Every November, a room full of Canada's insurance industry stands to applaud the people who defined its year. Who gets to stand on that stage starts now – nominations for the 2026 Insurance Business Canada Awards close on July 24 at 11:59 pm ET, with no fee, a form that takes minutes, and a call open to brokers, insurers, MGAs, underwriters, risk managers and service providers alike. All it takes is a visit to the Nominate page, the nominee's details, and a brief reason within 300 words.
If you're wondering who deserves that nomination, last year's winners offer a reminder of what the night celebrates.
At the 2025 gala, the trophies mattered less than what the people holding them said. Accepting Life & Health Insurer of the Year for Sun Life, Rowena Chan kept it simple: "It's all teamwork." Sun Life's advantage, she said, lies in "the right talent to execute on the right vision," guided by one principle: "We always put [the] client first, and that will always drive the right action to deliver the right results for Canadians."
Glen MacRae of Wilson M. Beck Insurance, recognized with the Lifetime Achievement award, put a career's worth of perspective into one line: "It's a people business. It's all about relationships." Technology, he argued, is "irrelevant" if it isn't grounded in human needs. The customer, he said, "in the solar system of insurance is the Sun King, and our eyes should always be on their needs."
The claims winners spoke about showing up in clients' hardest moments. A top adjuster is "full of empathy," said Greg Smith of Crawford & Company, crowned Best Claims Management Firm, remembering that claims often land "in one of the most difficult situations the client may be experiencing." Gavin Mascarenhas of Travelers Canada, which took Claims Team of the Year – Insurer, credited "our people, 100% our people" — professionals who "truly, deeply care about our customers" and prove that "it takes a village" to deliver on the promise. For Brett Graham of Agile Underwriting Solutions, it comes down to one thing: "Nobody wants to buy insurance, but when they have a claim, that's what it's there for. So it's all about providing that over-the-top service for our clients."
Leadership honourees turned the spotlight outward. "Leadership is more than just that simple title," said Beneva's Jean-François Chalifoux, named CEO of the Year. "It's a responsibility to inspire people and a responsibility to create a meaning, to create a purpose, to share your vision." For Woman of Distinction Donna Mulligan of Zurich Canada, the award recognized "female leadership with heart, so beyond the bottom line" — and leadership means "showing up in [an] authentic way to demonstrate what you can be."
Younger voices carried the same thread. For Morgan Mackenzie of Western Financial Group, named Young Achiever of the Year, the motivation is "the impact that we have on the lives of people." Shara Bierman of Strong Roots Insurance Brokers, whose brokerage won its category, credited "amazing staff, 100% my team," who "work so hard every single day to pour into the needs of our clients."
And broker winners insisted, in a year dominated by AI talk, that the human element endures. Jason Di Vincenzo of Insureit Group, named Canadian Insurance Broker of the Year, traced three decades of success to a simple motive: "When I got into business, I got into it to really help people." He still visits clients at home and wants them to call "even at two o'clock in the morning" so he can show up and help. Asked whether insurance will always be a human business, he didn't hesitate: "Absolutely, 100%."
That's who the awards are for — the colleague who answers at 2 am, the adjuster who leads with empathy, the leader who builds purpose, the team that shows up every day. If someone comes to mind reading this, that's your nominee.
The only real mistake is to wait. Almost everything — research, submissions, judging — happens after the window closes, so it all hinges on getting a name in before the deadline. Nominations take minutes, cost nothing, and close July 24 at 11:59 pm ET.
