Brad Toole, Partner at New Brunswick-based Wilson Insurance Ltd., prides himself on his ‘beyond the quote’ approach, and for the personal support he strives to offer. But before he was managing Wilson’s construction and surety clients, he provided support of the IT variety.
“It’s kind of funny because I was originally hired at Wilson Insurance as a network administrator because I have a background in IT, I started here in 2001 doing that,” he says. “However, I got licenced right away. And I guess that’s when I caught the insurance bug.”
Toole was then mentored by a senior partner, who helped him build key relationships and showed him the construction ropes. From there, it was only a matter of time before he rose through the ranks, achieving partner in 2014.
Construction and surety, in particular, keeps Toole engaged, as the industry is constantly evolving.
“It changes so rapidly, especially working in construction,” he says. “Contractors are bidding jobs, and they’re asking us for advice on insurance requirements, everything is changing day to day. However, I have a really great team behind me, so they really do a lot of the dirty work so to speak.”
He adds that environmental insurance, in particular, is a burgeoning area, with a growing focus that didn’t exist a mere decade ago.
“I think the regulator compliance, especially environmental insurance being on top now – that’s something you didn’t see even 10 years ago. We’re seeing more and more of that.”
When Toole isn’t in the office – or fly fishing, a favourite past time – he’s dropping in on his clients, a friendly touch he chalks up to the tight knit East Coast market.
“I think we’re in a smaller market here, I pride myself – the clients I have, I talk to them a lot, and relationships are huge. I get to visit them often – I’m in their offices weekly at least. If I’m dropping something off, I make a point to go. I don’t hear that from the bigger markets.”
