Gifford Carr Insurance Group

What Gifford Carr Insurance Group does

Gifford Carr Insurance Group is a privately held, fully Canadian-owned independent insurance brokerage headquartered in Kanata (Ottawa), Ontario. The firm traces its roots to predecessor brokerages Carr & Company and Gifford and Associates, which merged in 2016 to form the current operating company, Gifford Carr Insurance Brokers Inc. (regulated by RIBO/CISRO). A second operating entity, Gifford Carr Benefits and Planning Inc. (regulated by FSRA), was launched in Q3 2023 to offer life, health, disability and financial planning. As of 2025 the group operates six offices: Ottawa East, Kanata (HQ), Burlington, Sudbury, North Bay and Cape Coral, Florida (acquired via Omni One Insurance Agency), serving personal and commercial clients across Ontario and Florida.

The firm distributes insurance through licensed brokers across personal lines (auto, home, tenant, condo, cottage, recreational vehicles, life and health), commercial lines (industry-specific programs across 14 verticals, commercial auto/fleet, commercial property, cyber, D&O, E&O, surety bonds), employee benefits (group benefits, health/wellness spending accounts, pension and retirement solutions) and financial planning. Customer-facing technology consists of a web-based Client Portal and iOS/Android mobile applications, built on Applied Systems infrastructure, supporting policy administration, document access (including pink slips) and claims intake. A refreshed mobile app was announced for 2025.

Gifford Carr earns revenue primarily through carrier commissions on placed personal and commercial premiums, paid annually on both new business and renewals, plus professional-services fees from benefits consulting and financial planning under the Benefits and Planning division. Commercial and retail pricing is quote-based and tailored to individual risk profiles; coverage cannot be bound by voicemail or email and requires direct broker contact. Customer mix spans individual consumers, SMBs (e.g., marina operators, hospitality, contractors) and select enterprise accounts, served through direct broker relationships, inside sales via phone and email, and the self-serve portal channel.

Name

Gifford Carr Insurance Group

Legal name

Gifford Carr Insurance Brokers Inc.

Website

https://giffordcarr.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1946

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Gifford Carr Insurance Group is a privately held Canadian independent insurance brokerage and financial services firm offering personal, commercial, fleet, employee benefits and financial planning products across Ontario and Florida through licensed brokers, client portal and mobile apps.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage (FSAEADAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Risk Management & Insurance Advisory for Families (FSAAADAK)

Keywords

• Personal insurance brokerage
• Commercial insurance brokerage
• Employee benefits administration
• Financial planning services
• Insurance claims advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Ottawa

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices6 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: Brokerage earns commission from insurance carrier partners, calculated as a percentage of the overall insurance premium paid by clients. Commissions are paid annually for both new business and renewals.
2. Employee Benefits and Financial Planning Services: Revenue generated from employee benefits consulting and financial planning services through Gifford Carr Benefits and Planning Inc., regulated by FSRA.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Gifford Carr Insurance Group is an independent insurance brokerage and financial services firm that intermediates between clients and multiple insurance carriers to deliver personal insurance (auto, home, recreational vehicles, life and health), commercial/business insurance (industry-specific programs, commercial vehicle and fleet, commercial property, risk and liability lines including cyber, D&O, E&O), employee benefits and group plans, and personal and business financial planning services. Operations are supported by a Client Portal and iOS/Android mobile app for policy management and claims submission, backed by 24/7 claims advocacy.

Product overview

Gifford Carr Insurance Group is an independent Canadian insurance brokerage and financial services firm offering a unified portfolio of personal and business insurance products, employee benefits administration, and financial planning services. The product portfolio centers on three core pillars: Personal Insurance (covering vehicles, property, recreational vehicles, and life and health), Business Insurance (spanning industry-specific commercial programs, commercial property, commercial vehicle, and risk and liability products), and Financial Solutions (including employee benefits, group plans, and personal and business financial planning). Notable sub-products include Cyber Insurance, Commercial General Liability, Directors and Officers Liability, Marine/Marina Insurance, Technology and Startup Insurance, and Condo Building Insurance. The firm also acquired Omni One Insurance Agency in Florida (2025) to serve Canadian snowbirds and property owners, and launched the Gifford Carr Benefits and Planning Division (2023) to offer integrated group benefits with virtual primary care access. Client self-service is delivered through the Gifford Carr Client Portal (web and mobile apps for iOS and Android). The overall architecture is a platform-plus-modules model, with each product category supported by a dedicated team of specialists.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Omni One Insurance Agency: A Cape Coral, Florida-based insurance agency providing coverage for Florida residents and Canadian snowbirds, acquired by Gifford Carr in 2025.

