What Cansure does

Cansure is a Canadian Managing General Agent (MGA) operating as a registered tradename of Specialty Program Group Canada Inc. (SPGC), a private corporation headquartered in Vancouver, BC. The company underwrites property and casualty insurance across commercial, personal, and specialty lines—covering 40+ lines of business and 1,000+ classes—distributed exclusively through 1,000+ licensed P&C brokerages nationwide. Cansure's strategic positioning targets hard-to-place and non-standard risks that standard insurance carriers do not adequately serve, including construction (BuilderSURE, up to $100M capacity), cyber (CYBERSURE), pollution liability (EnviroSURE), professional liability (ProSURE), residential strata (RealtySURE), cannabis retail (Cannasure), life sciences, and personal habitational risks for high-net-worth and non-standard dwellings. The specialty/toys segment (motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, pleasure craft) operates under the Beacon sister brand.

The company's distribution platform is the SPGC Portal, a proprietary digital marketplace enabling brokers to quote, bind, and issue policies online 24/7/365 with real-time risk detail editing and automatic policy document issuance. Underwriting authority is delegated from a panel of 15+ leading domestic and global insurance carriers and reinsurers, including Lloyd's, Allianz Global Risks, Aviva Canada, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, Liberty Mutual Canada, Everest, and Gore Mutual. Claims are handled in-house by Specialty Claims Canada. The business model is commission- and fee-based underwriting through delegated authority, with revenue driven by premium volume across multi-brand product lines.

SPGC, the parent operating under which Cansure conducts business, traces its roots to 1937 with Anderson McTague & Associates and is described as the largest delegated underwriting authority enterprise (DUAE) in the Canadian P&C insurance industry. Under President & CEO Cameron Copeland, who joined in 2019, SPGC has pursued acquisition-led growth, most recently amalgamating Totten Insurance Group with Anderson McTague & Associates in January 2025. The company employs 101–250 people, holds no public funding rounds, and is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors.

Name

Cansure

Legal name

Specialty Program Group Canada Inc.

Website

https://cansure.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1937

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Cansure is a Canadian Managing General Agent and registered tradename of Specialty Program Group Canada Inc., underwriting property and casualty insurance across 40+ lines exclusively through 1,000+ licensed P&C brokerages nationwide, specializing in hard-to-place commercial, personal, and specialty risks.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Property and Casualty Insurance

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Claims Adjusting (524291)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services (FSAEADAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Insurance Claims Intake & FNOL Support (BPAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Property casualty insurance
• Managing general agent
• Specialty insurance underwriting
• Commercial insurance broker
• Non-standard risk coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Vancouver

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance Underwriting (MGA Model): As a Managing General Agent (MGA) / delegated underwriting authority enterprise (DUAE), Cansure underwrites insurance policies and earns commissions and fees from insurer and reinsurer partners. The company operates as part of Specialty Program Group Canada, the largest DUAE in Canadian P&C insurance.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Cansure is a Managing General Agent (MGA) that underwrites and distributes property and casualty insurance across Canada, exclusively through licensed P&C brokers. It provides solutions in over 40 lines of business spanning commercial, personal, and specialty (toys) insurance across 1,000+ classes of business, including sub-brands such as BuilderSURE, CYBERSURE, EnviroSURE, RealtySURE, ProSURE, Cannasure, and Beacon. Broker partners use the proprietary SPGC Portal to quote, bind, and issue policies online 24/7/365, with claims handled by in-house examiners.

Product overview

Cansure is a leading Canadian property and casualty insurance Managing General Agent (MGA) offering a comprehensive portfolio of commercial, personal, and specialty insurance products exclusively through licensed brokers. The company operates as a multi-brand platform under Specialty Program Group Canada Inc. (SPGC), with distinct sub-brands including BuilderSURE (construction insurance), CYBERSURE (cyber risk), EnviroSURE (pollution liability), RealtySURE (residential realty), ProSURE (professional liability), Life Sciences, and Cannasure (cannabis retail). Personal lines products cover non-standard habitational risks, vacant dwellings, mobile homes, seasonal dwellings, rented dwellings, and high-value homeowners. The specialty products portfolio includes commercial marine, transportation, recreation, hospitality, and various specialty lines (cyber, crime, legal expense, equipment breakdown, pollution, terrorism, group accident). The company also offers the Beacon brand for lifestyle specialty products (motorcycles, boats, off-road vehicles). All products are distributed through the proprietary SPGC Portal platform enabling brokers to quote, bind, and issue policies online.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Beacon: Lifestyle/toys insurance products including pleasurecraft, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles
• BuilderSURE
• ProSURE
• RealtySURE
• CYBERSURE
• EnviroSURE
• Cannasure
• Life Sciences

