. The beginnings of the company can be traced back to April 30, 1837, when the freeholders of the District of Gore first met with the hope of forming a mutual fire insurance company. Only months earlier, in the sixth year of the reign of King William IV, an act that authorized the establishment of mutual insurance companies had been passed in the Province of Upper Canada.

On June 18, 1839, the Gore District Mutual Fire Insurance Company was officially formed at the Brantford School House, 28 years before Canadian Confederation.

Years later, the District of Gore – which included the present counties of Halton, Wentworth, Brant, Waterloo, Wellington, and parts of Haldimand and Lincoln – can no longer be found on a map of Ontario.

For almost two centuries, the Gore Mutual Insurance Company, as it was renamed in 1959, remains synonymous with stability and trust. Today, we offer a full line of dependable insurance products, backed by a secure financial foundation.

At Gore Mutual, we are proud of our heritage and the historic role we play in our community and the Canadian insurance industry.

Through the years, our goal has remained simple and unwavering; the protection and satisfaction of those we serve.

Staying True To Our Roots

True, Gore Mutual Insurance Company is one of Canada’s first ever federally licensed property and casualty insurance companies. But the only thing old fashioned about us is our values.

Everything we do is guided by our core values:

• Mutual benefit is the foundation of all our relationships.
• Genuine personal service is how we do business.
• Integrity guides all dealings with our stakeholders.
• Commitment to our community.
• Pride in our heritage and Canadian identity.

We believe that our Canadian ownership and mutual status offer a distinct advantage in the insurance marketplace.

While many insurance companies today are foreign-owned stock companies that must focus on short-term benefits for their shareholders, we remain a Canadian owned mutual company focused on the long-term needs of our brokers and clients.

Gore Mutual does not have a foreign parent company. We represent and are responsible to our brokers and clients. In an age of corporate consolidation, we are staying true to our roots – by Canadians, for Canadians.

We are proud to offer our insurance products through trusted independent brokers who provide both exceptional service and product coverage for their clients.

If you think about it, when it comes to relationships, service, and integrity, perhaps the old way of doing business is best. So go ahead and call us old fashioned. We wouldn’t have it any other way.

It’s How We Do Business

Canadians look to Gore Mutual Insurance Company with confidence to insure their homes, cottages, automobiles and businesses. And we value that trust.

Through the years, we have continued to develop and enhance innovative products and services that allow brokers to provide customized solutions that meet a client’s individual needs. We offer a consistent underwriting philosophy. This means that together with your broker, we prepare a thorough review of your insurance needs up front, so you know where you stand.

And you can count on Gore Mutual for stable, long-term solutions. As a recognized and respected leader in the Canadian insurance industry since 1839, we have a long history of financial stability and genuine personal service.

We’re On Your Side

If you should suffer a loss, your independent insurance broker and Gore Mutual will be here when you need us. We will work together to make sure you have the information you need every step of the way. We understand that in the event of a claim, the last thing you’ll want to do is navigate through a call centre, bouncing from recording to recording. That’s why Gore Mutual doesn’t have a call centre. What we have are people who are ready to offer you personal, professional advice.

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You Might Be Making 10 Common Mistakes

There is growing list of workplace torts that attract liability to both management and the organization.

Here are 10 common mistakes made by employers that create employment practices liability. Recognizing these identifiable pitfalls can tighten up your HR procedures and prevent a claim from happening.

1. Using improper interview questions can lead to a “failure to hire” claim.
2. Failing to conduct background checks.
3. Failure to recognize “protected” leave requests.
4. Ignoring the harassment-claim antidote.
5. Perpetuating questionable wage and hour practices.
6. Failing to appreciate the retaliation danger.
7. Failure to conduct proper performance evaluations.
8. Disciplining without documentation.
9. Disregarding policy when making employment decisions.
10. Failing to properly maintain records.

You Best Strategy in Mitigating these Risks is to:

• guard against these common mistakes with a comprehensive and updated HR policy;
• seek appropriate legal advice as required;
• expand your insurance portfolio to include employment practices liability insurance.

