Bernard Ducharme Assurances

What Bernard Ducharme Assurances does

Bernard Ducharme Assurances is an independent insurance brokerage headquartered in Saint-Césaire, Quebec, with operating branches in Saint-Hyacinthe, Granby, and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Founded in 1947 by Léo Bousquet as an agricultural insurance specialist, the firm has expanded over more than 75 years into a multi-line brokerage serving individuals, families, small and medium enterprises (PME), and the agricultural sector across the Montérégie region of Quebec. Its core offerings include auto, home, agricultural, SME commercial, life, and travel insurance, with a dedicated life and financial services sub-brand (Bernard Ducharme Vie) operating at bernardducharmevie.com. The firm also operates Espace Ducharme, a CSR24-based customer portal for policy management.

The brokerage's technology footprint is modest: Applied Systems WebRater powers online auto and home quoting, while the rest of the value chain is broker-led via phone, email, and in-person consultation at the three branches. The firm distributes through 12+ insurance carrier partnerships — including Intact Assurance, Estrie-Richelieu, Promutuel, Wawanesa, L'Unique, Markel, and others — positioning the brokerage as a multi-carrier aggregator rather than a single-carrier agent. GTM is sales-led and relationship-driven, with online quote tools supplementing the human-touch service model.

Bernard Ducharme Assurances generates revenue primarily through commissions earned on policies placed and renewed across its partner carriers (transaction-fee model). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; quotes are tailored to individual risk profiles. The company was acquired by and integrated into Malouin Assurance around 2021-2024, with Yvan Malouin serving as President of the cabinet. No funding rounds, patents, or public-market activity are associated with the firm.

Name

Bernard Ducharme Assurances

Legal name

Bernard Ducharme Assurances inc.

Website

https://bernardducharme.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Acquired

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Bernard Ducharme Assurances is an independent Quebec insurance brokerage founded in 1947, serving individuals, SMEs, and the agricultural sector across the Montérégie region through three branches and a multi-carrier distribution model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Insurance Brokerage

NAICS

Insurance Agencies and Brokerages (524210)

SIC

Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service (6411)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYFSAEADAA

Retail (Personal Lines) Insurance Brokerage

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Insurance Brokerage & Risk Advisory

SECONDARYFSAEADAB

Commercial Lines Insurance Brokerage

Financial & Insurance/Financial Advisory, Brokerage & Intermediation/Insurance Brokerage & Risk Advisory

Keywords

• Insurance brokerage services
• Agricultural insurance
• Commercial insurance
• Personal lines insurance
• Life insurance planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-hyacinthe

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Insurance brokerage commissions: Revenue generated through commissions from insurance products placed with multiple insurance carriers. Acts as intermediary between customers and insurance providers, earning commissions on policies sold and renewed.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Bernard Ducharme Assurances is an independent insurance brokerage firm operating as an intermediary between customers and multiple insurance carriers. It places personal lines (auto, home, travel), commercial lines (PME/SME), and specialized agricultural insurance coverage on behalf of clients in Quebec, earning commissions from partner insurers including Intact Assurance, Estrie-Richelieu, Promutuel, Wawanesa, L'Unique, and others. The firm also offers life insurance and financial services through its Bernard Ducharme Vie division.

Product overview

Bernard Ducharme Assurances is an independent insurance brokerage offering a comprehensive portfolio of insurance and financial products for individuals, businesses, and agricultural clients. The core offerings include auto insurance, home insurance, agricultural insurance (with specialization since 1947), and SME/business insurance, complemented by life insurance, travel insurance, and financial services through bernardducharmevie.com. The brokerage acts as an aggregator, comparing coverage from multiple insurers (including Intact, Estrie-Richelieu, Promutuel, L'Unique, Wawanesa, and others) to provide tailored solutions. Services include online quote requests, annual policy reviews, and claims advocacy, positioning the firm as a full-service broker rather than a single-product insurer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Bernard Ducharme Vie: Life insurance and financial services division of the company, accessible at bernardducharmevie.com

Products and services

• Auto Insurance (Assurance automobile) Automobile insurance coverage offered through multiple partner insurers, with replacement insurance options and broker-guided claims processing for individual drivers and vehicle owners.
• Home Insurance (Assurance habitation) Homeowners insurance providing property coverage through multiple insurers, with annual policy reviews to ensure adequate protection and optimal premiums for homeowners.
• Agricultural Insurance (Assurance agricole) Specialized farm insurance covering farm property, equipment, livestock, crops, maple syrup operations (acéricole), poultry (avicole), snow removal (déneigement), fruit farming (fruitière), horticulture (horticole), field crops (grande culture), dairy farming (laitière), vegetable farming (maraîchère), sheep farming (ovine), pork farming (porcine), greenhouses (serres), and contract work (travaux à forfait), offered through Estrie-Richelieu and Intact Assurance.
• Small Business Insurance (Assurance PME) Business insurance tailored for entrepreneurs, property owners, condominium associations, service professionals (accountants, lawyers, notaries), retailers, manufacturers, and associations. Includes commercial property, liability, business auto, group insurance, and key person/buy-sell insurance.
• Life Insurance & Financial Services (Assurance vie et services financiers) Life insurance and financial services offered through the Bernard Ducharme Vie division, including group insurance, key employee coverage, buy-sell insurance, life insurance, investments, and business transfer planning.
• Travel Insurance (Assurance voyage) Travel insurance for individuals covering medical emergencies abroad, available through partner Croix Bleue (Blue Cross) and offered via the Bernard Ducharme Vie website.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 70 years serving customers in the region
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, supporting and flagship.

