Avant Insurance Brokers

What Avant Insurance Brokers does

Avant Insurance Brokers Ltd. is a family-owned, independent insurance brokerage founded in March 2016 by Cole Leitch and headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The firm operates three offices across Winnipeg with approximately 20 staff and serves clients across Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia). Its core product portfolio includes Commercial Insurance (property, general liability, professional liability, cyber), Surety Bonds (construction, fidelity, specialized), VIP Home & Tenant Insurance for high-value residences, Auto Insurance administered through Manitoba Public Insurance, Travel Insurance (via Manitoba Blue Cross and TuGo), Cybersecurity Insurance, and Claims Processing support. The Leitch family's commercial brokerage heritage dates to 1994.

The firm's revenue model is commission-based: as an independent broker, Avant earns commissions from insurers when placing coverage, representing virtually all major Canadian carriers. Pricing is quote-based, varying by individual risk factors, with annual billing cadence. Go-to-market is sales-led, executed through dedicated account executives providing face-to-face consultations, phone, email, and an after-hours emergency claims line. The brokerage employs a hybrid segmentation approach spanning commercial businesses (local to global), VIP homeowners, Manitoba auto clients, and travelers.

In 2021, Avant partnered with Navacord, Canada's third largest brokerage, gaining access to a network of over 60 independently operated brokerages across Canada while retaining decentralized independence under CEO Cole Leitch. Leadership comprises Cole Leitch (President & CEO), Diana Leitch (VP Administration), Nick Leitch (Senior Vice President), and Chantelle Markus (Director of Operations). In early 2026, Avant consolidated its transportation insurance assets under SPG Transportation (Specialty Program Group). The firm has earned multiple Top Insurance Employer and 5 Star Brokerage recognitions from Insurance Business Canada and was named in Start Up Canada's Top New Growth Companies 2020.

Name

Avant Insurance Brokers

Legal name

Avant Insurance Brokers Ltd.

Website

https://avantinsurance.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Avant Insurance Brokers is a family-owned independent insurance brokerage in Winnipeg, Canada, providing commercial P&C, surety, VIP home, auto, travel, and cyber insurance to businesses and individuals across Western Canada, operating through the Navacord partnership network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Winnipeg

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Insurance Brokerage Commissions: As an independent insurance broker, Avant Insurance earns commissions from insurance companies when placing coverage for clients. The firm represents clients and works to find the best insurance solutions across multiple insurers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Avant Insurance Brokers is a family-owned independent insurance brokerage that places coverage for clients across multiple Canadian insurers. Its core offerings include Commercial P&C Insurance (property, general liability, professional liability, cyber risks), Surety Bonds, VIP Home & Tenant Insurance, Auto Insurance (via Manitoba Public Insurance), Travel Insurance (via Manitoba Blue Cross and TuGo), and Cybersecurity Insurance, supported by guided claims processing services for clients in Western Canada.

Product overview

Avant Insurance Brokers is a family-owned insurance brokerage offering a portfolio of insurance products and services. The core offerings include Commercial Insurance, Surety Bonds, Home & Tenant Insurance, Auto Insurance, Travel Insurance (through Manitoba Blue Cross and TuGo), and Cybersecurity Insurance. These products are complemented by Claims Processing services. The company serves commercial and VIP home insurance clients across Western Canada (Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia), with access to major Canadian insurance markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Commercial Insurance

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SPG TransportationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2026Transportation insurance businesses including Avant Brokerage and Avant Underwriters were consolidated under SPG Transportation (Specialty Program Group). The consolidation unifies leading transportation brands under SPG banner, providing greater market clarity, strengthened collaboration, and expanded market access for trucking, last mile delivery, and moving and storage risks.
• NavacordcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2024Avant Insurance joined Navacord, Canada's third largest brokerage. Navacord has a unique ownership model allowing entrepreneurial brokerages to grow without sacrificing identity and culture. The partnership provides access to new markets, products, services, investments, technology, career development, and referral opportunities. Avant maintains its decentralized operations with Cole Leitch remaining as President & CEO.
• Manitoba Blue CrosscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAvant Insurance represents Manitoba Blue Cross for travel insurance products, arranging coverage for clients traveling out-of-country or within Canada.
• TuGocoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAvant Insurance represents TuGo for travel insurance products, offering coverage for emergency medical, trip cancellation, and other travel-related insurance needs.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Marsh Canada: Global brokerage's Canadian arm serving mid-market to enterprise clients with commercial P&C, surety, and risk consulting. Competes in the same Western Canada commercial segments as Avant.
• Aon Canada: Global brokerage's Canadian operations covering commercial P&C, surety, and specialty lines. Competes with Avant for larger commercial and specialty accounts across Western Canada.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. (Canada): Global brokerage with substantial Canadian operations offering commercial P&C, surety, and risk management services. Competes with Avant in commercial and specialty lines with greater scale and resources.
• HUB International: Global insurance brokerage with significant Canadian operations including Western Canada. Competes for mid-market and enterprise commercial accounts, offering broader specialty and risk management capabilities than Avant.
• Navacord: Canada's third largest brokerage and Avant's strategic parent/partnership platform. Operates a decentralized model with 60+ partner brokerages across Canada, making it the most directly comparable Canadian multi-brokerage consolidator.

Regional players

• Acera Insurance: Western Canada-focused independent insurance brokerage with multi-province reach. Highly comparable to Avant in regional focus, commercial/specialty emphasis, and independent ownership model, though larger in scale.

Direct peers

• BFL Canada: Canadian specialty insurance brokerage focusing on commercial, surety, and niche lines. Directly comparable to Avant's specialty commercial and surety positioning, with similar independent ownership roots.
• Westland Insurance: Major Canadian independent brokerage with strong Western Canada presence (BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba). Closest scale-comparable direct peer competing for similar commercial and personal lines clients.
• BrokerLink: One of Canada's largest direct-to-consumer insurance brokerages offering personal and commercial P&C across multiple provinces. Competes with Avant in Western Canada for personal lines and SMB commercial accounts.

Others

• Sun Life Insurance (Canada): Major Canadian financial services and insurance provider offering personal lines (life, health, wealth). Adjacent rather than directly competing, but represents the broader ecosystem of personal insurance distribution in Canada.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/avantinsurance
• Xx.com/avant_insurance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/avant-insurance-brokers-ltd

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Avant Insurance Brokers