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Spend Your Remodelling Dollars Wisely

No doubt about it, remodelling is expensive. A bathroom remodel can quickly reach $10,000—and that's about where the most basic of kitchen remodels start.

In short, remodelling is an investment and you want to make sure you get the best return on your dollars.

Check Comparables

The first step is to figure out what the market will bear. Get an appraisal of your house as it is and then dig up the sale price of houses in your immediate area that already have the improvements you're thinking of making.

If you can complete the project without closing the gap between the current value of your home and its future value, the project is worth thinking about. However, if your house is already at top price for your area, then it's highly doubtful you'll get back any of the money you invest in a remodel.

Remodelling vs. Moving

Next evaluate the cost of remodelling versus the cost of moving. Figure out the cost of a new mortgage versus a cash-out refinance or an equity loan, taking into account both interest rates and fees. What are the costs of moving versus the costs of living through a remodel (increased take-out and hotel stays, for example). And, of course, figure out the average cost of a house with the new features you desire in a neighbourhood comparable to the one you're in.

Increasingly, people are finding it's cheaper to remodel what they have than to buy or build something comparable.

Consider Resale

While it's seldom a good idea to undertake a major remodel as part of a sprucing-up-to-sell program, it is a good idea to keep the tastes and needs of future owners in mind when you do remodel.

Remodelling magazine does an annual report evaluating the return on investment for a variety of home improvements. They crunch the numbers to determine region by region what projects will return what percent of your remodelling investment if you were to sell within a year of remodelling.

You'll find their full report online at http://www.remodeling.hw.net/

Quality of Life Counts, Too

Don't forget to consider intangibles such as neighbours and schools. If you absolutely love your house and your neighbourhood, you need to take that into consideration.

Resale isn't everything. Even if there's little chance of recouping your investment when you sell, it's OK to spend the money for that new deck or home office as long as you understand that you are investing not in the house, but in your quality of life.

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Life and disability coverage are important, but could leave gaps in your personal protection.

According to the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association more than 70% of Canadians have some type of life or health insurance. It's no wonder so many of us feel we already have enough insurance protection.

Don’t let this cause you to ignore the need for proper protection.  Life insurance does not provide benefits for the survivors of critical illness. Typically, the most extensive disability coverage can replace up to 65% of pre-disability income.

Survivors of a critical illness often face both immediate and long-term financial challenges for which they may not have coverage.
Many individuals who survive a critical illness face the prospect of having less income — or none at all — because they can no longer do the same type of work. Often, there's the need to re-engineer a home or vehicle, to travel abroad for expensive treatment, to pay for long-term nursing care, a motorized wheelchair — the list goes on. And let's not forget the hospital costs (private room, taxis, babysitters, TV or telephone rental) that are usually not covered by other insurance or health plans.

In situations like these, Critical Illness Protection can provide a lump sum amount of money when you need it most.

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Two-thirds of dog owners admit to engaging in distracting activities with their dogs while driving

Millions of Americans recognize that dogs are wonderful companions and bring their favorite furry friend along on road trips, day trips and even day-to-day errands. However, in a vehicle this can mean added distractions for the driver. A recent survey conducted by AAA and Kurgo asked dog owners how often they drive with their dog and about their habits behind the wheel. The survey found that drivers not only love to bring Fido along, but they also often engage in risky behaviors when man’s best friend is along for the ride.

Drivers distracted by dogs; many don’t realize it

Thirty-one percent of respondents admit to being distracted by their dog while driving; however 59 percent have participated in at least one distracting behavior while driving with their dog. More than half (55 percent) have pet their dog while driving, and one in five allowed their dog to sit in their lap (21 percent). Other distracting behaviors drivers admitted to include giving food and water to their dog (seven percent) and playing with their dog (five percent). These behaviors can distract the driver and increase the risk of a crash. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that looking away from the road for only two seconds doubles your risk of being in a crash.

Unrestrained dogs dangerous to driver, passenger and man’s best friend

An overwhelming 80 percent of respondents stated that they have driven with their pets on a variety of car trips including day trips, local errands and leisure trips, the pet store, dog parks and to work. However only 17 percent use any form of pet restraint system when driving with their dog.

