How Peace Hills Insurance is helping turn hometowns around
But for its 40th anniversary, it wanted to give back ‘just because’. The home, auto and business insurance provider marked its milestone last year with several initiatives, including Hometown Turnaround, a campaign to give back to the communities where it does business and to improve its relationships with brokers.
Following its resounding success in 2022, Peace Hills is renewing Hometown Turnaround for another year.
Hometown Turnaround helps local projects get off the ground through funding. The projects, which are nominated by broker partners in the area, range from lighting replacements and asphalt resurfacing to school and community hall upgrades.
The 2022 campaign had a budget of CA$100,000, which funded a total of 10 projects across Western Canada.
“We went out to our broker force advising them that we have put aside some money to help great causes in the small towns where they provided their services,” said Chad Shurnaik (pictured), vice president of underwriting and marketing at Peace Hills Insurance.
“We were overwhelmed with the positive response and support. Once word got out, we were flooded with potential opportunities.”
Peace Hills is an indigenous-owned business that works with about 500 independent broker offices to distribute its products. The Hometown Turnaround campaign is also an effort to get closer to its partners, learn what they care about in their communities, and empower them to make a difference.
“Relationships are the backbone of Peace Hills Insurance, and we showcase this in all our interactions, be it with our brokers, claims vendors, reinsurance partners, staff and even our competitors,” said Shurnaik.
“We take the time to nurture these relationships, getting to know those that we spend so much time working alongside with, outside of just the job.”
Photo courtesy of Peace Hills Insurance
Making a meaningful impact
Peace Hills’ Hometown Turnaround campaign is about making lasting, meaningful impacts in small communities across Western Canada, not just in its own backyard.
“Though our head office is in Edmonton, Alberta, we wanted to ensure we were giving back to all the provinces in which Peace Hills writes business with this initiative,” Shurnaik said.
“We have been able to help many aging facilities get some long-awaited repairs. We’ve helped replace the lighting at the Selkirk Curling Club, purchase new AV equipment at Fraserwood Hall, and replace the ice plant for the Wawanesa Rec Centre, to name a few.”
The Hometown Turnaround projects have helped residents, seniors and students to use and enjoy public facilities once again. The campaign has had a meaningful impact not just for the beneficiary communities, but also to Peace Hills itself.
“The one that speaks to me the most would be contributing to the construction of a bike park in Sliver Valley, Maple Ridge,” he said.
Angela and Alan Mcildoon, long-time residents of Maple Ridge, had a son named Jordan who was a world-class bike rider. Jordan was killed in the 2017 Las Vegas shooting.
The Mcildoons had been working for five years to complete a bike park in his honour. Partnering with Johnston Meier Insurance, Peace Hills donated funds to help cover the costs of the park’s lumber and drainage.
“I am so happy that Jordan’s family and community have seen these efforts come to life, with the park opened to the public late last summer,” Shurnaik said.
‘Insurance is a relationship business’
Relationships are the backbone of the insurance industry. For Peace Hills Insurance, its relationship with brokers has been a top priority and the main contributor of its success over the past 40 years.
“While we continue to invest in technology and services to help reduce the time spent on administrative tasks, allowing them to focus on providing advice to their clients, it is extra special when we can also help them make their communities a better place to live,” Shurnaik said.
“Hometown Turnaround is a way for us to give back and provide support when there has been no loss or difficult circumstance, but because it is the right thing to do and helps bring communities together,” Shurnaik said.
“In the end, it comes down to caring about what you do and who you do it for.”
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