Policy doesn’t just get handed down – it’s shaped in rooms where brokers can have a seat. That early involvement gives commercial teams a critical edge when regulatory changes hit, according to Suzanne Cardinal (pictured), commercial lines manager at Ontario West and Bill Blaney Insurance Brokers.
“One of the benefits of being involved in the advocacy work that we do is that you do gain insight on where the current government may be going, in terms of policy direction,” said Cardinal. “You’ve always got a head start – that’s what it boils down to.”
Being part of the policy conversation gives broker leaders a runway to anticipate change and prepare their teams accordingly. “We’ve sort of been workshopping it on the advocacy front to start with,” she said. “I can manage the change better because I’ve got a head start. I’m not just finding out about everything two months before.”
That lead time allows for deeper planning. Advocacy groups often surface potential scenarios and risks that might otherwise go unconsidered. “Someone else will come up with something I hadn’t even thought of,” Cardinal said. “It lets me arm my team with everything we’ve already anticipated might happen with whatever the new regulation is.”
The process of getting ahead starts internally. Before anything gets communicated to clients, Cardinal ensures her commercial team is fully aligned. That begins with understanding the regulatory or policy shift not just in theory, but in terms of practical impact. “My first task as a team leader is to make sure I understand what’s coming – and start identifying which clients will be most affected,” she said.
From there, the team builds out a strategy. With a dedicated collaboration space and culture of open dialogue, they focus on implementation, messaging, and preparing for client conversations. “We’ll sit down together and ask, ‘What are the main points we need to hit with each client? What questions are likely to come up? What responses do we already have in place?’”
That preparation is essential, because for Cardinal, clear and empathetic communication is non-negotiable. Clients want to understand not just what’s changing, but why. And even when outcomes are unpopular, context can help.
“Sometimes, it’s helpful if people know there was a process,” she said. “It wasn’t just some guy that decided this is how it’s going to be. When clients understand there was consultation, negotiation, and planning involved, they’re more receptive.”
Cardinal referenced upcoming auto insurance changes in Ontario as an example. “It’s a lot easier to accept when you know there was a process and a timeline, rather than thinking ‘Doug Ford just wants to mess up my life,’” she said.
She also expects her team to be flexible communicators – able to explain policy in multiple ways, depending on the client. “We spend a lot of our time teaching,” she said. “Sometimes you explain something and it doesn’t land, so you need a backup – a different phrasing, an example, something visual that helps connect the dots.”
By anticipating roadblocks and scripting responses in advance, Cardinal’s team delivers clarity, not confusion. It’s not about softening the blow – it’s about helping clients feel informed and in control.
“Even if they don’t like the outcome,” she said, “they can live with it – because they understand how we got there.”
