Providing insurance should always start with a desire to put customers first — to speak to them directly, sincerely, and show them that their needs are important.
At least that’s what Jean Meloche had envisioned.
In 1949, Jean Meloche, a Montreal-based insurance broker, founded J. Meloche Inc., – an insurance business that would later become TD Insurance (TDI) – aimed at protecting the interests of customers.
Meloche was known in the industry, not only for his candour and airtight sales pitch, but also for his view that insurance was a way of life; it was an art – but only if it was practiced with sincerity and simplicity.
In 1973, with Meloche’s son at the helm, J. Meloche Inc. went national and opened its first Toronto office. After a series of mergers, acquisitions and name changes, the business officially became TD Insurance in 2001.
Today, TD Insurance has become Canada's leading direct-to-consumer insurer, offering property and casualty, small business, and life and health insurance products to customers across Canada.
After seventy-five years of serving customers, the founding principle of the company remains the same: to always put Canadian customers and their families first in their moments of need.
"These are the values TD Insurance continues to uphold today - even as the needs of customers and the industry continuously evolve," said James Russell, President and CEO of TD Insurance.
“Jean Meloche’s values gave us the foundation,” Russell said. “But innovation is the principle that can help us build and drive us forward.”
Managing the challenges posed by an evolving insurance industry
"The insurance industry has experienced significant change in the last 20 years," Russell said. "Inflation, a rise in auto theft, and increasingly severe weather are putting increased pressure on Canadians and the industry at large."
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, 2024 is proving to be the highest loss year Canadians and the insurance industry have ever faced because of severe weather across the country. And insurance companies are often one of the first points of contact for Canadians who’ve been impacted.
From the flooding in Toronto and Quebec to the hailstorm and wildfires in Alberta this year, TD Insurance stood by its customers throughout these challenges. Its Mobile Response Unit - a portable outpost of TD Insurance that is deployed in communities experiencing disaster - was boots on the ground, providing on-site advice and support to customers following this year’s wildfire in Jasper, Alberta.
This dedication to customers is something senior underwriting advisor, Suzanne Girard has committed herself to throughout her 34 years with TDI.
Girard was on the phones processing claims after a severe ice storm hit Quebec — as well as Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia — in 1998.
“It was a dark moment because lots of people lost electricity and it lasted for a month,” Girard, who is based in Montreal, said.
Together with two other colleagues, Girard sat on the 11th floor of her building and answered phone call after phone call after phone call — a task that wasn’t part of her regular job.
She was able to process small claims — including one where a customer lost a freezer full of food due to power loss, as an example — and said it felt good to give customers a small sense of certainty in their moments of need.
“I’m proud of how we came together, put in the time, and put in the work,” Girard said. “We helped each other. Everyone pitched in.”
The dedication to going above and beyond is part of why Girard has remained with TDI for more than three decades.
It's also why claims advisor Munyaradzi Siyawamwaya recently joined TD Insurance – to help make a difference.
When customers call Siyawamwaya, they want to speak to someone who can help — as quickly and empathetically as possible.
"When something bad happens, we're often the first person a customer talks to and it's rewarding to be there for our customers when they need us most," said Siyawamwaya, who’s been in his role in Saint John, N.B., for less than a year.
If they’re calling after a vehicle accident and their car is undriveable, customers need a quick solution, he said. That usually means a tow truck and a rental car reservation, which Siyawamwaya sets up for them before hanging up.
“They’re a lot calmer at the end of the call. And they’re grateful that we’ve actually helped them,” he said.
Delivering faster for customers in a digital age
“Today, many Canadians get almost everything they need to get done in their day, digitally – whether it's buying household items, groceries or paying for their child's extracurriculars. Customers expect that same fast and easy digital experience at every step of their insurance journey and we’re meeting that demand,” Russell said.
Continuing to deliver legendary customer experiences is a top priority for TD Insurance, especially as it embraces and harnesses digital innovation to help make things even faster and easier for their customers and colleagues.
AI, particularly generative AI, will continue to play a big role across the insurance industry and Russell said TD Insurance is already leveraging machine learning to approve some eligible term life insurance applications in seconds.
Smart cars that have cameras on each side of the vehicle are also changing accident reconstruction.
"When someone's been in a car accident, they may be dealing with the worst thing that's ever happened to them. We could make the process easier on our customers by taking the worry out of having to do paperwork or calling in to describe the damages by simply taking and sharing a photo," Russell said.
But even with new technology that could streamline some aspects of the claims and quote processes, enhance colleague training and help improve other aspects of the customer journey, Russell said.
"Delivering a personalized customer experience to customers that demonstrates care and makes it easy for them to get advice, protection and support in their moments of need - will always remain our priority."
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