This article was produced in partnership with Desjardins Insurance.
From changing client needs to the onset of innovative technology, the world of insurance is evolving – and quickly. For brokers and advisors, it’s a case of upskilling and self-educating in order to thrive through these complex times.
Speaking to Insurance Business, Rehan Bhanji, National Best Practice Leader at Desjardins Insurance and host of the Discovery Series webinar, explained what is at the heart of their exclusive webinar development.
“In a fast-evolving market like today, advisors are facing more complexity, [evolving] client expectations and pressure to stay ahead,” explained Bhanji. “That’s why we’ve made it our objective to not only support [advisors], but truly empower them. We define personal support by a blend of knowledge, personalized guidance and connection to a community of advisors. This community-first lens not only enhances learning, but also reduces advisor isolation in today’s hybrid working world. It’s about giving advisors the tools, confidence and clarity needed to continue to grow their practice, build deeper and more meaningful relationships with their clients and communities.”
This commitment is brought to life through a dual approach that includes both the Discovery Series and MasterClass Series webinars – designed to address different advisor learning preferences: strategic storytelling and emotional engagement versus technical product deep dives.
“The more we discuss and practise, the better prepared we will be when the opportunity shows up,” added Basak Koksal, Life and Health Insurance Advisor.
Both series offer continuing education (CE) credits, and are available on-demand. The Discovery Series brings storytelling, real-world planning strategies and target markets, helping advisors connect emotionally and authentically with a community of advisors.
“It’s a peer-to-peer model that blends community insight, professional storytelling, and practical tools - designed to evolve with the advisor’s needs,” added Bhanji.
The MasterClass Series complements it by going deeper into technical expertise and product knowledge. “Together, they meet advisors where they are in their journey, whether it’s just starting out or looking to refine their approach,” explained Bhanji. “[And] it doesn’t stop at education. Our regional sales team members and wholesaler networks are there to co-create personalized strategies with advisors, while our marketing tools help them clearly communicate product benefits. It’s a full-circle support system.”
“What really sets the Discovery Series and MasterClass Series apart is that they’re designed for advisors by people who truly understand the advisor journey,” explained Bhanji. “The Discovery Series is all about connection. It brings together advisors and industry voices to share client centric stories, strategies and lessons learned.
The Discovery Series emerged during the pandemic as a direct response to advisors’ need for connection and support while working remotely. Advisors were able to connect with others in a digital space to address shared challenges and learnings. And the podcast, Discovery Series Unplugged, continues that commitment.
“We’ve taken it a step further by giving advisors a space to share their personal journeys, navigating the ups and downs in the industry, and sharing their best practices, helping them thrive,” added Bhanji. “It’s authentic, it’s community driven, and it’s incredibly valuable. I always say, when you have diversity in the voice, you have value in the conversation.”
Being relevant means more than offering content; it requires listening. As Bhanji told IB, they want to make sure that advisors stay ahead of the curve.
“[Firstly], we listen to the advisor community - because it actually starts with the advisor’s story. And those stories shape the content narrative [which is] very important - they help us understand what challenges advisors are facing in real time, whether it's navigating tax efficiency, succession planning, or even evolving client expectations.”
Desjardins Insurance continually analyses continuing education data, advisor feedback, and industry trends to ensure the content produced is timely, relevant, and tailored to advisors’ evolving realities. The objective is to curate the content - not just informative, but make sure that it’s actionable – allowing advisors to walk away with insights they can apply immediately.
But education is just the beginning. As a former wholesaler himself, Bhanji knows how critical personalized support can be.
“Our webinars, Discovery Series and MasterClass Series, they’re powerful tools for education and inspiration, but the real innovation happens in the follow-up process. Our wholesaler teams work one-on-one with advisors every day helping them translate what they’ve learned and put it into action, whether that’s preparing a Critical Illness quote, framing a Participating Life Insurance conversation, or navigating business succession with a shareholder agreement.
“A typical scenario might start with an advisor attending a Discovery Series webcast, and let’s say the narrative was on participating life insurance. That sparks an idea – the next step is a coaching call with the wholesaler. From there, we might help them prepare for a client meeting, build a customized sales strategy, or even co-create a strategy for positioning a sales concept. It’s a blend of education, personalization and human connection.”
As client expectations evolve, Desjardins Insurance ensures advisors are not just keeping up, they’re leading the way.
“Insurance professionals are not just looking for financial guidance anymore. There’s a level of expectation that they truly need to understand family dynamics, succession planning and even healthcare protection needs.”
Advisors, Bhanji noted, are now navigating emotional landscapes as much as financial ones. As he told IB, concepts around relationships with money come up – which is a massive shift. At Desjardins Insurance, the life and health insurance sales’ team are there to help advisors rise to the challenge and be a bigger part of their clients’ lives.
“We build our tools and content around real-life case studies, informed by top advisor questions, claims trends, and wholesaler insights. [For example] we have a show coming up where it’s a critical illness claim story.
Looking to the future, Bhanji is particularly excited about the plethora of webinars that have yet to come, as well as a growing on-demand library of CE-accredited webinars available via the Knowledge Centre. As the fourth year anniversary of the Discovery Series, he told IB that they’re looking at sessions involving buy-sell agreements and participating whole life as a corporate asset class – all led by product experts in advanced markets.
“They're collaborative and on-demand - it’s advisors with inspiring journeys and subject matter experts putting their perspectives in from a real-world success story. The content is driven by their stories, and that’s why those life lessons are especially so important - where advisors take away authentic content and storytelling.”
Discover how Desjardins Insurance can help you in your advisor journey – visit Desjardins Insurance’s Advisor Knowledge Centre page to explore free CE-accredited webinars, podcast episodes, and practical planning tools to elevate your client conversation today.
Upcoming webinars also include: MasterClass Series: PAR as a corporate asset (September 23, 2025) and Economic Outlook (September 17, 2025).
Desjardins Insurance offers a wide range of life and health insurance and savings and investment solutions through our extensive distribution networks. More than five million Canadians are counting on our solid expertise and our people-focused approach at every stage of their lives. Choosing Desjardins Insurance means choosing Desjardins Group, the largest financial cooperative group in North America with 125 years of experience.
Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins Financial Security Life Assurance Company. Desjardins®, Desjardins Insurance®, all trademarks containing the word Desjardins, as well as related logos are trademarks of the Fédération des caisses Desjardins du Québec, used under licence.
For advisor use only.
200 Rue des Commandeurs, Lévis QC G6V 6R2 / 1 866 647-5013
