How small business insurance kept my courier business running
As told to TD Stories. The interview has been edited and condensed.
I'm 32 and I run a small courier business, called JC Express, in Newfoundland and Labrador. We subcontract with larger companies to get packages where they need to be.
I've got several vans on the road, drivers I'm responsible for, and dozens of schedules to juggle. Customers who order a package expect us to show up with their delivery, no matter what day of the week it is or what the weather is like outside.
I've always had an entrepreneurial mindset. I like figuring things out, taking on new challenges, and finding ways to create opportunities.
It's not particularly glamorous work, but it's steady and I love that it's mine.
The role of small business insurance
This past year, one of my delivery vans needed extensive repairs after one of my drivers had an accident on the road. The repairs took weeks to complete. Having one van out of commission was a risk to my entire business. When my drivers don't have a vehicle, they aren't able to complete their delivery routes, and our clients have to source different courier companies.
That's when I realized how important my insurance coverage was.
Because the accident was a covered incident, I was able to rent a replacement vehicle while my van was in the shop. My insurance coverage helped cover the costs. It meant my driver could stay on the road, my contracts stayed active, and my customers continued to receive their packages without the disruption affecting them.
When you're first starting out and every dollar counts, insurance can feel like another bill. But you never know what might happen on the road, what weather is coming, or what situation your business might face.
My coverage protected my asset — the van — and an entire business I'd worked so hard to build up from nothing. Because the cost of a rental vehicle was covered, I didn’t have to pay out of pocket. Instead, I was able to put those funds back into my business and purchase dashboard cameras for my vans to help protect my drivers in the future.
Expanding the courier business to bakeries, labs in the St. John's area
I'm excited to be growing my business into something that lasts and isn't just about surviving from month to month. I'm hoping to partner with local bakeries, medical laboratories, or other local shops in St. John's and the surrounding areas.
As I take on new clients and grow into different types of deliveries, I also know my business will keep changing. That means I need to keep thinking about the risks that come with that growth and whether my coverage still fits.
My business is a lot of work with plenty of headaches. But I want to be the one my clients can call when they need someone who can deliver a package reliably — and they want to work with someone who cares if it gets there.
The days are long, but I love what I do. I want to keep doing it.
About the TDI survey
This TDI survey, conducted using the Leger Opinion panel, ran from July 9 - 21, 2026, with a sample of 401 Canadian small business owners. Small businesses were defined as companies with 1-500 employees and annual revenue up to $5M. The sample is representative across BC, the Prairie provinces, Ontario, and Quebec, and across industries including contracting (excluding general contractors), management consulting or business advisory services, real estate investing, restaurant, food service, or catering, retail, and other sectors. For comparison purposes, a probability sample of 400 has an estimated margin of error of ±4.9%, 19 times out of 20.