Billyard Insurance Group
Billyard Insurance Group is a privately-held Canadian independent insurance brokerage operating 85+ branches nationwide, distributing auto, home, business, life, and travel insurance through 30+ carrier partners to 200,000+ Canadian consumers and small businesses.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1990
- HeadquartersWelland, Canada
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Billyard Insurance Group does
Billyard Insurance Group (BIG) is a privately-held Canadian independent insurance brokerage headquartered in Welland, Ontario, operating 85+ branches across the country with a workforce of more than 1,000 licensed insurance professionals serving 200,000+ customers. The firm distributes personal and commercial insurance — auto, home, business, life and financial, and travel — through a network of 30+ carrier partners including Intact, Aviva, Wawanesa, Economical, SGI Canada, and Pembridge. BIG is structured under parent Billyard Holdings Inc., with subsidiary Billyard Investment Group handling life and financial products, and the company explicitly disclaims any ownership interest by an insurance carrier or financial institution.
Revenue is generated almost entirely through commission streams: standard broker commissions on placed policies (12.5% on Ontario auto and 20% on personal/commercial property), recurring on renewals, plus performance-based Contingent Profit Commissions tied to loss ratios, growth, and retention metrics across carrier partners. Distribution combines omni-channel acquisition — a digital self-serve instant quote platform (under 3 minutes) and broker-assisted sales through the branch network — with telematics-enabled usage-based auto discounts (up to 30% at renewal via Intact and Pembridge) and the recently launched PrecisionX AI-based underwriting and fraud-detection platform developed with insurtech MyChoice Financial.
The company's go-to-market emphasizes multi-carrier choice, speed of quote, personalized broker guidance, and accessibility for under-served segments including new Canadians and visitors. Industry recognition includes five consecutive Globe and Mail Canada's Top Growing Companies rankings (2020–2024), Insurance Business Magazine 5-Star Brokerage designations, Big Brokerage of the Year 2022, Top Insurance Employer awards, and the 2024 Insurance Business Canada Award for Digital Innovation in a Brokerage. BIG is governed by a Board that was expanded in 2023–2024, and the leadership team includes a Chief Insurance Officer, COO, and functional directors across Technology, Marketing, People & Culture, and Learning & Development.
Billyard Insurance Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Billyard Insurance Group
- Legal name
- Billyard Insurance Group Inc.
- Website
- https://thebig.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1990
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Billyard Insurance Group is a privately-held Canadian independent insurance brokerage operating 85+ branches nationwide, distributing auto, home, business, life, and travel insurance through 30+ carrier partners to 200,000+ Canadian consumers and small businesses.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Billyard Insurance Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Insurance Brokerage Services
- NAICS
- Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)
- SIC
- Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411), Fire, Marine & Casualty Insurance (6331)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Small Business BOP (Main Street) (FSAJAFAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Commercial General Liability (CGL) (FSAJADAA), Mid-Market Commercial Package (Package Policies) (FSAJAFAB)
Keywords
Where Billyard Insurance Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Welland
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices14 records
Markets served
Billyard Insurance Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Insurance Commission: Receives commission as a percentage of annual insurance premium paid by insurance companies. Typical commission is 12.5% on Ontario Automobile Insurance Policies and 20% on Personal and Commercial Property Policies. Commission is paid annually for both new policies and renewals.
- Contingent Profit Commission: May qualify for additional compensation under Contingent Commission programs with several insurers. These programs incentivize growth, profitability, and retention in desired lines of business. Compensation calculated using proprietary formulas based on overall written premium, growth rates, profitability (loss ratio), and retention percentages.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Multi-carrier independent brokerage offering instant quotes |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels10 records
Billyard Insurance Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Billyard Insurance Group (BIG) is an independent Canadian insurance brokerage that distributes personal and commercial insurance policies on behalf of 30+ carrier partners through 85+ physical branches and a digital self-serve quoting platform. The firm brokers auto, home, business, life and financial, and travel insurance products to Canadian consumers and businesses, earning commission-based revenue on premiums.
Product overview
Billyard Insurance Group (BIG) operates as an independent insurance brokerage offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance products across multiple lines: auto, home, business/commercial, life and financial, and travel insurance. The company serves customers through a network of 30+ insurance carrier partners, providing access to over 200,000 Canadians across 85+ branches nationwide. Key offerings include core insurance products (auto, home, business, life, travel), the PrecisionX AI-powered underwriting platform developed with MyChoice Financial, and a telematics program for usage-based auto insurance discounts. Life and financial products are provided through subsidiary Billyard Investment Group.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- BIG Hearts: Charitable foundation launched in January 2021 to support vulnerable Canadians
- PrecisionX
- BIG Insurance
Products and services
- Auto Insurance Vehicle insurance brokerage covering cars, RVs/motorhomes, classic cars, boats, and motorcycles through a network of 30+ carrier partners, available to individual Canadian consumers.
- Home Insurance Property insurance brokerage for homeowners, condo owners, tenants, rental property owners, and cottage owners, sourced from multiple carrier partners.