“Restraining your pet when driving can not only help protect your pet, but you and other passengers in your vehicle as well,” cautioned Beth Mosher, AAA Director of Public Affairs. “An unrestrained 10-pound dog in a crash at 50 mph will exert roughly 500 pounds of pressure, while an unrestrained 80-pound dog in a crash at only 30 mph will exert 2,400 pounds of pressure. Imagine the devastation that can cause to your pet and anyone in the vehicle in its path.”

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Looking for another “value-add” to promote to prospective clients?  Believe it or not, if your firm is properly insured, you already have another valuable sales tool.  Sounds far fetched, you say?  It isn’t at all.

In most cases, before an underwriter will offer coverage for a project, they require proof of insurance for everyone involved.  As such, there is a growing trend toward requirements for proof of insurance as a pre-requisite in RFP’s.  This is the first opportunity.

Competitive Advantage

When you are responding to an RFP and can include proof of insurance, you have made the clients job one step easier.  They don’t have to ask for it or follow-up while you attempt to put coverage in place or track down paperwork.  Frankly, I look favorably upon anyone who can make my job easier and I would suggest that in this fast-paced world we live in, we all look favorably upon those who are proactive.

Image

The second benefit to those who are proactive in acquiring insurance, is image.  Certainly it creates the impression of being a “good corporate citizen”.  This must be further substantiated through best practices and professionalism, but this is a good indicator to a prospect that doesn’t know your firm well.  As business owners,  we know that we must create value in our personal or corporate image in order to sell to others.  When you insure your business, it says to others that you have something of value.  You are serious about your business because it is of tremendous value and by insuring it properly, you convey that image to your client.

Financial Security

The third benefit is that you increase your client’s financial security.  Despite the fact that you are buying insurance with the intent of protecting your firm, there is direct benefit to your clients in a number of ways.  To begin with, financing for a project often requires proof of insurance before loans will be dispersed, and in order to get insurance in place insurance carriers frequently require proof of insurance from all who are contracted to said project before they will offer coverage.  It also affords the client the peace-of-mind of knowing that, should something occur that is covered by your Errors and Omission or Commercial General Liability policy, an insurance company will respond rather than having to become embroiled in a bitter legal battle to recover losses from a private citizen or firm.  And, it confirms to your client that if a difficulty occurs with a completely separate project your firm is involved with, they are less likely to be adversely affected by it because your insurance company will respond, better enabling you to complete their project without interruption.

There are all too many reasons to insure your business to protect yourself.  But, there are also many ways to spin this into a direct selling feature to your clients to gain maximum benefit from your insurance investment.  When one adjusts their perspective slightly, they see that, in addition to protecting your own business, insurance can give you a competitive advantage, increase the financial security you extend to your clients while enhancing your professional image.

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Business interruption insurance can be as vital to your survival as a business as fire insurance. Most people would never consider opening a business without buying insurance to cover damage due to fire and windstorms. But too many small business owners fail to think about how they would manage if a fire or other disaster damaged their business premises so that they were temporarily unusable. Business interruption coverage is not sold separately. It is added to a property insurance policy or included in a package policy.

A business that has to close down completely while the premises are being repaired may lose out to competitors. A quick resumption of business after a disaster is essential.

1. Business interruption insurance compensates you for lost income if your company has to vacate the premises due to disaster-related damage that is covered under your property insurance policy, such as a fire. Business interruption insurance covers the profits you would have earned, based on your financial records, had the disaster not occurred. The policy also covers operating expenses, like electricity, that continue even though business activities have come to a temporary halt.
2. Make sure the policy limits are sufficient to cover your company for more than a few days. After a major disaster, it can take more time than many people anticipate to get the business back on track. There is generally a 48-hour waiting period before business interruption coverage kicks in.
3. The price of the policy is related to the risk of a fire or other disaster damaging your premises. All other things being equal, the price would probably be higher for a restaurant than a real estate agency, for example, because of the greater risk of fire. Also, a real estate agency can more easily operate out of another location.