• Markel CorporationcoreOthersInsurance provider partner offering coverage options to customers of Bernard Ducharme Assurances
• Estrie-RichelieucoreOthersRegional insurance provider, one of the listed insurers with 24/7 emergency claims line (1 800 363-8971)
• Intact AssurancecoreOthersMajor insurance provider with 24/7 emergency claims line (1 866 464-2424)
• Promutuel Vallée du Saint-LaurentcoreOthersMutual insurance provider with 24/7 claims line (1 888 590-2433)
• CimesupportingOthersInsurance provider partner listed on the company's trusted insurers
• ProfescausupportingOthersInsurance provider partner listed on the company's trusted insurers
• AprilsupportingOthersInsurance provider partner listed on the company's trusted insurers
• LeclercsupportingOthersInsurance provider with 24/7 emergency line (1 888 384-4545)
• PALsupportingOthersInsurance provider partner listed on the company's trusted insurers
• L'Unique Assurances généralessupportingOthersInsurance provider with 24/7 emergency claims line (1 855 587-0777)
• Wawanesa InsurancesupportingOthersInsurance provider partner listed on the company's trusted insurers
• Croix Bleue (Blue Cross)supportingOthersHealth and travel insurance provider referenced for travel insurance case studies on the website
• Malouin AssuranceflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBernard Ducharme Assurances has become part of Malouin Assurance, integrating under this parent organization. Yvan Malouin serves as president and is responsible for personal information protection.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Malouin Assurance: Parent company of Bernard Ducharme Assurances and a Quebec-based independent insurance brokerage with overlapping personal, commercial, and agricultural lines. Highly comparable because it operates the same broker model, distributes through similar carrier partners, and now absorbs the subject firm's book of business.
• Lussier Dale Parizeau: A Quebec-based independent insurance brokerage serving individuals, businesses, and professionals across multiple lines including auto, home, commercial, and group benefits. Directly comparable as a regional multi-line broker competing for the same Quebec customer base with similar carrier-agnostic positioning.
• BrokerLink: One of Canada's largest personal and commercial insurance brokerages with a multi-branch retail model across multiple provinces including Quebec. Comparable as a multi-line brokerage aggregator that places coverage with multiple carriers and competes for similar personal and SME customers.
• Westland Insurance: A Western Canada-rooted insurance brokerage chain that has expanded nationally, offering personal, commercial, and specialty lines through a branch-based distribution model. Comparable as a growing multi-line brokerage leveraging carrier breadth and local presence to serve individuals and SMEs.
• BFL Canada: One of Canada's largest independent commercial insurance brokerages, operating across the country with a focus on complex commercial, specialty, and group benefits placements. Comparable as an independent Canadian brokerage competing for similar SME and commercial clients in Quebec.

Regional players

• Promutuel Assurance: A Quebec mutual insurer and brokerage network with strong regional brand recognition in the Montérégie and surrounding areas. Comparable as a Quebec-rooted distribution channel that competes for personal and commercial lines customers in the same geographic markets.
• Groupe Ultima: A Quebec-based mutual insurance group offering personal and commercial property-casualty coverage through affiliated mutuals across the province. Comparable as a Quebec regional carrier-broker that competes for similar personal, farm, and small business customers in the same regions.

Broad incumbents

• Desjardins Insurance (Beneva): Quebec's largest financial cooperative with a substantial insurance arm (now Beneva for life and health) offering personal and commercial P&C coverage across the province. Comparable as the dominant incumbent distribution channel for personal and small-business insurance in Quebec.
• Intact Financial Corporation: Canada's largest property and casualty insurer and a key carrier partner of Bernard Ducharme Assurances, also operating direct and broker-distribution brands. Comparable as the broad incumbent whose commission structure and direct-to-consumer investments shape broker economics.
• Wawanesa Insurance: A major Canadian mutual property-casualty insurer with significant Quebec presence and a broker-distribution model. Comparable as one of the carrier partners of Bernard Ducharme Assurances whose commission terms and direct-channel initiatives influence broker competitiveness.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

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Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Bernard Ducharme Assurances