What Burns and Wilcox Canada does

Burns & Wilcox Canada is the Canadian operating division of Burns & Wilcox, Ltd., a specialty insurance Managing General Agent (MGA) and wholesale broker headquartered in the United States under the H.W. Kaufman Group. Established as a Canadian division around 2019, the company distributes more than 300 specialty insurance products exclusively through retail insurance brokers and agents across Canada, providing market access and underwriting expertise for hard-to-place risks that standard insurers typically decline. The company operates 7 Canadian offices spanning Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Halifax, Ottawa, Montreal, and St. John's, covering all major provincial insurance jurisdictions.

The company's product platform is organized across three core practice areas — Commercial, Personal, and Professional — and 19 specialty verticals including Construction, Environmental, Cannabis, Cyber/Privacy/Technology/Media, Healthcare, Marine, Transportation, Energy, Hospitality, Habitational, and High-Value Personal Solutions. Key product capabilities include Commercial Property coverage up to $15M, Pollution Legal Liability, Errors and Omissions, Management Liability, and specialty Personal lines with wildfire defense services. The underlying technology consists of a traditional insurance underwriting and brokerage platform, supplemented by integrations such as the Loadsure on-demand Transportation coverage partnership. Recent product launches in 2025 and 2026 include an exclusive Wildfire Defense Services Program for western provinces, enhanced Builder's Risk coverage, and a second specialty Homeowners' product addressing a hardening Personal lines market.

Burns & Wilcox Canada generates revenue through wholesale brokerage and MGA commissions earned on specialty insurance placements submitted by retail brokers and agents. Pricing is quote-based and risk-specific rather than publicly disclosed, with terms determined through underwriting based on individual risk assessment. The company serves over 10,000 brokers and agents globally as part of a 60+ office H.W. Kaufman Group network, distributing thought leadership via its Intel platform and Insurance Market Source publication. Leadership includes Vice Presidents such as Patricia Sheridan (Commercial Insurance, Toronto) and Tyson Peel (VP & Director of P&C), along with dedicated practice leads for Construction, Environmental, Marine, Cannabis, and Professional Liability.

Name

Burns and Wilcox Canada

Legal name

Burns & Wilcox, Ltd.

Website

https://burnsandwilcox.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Burns & Wilcox Canada is a specialty insurance managing general agent and wholesale broker that distributes 300+ products across Commercial, Personal, and Professional lines to retail brokers and agents in Canada, operating 7 offices nationally under H.W. Kaufman Group.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Insurance Brokerage (MGA/Wholesale)

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210), Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (52421), Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities (5242)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro primary industry

Insurance Program Administration & MGA/MGU Services (FSAEADAK)

Keywords

• Specialty insurance brokerage
• Wholesale insurance broker
• Managing general agent
• Commercial insurance solutions
• Professional liability coverage

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Wholesale Brokerage / MGA Commissions: As a Managing General Agent (MGA) and wholesale broker, Burns & Wilcox Canada earns commissions from insurance carriers for placing specialty insurance business submitted by retail brokers and agents. The company facilitates access to broad market capacity and specialized coverage solutions for hard-to-place risks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Burns & Wilcox Canada operates as a Managing General Agent (MGA) and wholesale insurance broker, providing retail insurance brokers and agents with access to specialty insurance markets across more than 300 products. The company places complex and hard-to-place risks through broad market capacity across Commercial, Personal, and Professional practice areas, including specialty lines such as Construction, Environmental, Cannabis, Cyber, Marine, Healthcare, and Hospitality.

Product overview

Burns & Wilcox Canada operates as a specialty insurance managing general agent (MGA) offering over 300 insurance products across three core practice areas: Commercial, Personal, and Professional. The company provides specialty insurance solutions through 19 distinct specialty lines including Property, Casualty, Environmental, Construction, Transportation, Marine, Healthcare, Cannabis, Cyber/Privacy/Technology/Media, and more. Key product offerings include Commercial Property Insurance, Environmental/Site Pollution Liability Insurance, Commercial General Liability Insurance, Personal Homeowners Insurance (including High-Value Solutions with Wildfire Defense Services), Personal Umbrella Insurance, Personal Articles Floater, and Specialty Lines such as Errors and Omissions, Architects and Engineers, and Management Liability. The company integrates with Loadsure for on-demand Transportation coverage and has recently launched Wildfire Defense Services and a second Specialty Homeowners' product to address evolving market needs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Insurance Market Source: A thought leadership publication by Burns & Wilcox delivering industry insights, market outlooks, and expert commentary on specialty insurance trends across North America.