Products and services

• Commercial Lines Insurance

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Specialty Program Group Canada (SPGC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCansure is a registered tradename of Specialty Program Group Canada Inc. (SPGC), the largest delegated underwriting authority enterprise (DUAE) in the Canadian P&C insurance industry. SPGC provides the parent organizational structure and shared services including the SPGC Portal platform.
• BeaconcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBeacon is a registered tradename of Specialty Program Group Canada Inc. and operates as a sister brand to Cansure. Beacon handles specialty/toys insurance products including boats, motorcycles, and off-road vehicles.
• Specialty Claims CanadacoreTechnology or IntegrationSpecialty Claims Canada is the in-house claims management department of SPGC, handling claims for Cansure, i3, Beacon, Totten Insurance Group and Anderson McTague & Associates brands. Provides prompt, courteous claim service with focus on quality, responsiveness, and integrity.
• Insurer and Reinsurer PartnerscoreOthersPartner insurance carriers include Lloyd's, Allianz Global Risks, Aviva Canada, HSB Canada, Everest, Gore Mutual, Guarantee Company (Intact), HDI Global Specialty, Liberty Mutual Canada, Max Insurance, Mutual Fire Insurance of BC, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance, Northbridge Insurance, Peace Hills Insurance, Wawanesa Insurance. Represents leading domestic and global brands.
• WICC BC (Women in Insurance Cancer Crusade)minorOthersCansure proudly supports WICC BC through various events fundraising towards the Canadian Cancer Society. Supports women in the insurance industry through charitable initiatives.
• British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)minorOthersCansure sponsors the BCIT Insurance program to introduce students to the insurance industry. Offers annual internship opportunities at the Vancouver head office and often hires directly from the program.
• Totten Insurance GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTotten Insurance Group merged with Anderson McTague & Associates in January 2025 under SPGC Canada. Both are legacy MGA brands alongside Cansure, i3 Underwriting, and Beacon.
• Anderson McTague & AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy MGA brand of SPGC Canada with roots dating back to 1937. Merged with Totten Insurance Group in January 2025 as part of SPGC Canada's legacy MGA brands.
• i3 UnderwritingcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegacy MGA brand of SPGC Canada. One of the legacy brands under the SPGC Canada umbrella alongside Cansure, Beacon, and Totten Insurance Group.
• EcoClaim, The Green Council, The Nature ForceminorOthersSPGC Canada collaborates with environmental organizations including EcoClaim, The Green Council, and The Nature Force for carbon reduction strategies and sustainability initiatives.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Jones DesLauriers: Jones DesLauriers is a leading Canadian specialty MGA and risk management firm operating across commercial, personal, and construction lines. Directly comparable to Cansure as a Canadian specialty MGA serving brokers with delegated underwriting authority across multiple lines of business.
• Trisura Guarantee Insurance Company: Trisura is a Canadian specialty insurance company and MGA platform underwriting surety, warranty, and specialty P&C lines for brokers. Directly comparable to Cansure in its focus on non-standard and specialty commercial risks distributed through the broker channel in Canada.
• Burns & Wilcox: Burns & Wilcox is a North American wholesale insurance broker/MGA specializing in complex commercial and personal lines including hard-to-place risks. Comparable to Cansure in its specialty/niche underwriting expertise and broker-distribution model, though it operates more broadly across the US and Canada.
• RPS (Risk Placement Services): RPS is one of the largest US specialty wholesale brokers and MGAs, distributing complex and non-standard risks through retail agents. Comparable to Cansure as a specialty MGA platform with broad line-of-business coverage and dedicated wholesale distribution, though predominantly US-focused.
• Chutter Underwriting Services: Chutter Underwriting is a Canadian specialty MGA providing commercial and personal lines through brokers. Comparable to Cansure in its Canadian broker-distributed specialty underwriting model.
• PAUL Corporation: PAUL Corporation is a Canadian MGA underwriting specialty personal and commercial lines through brokers across Canada. Directly comparable to Cansure in its Canadian MGA model serving brokers with specialty and non-standard product offerings.
• CRC Insurance Services: CRC Insurance Services is a large US wholesale broker/MGA specializing in commercial and specialty lines distributed through retail agents. Comparable to Cansure in its specialty wholesale brokerage model with delegated underwriting authority across multiple lines of business.

Broad incumbents

• Intact Financial Corporation: Intact Financial is Canada's largest P&C insurer, offering personal, commercial, and specialty lines through brokers and direct channels. Comparable as a broad Canadian P&C incumbent competing for the same broker relationships and risk profiles, though Intact is a primary insurer rather than an MGA.
• Aviva Canada: Aviva Canada is one of the largest P&C insurers in Canada, offering personal and commercial lines through brokers. Comparable as a broad incumbent that also distributes through the same Canadian broker channel, although Aviva underwrites directly rather than as an MGA.
• Hub International: Hub International is one of the largest insurance brokers in North America, including a major Canadian brokerage operation. Comparable to Cansure as a counterpart in the Canadian broker distribution chain — Hub represents the broker side that places business with MGAs like Cansure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cansure
• Xx.com/cansure_mga

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries3 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 Cansure