Ontario-based insurance brokerages, Belleville-headquartered McDougall Insurance and Financial (McDougall) and Sunderland-headquartered Brown & Brethour Insurance Brokers Ltd (Brown & Brethour), have merged operations, effective immediately.

The merger enables Brown & Brethour to join McDougall to form an independent broker with 41 offices in Eastern Ontario, the Ottawa Valley, and Central Ontario with 450 employees and over $500 million in property and casualty premium.

As part of the deal, Brown & Brethour employees remain with the organization, while its branch office location continues its operations.

In a statement, McDougall CEO Ross McDougall said Brown & Brethour strengthens McDougall's position in Central Ontario nearby several of its offices.

“As an independent broker, we are committed to continuing our growth pattern and offering great service and great products for our customers,” McDougall added.

The Brown & Brethour deal follows McDougall's merger with Burr Insurance, an insurance broker operating in Belleville, Ontario, announced in July 2021.