Products and services

• Commercial Property Insurance Coverage for buildings, equipment, and inventory damage from commercial property losses, including warehouse fires, with Business Interruption Coverage enhancements. Property capacity up to $15 million.
• Environmental Insurance / Site Pollution Liability Pollution Legal Liability Insurance covering environmental cleanup, third-party bodily injury and property damage claims, legal defense and settlements, and first-party pollution incident costs.
• Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance General liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage, with limited coverage for pollution-related third-party injuries from fires.
• Homeowners Insurance Standard and specialty homeowners coverage including protection for high-value homes and properties in CAT-prone regions, available to retail brokers for placement with end clients.
• High-Value Solutions (Personal) Specialty coverage for high-value homes featuring wildfire defense, layered coverage solutions, FAIR Plan Wrap policies, and personalized coverage bundling.
• Personal Umbrella Insurance Additional liability protection above underlying Homeowners Insurance limits for individual clients.
• Personal Articles Floater Coverage for high-value collections and individual items including jewelry, art, and collectibles.
• Construction Insurance Coverage for construction risks including Builder's Risk programs, contractor classes, and construction defect exposures.
• Transportation Insurance Coverage for trucking operations and transportation sector, including Loadsure on-demand coverage integration for mid-sized trucking operations.
• Marine Insurance Ocean Marine and Inland Marine coverage for marine cargo, maritime operations, and transportation-related marine exposures.
• Healthcare Liability Coverage for healthcare providers, medspas, regenerative and alternative therapies with complex regulatory considerations.
• Cyber/Privacy/Technology/Media Insurance Cyber insurance and coverage for technology, privacy, and media sector exposures including AI-related risks.
• Cannabis Insurance Specialty coverage for cannabis sector including Micro Producers, Building Owners with Cannabis Tenants, Dispensaries, and Licensed Producers with holistic product offerings.
• Errors and Omissions (E&O) Professional liability coverage for errors and omissions across various professions and Miscellaneous E&O sectors.
• Architects and Engineers Insurance Professional liability coverage for design-build industry and architectural and engineering firms facing increasing lawsuits.
• Management Liability Coverage for management liability exposures including Directors & Officers, and management responsibility risks.
• Habitational Insurance Coverage for residential habitational risks including apartment buildings, student housing, and rooming houses.
• Hospitality Insurance Coverage for hospitality operations including hotels, restaurants, licensed establishments, and liquor liability.
• Energy Insurance Specialty coverage for energy sector exposures and related operational risks.
• Wildfire Defense Services Program Exclusive program offering enhanced solutions including wildfire defense services for western provinces, designed to address growing wildfire risks in CAT-prone regions.
• Construction/Builder's Risk Program Construction program with streamlined internal processes for faster quoting and enhancements to Builder's Risk offering added value and flexibility for brokers and clients.
• Second Specialty Homeowners' Product New specialty Homeowners' product providing additional coverage options for Canadian brokers navigating a more disciplined Personal lines market.

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Intact Insurance: Canada's largest P&C insurance company offering specialty and commercial lines through broker distribution. Comparable as a major Canadian specialty insurance provider with established broker relationships.
• Markel Canada: Canadian specialty insurer offering commercial, professional liability, and niche products through broker distribution. Comparable as a specialty-focused insurance provider serving Canadian brokers with complex risk placements.
• Northbridge Financial Corporation: Canadian commercial property and casualty insurance carrier serving commercial brokers nationwide. Comparable as a Canadian specialty insurance provider with broker distribution model, though operating as a carrier rather than MGA.
• Liberty Mutual Canada: Canadian operations of Liberty Mutual offering specialty commercial and personal insurance through broker distribution. Comparable as a global insurance group with Canadian specialty broker-served operations.
• Burns & Wilcox (US Operations): The US parent operations of Burns & Wilcox Canada, offering the same MGA/wholesale broker model with broader US geographic reach and larger scale. Provides product development and capacity relationships that support the Canadian division.
• Aviva Canada: Major Canadian insurance carrier offering personal and commercial specialty products through broker distribution. Comparable as a large Canadian insurance provider with specialty offerings serving retail brokers.
• CNA Canada: Canadian specialty insurance operation of CNA Financial, offering professional liability, cyber, and commercial specialty coverage. Comparable as a specialty insurance provider with expertise in complex commercial and professional lines.

Direct peers

• RPS (Risk Placement Services) Canada: Wholesale broker and MGA operating in Canada, part of RPS/Ryan Specialty. Offers specialty insurance placement through retail brokers with similar wholesale distribution model to Burns & Wilcox Canada.
• Victor Insurance Managers (Canada): Canadian MGA operation under Victor Insurance Managers (TIH/Marsh), providing specialty and program insurance through retail broker distribution. Directly comparable as an MGA platform serving Canadian brokers with specialty products.
• Trisura Guarantee Insurance Company: Canadian specialty insurer and MGA offering surety, warranty, and specialty insurance products through broker distribution. Comparable to Burns & Wilcox Canada as both operate as Canadian specialty insurance intermediaries serving retail brokers with hard-to-place risks.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burns-&-wilcox
• Xx.com/burnswilcox

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 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 Burns and Wilcox Canada