Unica Insurance : Everything you need to know

Unica Insurance: Everything you need to know

About Unica Insurance

Unica Insurance is an insurance carrier delivering both niche commercial solutions (including property and liability, vehicle, and small business products) and personal insurance products for high-net-worth clients, including coverage for properties, vehicles, and leisure and lifestyle, as well as umbrella insurance.

Unica is a subsidiary of La Capitale General Insurance, which is one of the largest property and casualty insurers in Canada. Unica’s products are delivered through a network of insurance brokers across Ontario – a channel that the company consistently stands behind.

Unica has been recognized as a Five-Star Carrier by Insurance Business as well as a Top Insurance Workplace.

History of Unica Insurance

Unica’s roots date back to 1955, though it was initially a non-standard automobile insurer called York Fire & Casualty Insurance Company. In 2007, the company was drowning after years of poor results and its future prospects looked dim. However, in 2008, York Fire & Casualty was acquired by La Capitale General Insurance, which kicked off one of the most significant industry turnarounds in recent years.

Following the acquisition, York Fire & Casualty was rebranded to Unica Insurance and was reinvented as a niche carrier with its current strong focus on commercial lines and VIP personal insurance solutions. As part of this reinvention, the Ontario-based firm re-focused its broker strategy, reducing its broker partnerships from 240 in 2008 to just 97 in 2019.

Leadership at Unica Insurance

Yves Gagnon – Chief operating officer

Gagnon holds a bachelor's degree in economics and has extensive experience in the property and casualty insurance industry, where he has worked since 1983.

Prior to joining L’Unique General Insurance in 2000 as director of marketing, he held several key senior management positions with other major insurers. From 2004 to 2018, he served as vice-president of sales and development, managing the firm’s business development and personal lines departments. In 2018, Gagnon was appointed chief operating officer of L'Unique, a position he held until his appointment as COO for both Unica Insurance and L’Unique General Insurance in 2021.

Culture at Unica Insurance

Unica has established itself as a “people first” company and offers many benefits to its employees, including work-life balance through paid vacation time, paid company holidays, two floater days, and additional time off for important events, like moving, marriage, and having kids.

Unica also boasts a strong social and environmental commitment, and meets sustainable development standards. The carrier manages the way its operations affect the environment and surrounding community through its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building, a partnership with The Carpool Network, as well as an eco-committee that sponsors ideas to encourage environmentally friendly behaviours among its employees and the broader business operations.