Products and services

• Personal Insurance Comprehensive personal insurance solutions covering vehicles (car, classic car, motorcycle, Florida vehicle), property (home, cottage, tenant, rental, condo, Florida property), recreational vehicles (ATV, boat, RV/travel trailer, snowmobile, Florida RV), and life and health products (critical illness, disability, health, life, mortgage/credit, travel) for individuals and families across Ontario and Florida.
• Business Insurance Commercial insurance solutions for businesses of all sizes, including industry-specific programs (mechanics, dealerships, contractors, engineers, architects, hospitality, sports and recreation, landscape, healthcare, marina, mining, resorts, professional services, retail, towing, technology/startups), commercial vehicle and fleet coverage (including individually rated commercial auto), commercial property (building, tenant, condo building), and risk and liability products (commercial general liability, cyber, directors and officers liability, key person, errors and omissions, surety bonds).
• Employee Benefits Group benefits programs for employers, including health and wellness spending accounts, pension and retirement solutions, and integrated virtual primary care access, delivered through Gifford Carr Benefits and Planning Inc. and regulated by FSRA.
• Personal Financial Planning Individual financial planning services covering cash flow management, financial plans, savings and retirement, and tax and estate planning, delivered via Gifford Carr Benefits and Planning Inc.
• Business Financial Planning Financial planning services for businesses including budgeting and cash flow analysis, corporate tax and estate planning, and savings and investment plans.
• Omni One Insurance Agency (Florida) Cape Coral, Florida-based insurance agency providing coverage for Florida property owners, vacation homes, and Canadian snowbirds across personal and small-commercial lines, serving as Gifford Carr's first U.S. operation.
• Gifford Carr Client Portal and Mobile App Online client portal and mobile application (iOS and Android) providing clients with digital access to policy documents, pink slips, and claims-submission tools for managing their insurance with Gifford Carr.

Quantifiable outcome

• 86% of team members rate organization as a great place to work
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Omni One Insurance AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2025Acquired Omni One Insurance Agency in Cape Coral, Florida, marking Gifford Carr's first expansion outside Canada. This acquisition enables the firm to serve Canadian snowbirds and residents with Florida properties, providing seamless cross-border insurance support.
• Hockey Helps the HomelessminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2024Annual hockey tournament supporting Shepherds of Good Hope. Gifford Carr has participated for multiple years, raising over $180,000 in 2024 alone.
• W.W. Dopson LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Acquired W.W. Dopson Limited in Sudbury, Ontario, solidifying Gifford Carr's position as the largest independent brokerage in Sudbury and one of the largest in Ontario.
• Gore MutualminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2023Partnership for environmental initiatives including tree-planting events at Kivi Park in Sudbury. Gifford Carr and Gore Mutual planted nearly 5,000 trees together as part of joint commitment to environmental impact and preservation.
• 24h TremblantminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Annual charitable event participant raising funds for children's health and well-being. Gifford Carr team participation helped raise over $4 million for the cause.
• Insurance Carrier PartnerscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMultiple insurance carrier partnerships providing access to diverse coverage options for clients. Commission-based compensation structure with annual payments for new business and renewals.
• Resorts of OntariominorGTM or Marketing PartnerIndustry collaboration for educational webinars on insurance topics relevant to Ontario resort operators ahead of the 2023 summer season.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Belairdirect: Canadian direct-to-consumer insurer with a strong digital self-service platform. Comparable as a competing distribution model targeting the same Ontario personal-lines customers Gifford Carr serves, representing the InsurTech-style threat to traditional brokers.

Direct peers

• Westland Insurance Group: Canadian independent insurance brokerage with multi-province operations including Ontario. Closely comparable to Gifford Carr as an independent retail broker spanning personal, commercial, and specialty lines, though broader geographically and acquired by BrokerLink in 2024.
• BrokerLink: One of Canada's largest independent insurance brokerages with deep Ontario presence across personal and commercial lines. Directly comparable to Gifford Carr in product mix, carrier-broker model, and multi-office Ontario footprint, though larger and PE-backed.
• Jones DesLauriers Insurance Management: Canadian brokerage managing personal, commercial, and group benefits programs. Comparable to Gifford Carr in combining traditional brokerage with employee benefits administration.
• McFarlan Rowlands Insurance Brokers: Ontario-headquartered independent insurance brokerage serving personal and commercial clients. Highly comparable in scale, multi-office model, and product breadth to Gifford Carr.
• Morison Insurance Brokers: Ontario-based independent insurance brokerage offering personal, commercial, and specialty coverage through a multi-office network. Closely aligned with Gifford Carr in operating model and target customer segments.

Broad incumbents

• Hub International: Large North American insurance brokerage with significant Ontario operations. Comparable as a competitor for commercial and personal lines but operates at far greater scale and as a private equity-backed roll-up platform.
• Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. Global insurance brokerage and risk management firm with significant Canadian operations including Ontario. Comparable in product portfolio and commercial lines focus but operates at vastly greater scale across many geographies.
• Intact Financial Corporation: Canada's largest property and casualty insurer with a broker distribution arm and direct-to-consumer brands. Comparable in personal and commercial lines coverage, though Intact is primarily a carrier and competitor to Gifford Carr's carrier partners.
• The Cooperators: Canadian-owned insurance and financial services provider with multi-line personal, commercial, and group benefits offerings. Comparable to Gifford Carr Benefits and Planning Inc. in benefits administration and to its overall brokerage-style integrated offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/GiffordCarrIG
• Facebookfacebook.com/GiffordCarrInsuranceGroup
• LinkedInca.linkedin.com/company/gifford-carr-insurance-group
• Instagraminstagram.com/giffordcarrig

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 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 Gifford Carr Insurance Group