- Business Insurance Commercial insurance brokerage covering commercial liability, professional liability, small business, commercial property, and commercial auto for Canadian business clients.
- Life & Financial Insurance Life, critical illness, personal health, pet, and group benefits insurance brokerage offered through affiliate Billyard Investment Group for individuals and groups.
- Travel Insurance Travel insurance brokerage for frequent travellers, students, seniors, and visitors to Canada, sourced through carrier partners.
- PrecisionX AI-based underwriting and pre-risk assessment platform co-developed with MyChoice Financial that runs 70+ validations (motor vehicle record cross-referencing, undisclosed claims/convictions detection, unlisted driver/vehicle flagging) and is offered to insurance carrier partners to reduce loss ratios.
Quantifiable outcome
- Telematics program can decrease auto insurance by up to 30% on renewal for safe drivers
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Billyard Insurance Group
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Billyard Insurance Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability2 records
Feature2 records
Billyard Insurance Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- MyChoice FinancialcorePartnership with Canadian insurtech MyChoice Financial to launch PrecisionX, an AI-based underwriting and pre-risk assessment platform. The platform performs 70+ validations to detect soft fraud, rate evasion, and premium leakage earlier in the broker workflow. Technology has been in market for over a year and resulted in measurable loss-ratio improvements for carrier partners.
- Intact InsurancecoreIntact Insurance is one of the insurance companies offering telematics discount program through Billyard Insurance Group. The program rewards good driving behavior with potential discounts of up to 30% on auto insurance at renewal.
- Pembridge InsurancecorePembridge Insurance is one of the insurance companies offering telematics discount program through Billyard Insurance Group. The program rewards good driving behavior with potential discounts of up to 30% on auto insurance at renewal.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves12 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Billyard Insurance Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BrokerLink: One of Canada's largest independent insurance brokerages with hundreds of branches across multiple provinces. Directly comparable to BIG as a multi-line retail brokerage serving personal and commercial customers with similar carrier-agnostic model.
- Westland Insurance: Western Canada-focused insurance brokerage chain with extensive branch network. Comparable multi-line retail brokerage model with personal and commercial lines, similar digital-and-broker hybrid distribution approach.
Broad incumbents
- Hub International: Large North American insurance brokerage with significant Canadian operations. Provides similar brokerage services across personal and commercial lines but at much larger scale and broader geographic footprint.
- Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage and risk management firm with Canadian operations. Competes in commercial brokerage space and offers overlapping capabilities at significantly larger scale.
- Marsh Canada: Subsidiary of Marsh McLennan, one of the world's largest insurance brokerages. Operates in the Canadian market with focus on commercial and specialty insurance brokerage services.
- Intact Financial Corporation: Canada's largest P&C insurer with proprietary broker distribution (Intact Insurance) plus direct-to-consumer (Belairdirect). Overlaps with BIG as both a carrier partner and a competing distribution channel.
- Aviva Canada: Major Canadian P&C insurer that distributes through broker network. Competes as a carrier partner to BIG while also owning broker distribution capabilities.
Emerging players
- Sonnet Insurance: Digital-first direct-to-consumer insurance provider in Canada. Represents the disintermediation threat to traditional brokerage models like BIG's, competing primarily in personal lines.
- Belairdirect: Intact-owned direct-to-consumer insurance brand in Canada. Competes with broker distribution through digital channels, particularly for personal auto and home insurance.
Regional players
- CAA Insurance: Insurance offering from Canadian Automobile Association sold primarily to CAA members across multiple provinces. Competes in personal lines auto/home with membership-based distribution model different from traditional brokerage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Billyard Insurance Group social profiles
Digital presenceBillyard Insurance Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Billyard Insurance Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Billyard Insurance Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Billyard Insurance Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Billyard Insurance Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Billyard Insurance Group
What does Billyard Insurance Group do?
Billyard Insurance Group (BIG) is an independent Canadian insurance brokerage that distributes personal and commercial insurance policies on behalf of 30+ carrier partners through 85+ physical branches and a digital self-serve quoting platform. The firm brokers auto, home, business, life and financial, and travel insurance products to Canadian consumers and businesses, earning commission-based revenue on premiums.
Is Billyard Insurance Group a public or private company?
Billyard Insurance Group is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Billyard Insurance Group founded?
Billyard Insurance Group was founded in 1990. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Billyard Insurance Group based?
Billyard Insurance Group is headquartered in Welland, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Billyard Insurance Group make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Insurance Commission is the primary driver. The others are contingent Profit Commission.
Who are Billyard Insurance Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BrokerLink and Westland Insurance. Broad incumbents are Hub International, Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Marsh Canada, Intact Financial Corporation and Aviva Canada. Emerging players are Sonnet Insurance and Belairdirect. CAA Insurance is listed as a regional player.
Does Billyard Insurance Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Billyard Insurance Group.
What industry is Billyard Insurance Group in?
Billyard Insurance Group's product category is Insurance Brokerage Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAJAFAA, Small Business BOP (Main Street), with a secondary code of FSAJADAA, Commercial General Liability (CGL). Its NAICS code is 5242 and its SIC code is 6411.