Extra Expense Insurance

Extra expense insurance reimburses your company for a reasonable sum of money that it spends, over and above normal operating expenses, to avoid having to shut down during the restoration period. Usually, extra expenses will be paid if they help to decrease business interruption costs. In some instances, extra expense insurance alone may provide sufficient coverage, without the purchase of business interruption insurance.

*Article from http://www.iii.org

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Most insurance companies classify vehicle use into one of three categories - commuting to work or transit, commercial use or pleasure and errands only.

While these categories accurately describe the driving behaviour for most people, some drivers who use their vehicle for business purposes have faced dilemma. Do they report they only use their vehicles to commute to work, or do they acknowledge they use their vehicles for commercial purposes and face higher premiums? The answer is "yes", you must disclose the proper usage of your vehicle in order to be properly insured, but make sure you are clear as to the extent you use your vehicle for business.

If you drive your vehicle to work, but also use it to visit clients for limited business, you may need Incidental Business Use Rating and for a small increase in premium, you won't have to worry about having any problems at the time of claim. Imagine the hardship of finding out you are unable to collect after an accident, especially after faithfully paying your insurance premiums because you failed to disclose the actual use of the vehicle. Don't be caught in a situation like this! If in doubt, talk to us about your vehicle usage and see if you need Incidental Business Use!

Commercial vehicle insurance isn't just for big trucks

If you work as a plumber, painter, carpenter or as some other type of contractor, you may need to be rated for Commercial Use instead of commute to work. Whether you are self-employed or work for a larger company doing this type of work, your insurance company could deny any claim if you failed to disclose the Commercial Use of your vehicle.

Other uses that may require a commercial vehicle policy include real estate sales, fast food delivery, catering and landscaping or snowplowing services to name a few.

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Many home-based businesses are either underinsured because the owners thought their business activities were covered under their homeowners policy.

If you run a business out of your home, don't automatically assume your Homeowner's Condominium or Tenants policy has you covered. It doesn't. In fact, unless your insurance company is aware of your home-based business, you may even void your home policy.

As a business owner, you're exposed to insurance risks that aren't covered by your homeowner's policy.

• If your computer is stolen, you may find that it's not covered by your homeowner's policy because business property is excluded; 
• If a delivery person slips and falls when delivering a package, you could be sued and find out you're not covered for injuries associated with business deliveries. 
• If your house burns down, you may find that your fire coverage is void because you didn't tell the insurance company that you were using your home for business.

Fortunately, it's easy and affordable to protect yourself and your business by adding a Home-Based Business extension to your property policy.

For most home-based businesses, this extension is all you need to protect your property and cover any liability exposure arising from your home business. Call us to get started.

For financial professionals, salespeople or providers of specialized services, you may be exposed to different risks. We'll take the time to explain your options and make sure you get the best protection at a competitive price.

Your business is more than a job; it's part of your life. Even a small home operation needs protection against the risks of doing business. Call us to make sure you are properly protected.

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The short answer is yes, and the best way to know what is covered is to talk to your broker.

More and more people are starting home-based businesses, for everything from marketing homemade products to keeping a home office for a consulting business. From an insurer's perspective, this adds new types of risk to your home, and therefore, may require additional insurance.

Residential policies provide limited coverage on business property

Anything you use in running your home-based business is subject to the limits of insurance and/or might not be covered at all. Be aware that:

Dollar limits apply on business property, computer and software.This limit might be as low as $2,000 in total, which would not cover even the most basic home office.

Your policy might completely exclude any special equipment that you keep in your home for business purposes.

Items that are covered for business use are only covered while in the home. So, for example, if the computer you use for your home-based business is stolen while on a trip, it will not be covered.

Some home businesses may require added liability insurance

The operation of your home-based business might mean that you have more people coming and going, and therefore, more risk associated with the activities in your home. If this is the case, not only will a basic liability limit of one million dollars likely not cover you, but also, some insurers might refuse to cover a third party claim by a customer or employee who is injured in your home. If you think this situation applies to you, be sure to tell your broker about your home business and make sure your insurance company is made aware of your home-based business activities.

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