Canadian Broker Network (CBN) has named its 2025 Underwriters of the Year, continuing a tradition that highlights the importance of strong broker-underwriter partnerships in the Canadian insurance market.
The awards, delivered in partnership with the Canadian Underwriter magazine, celebrate underwriters across commercial, personal and MGA categories. Winners were nominated by CNB member brokers based on a set of criteria that emphasized underwriting excellence, responsiveness, technical risk knowledge, and a collaborative approach to building client-focused solutions.
What the awards recognize
CBN said the awards go beyond technical ability, with criteria focusing on underwriting knowledge, responsiveness, creativity in structuring coverage, and the ability to deliver client-focused solutions that work for both broker and insurer. Strong relationship-building skills and a collaborative attitude are also considered essential.
"For over a decade, CBN in partnership with Canadian Underwriter magazine, has been recognizing the very best underwriters in the industry," said CBN president Lorie Phair.
Andrew Kemp, CBN chairman, added that the recognition underscores how underwriters help drive stability and growth in the insurance sector. "These accomplishments highlight the crucial role that strong broker-underwriter partnerships play in our industry," he said.
This year's recipients come from many of Canada's leading insurers, including Louise Doucette and Eudora Gaskin of Aviva Canada, Brenden Nelms of Chubb Insurance, and Martine Pelletier of Wawanesa Insurance, as well as from several MGAs, including Trista Alves of Cansure, Paul Ferritto of Totten Group, and Leah McCarthy of Burns & Wilcox. Awardees were recognized in three categories: commercial, personal and MGA underwriting.
In today’s competitive insurance market, underwriters are facing increasing pressure from both sides: clients expect fast, customized coverage, while insurers are tightening risk appetites in response to inflation, climate-driven losses, and regulatory oversight. The ability of underwriters to balance these forces while maintaining strong relationships with brokers has made their role more important than ever.
CBN noted that the awards program is about more than just individual achievement. By spotlighting responsiveness, adaptability, and relationship-building, the recognition reflects how underwriters are adapting to an increasingly complex risk environment shaped by inflation, climate losses, and evolving client expectations.
