Good dirt on insuring construction from Alexandre Patry, senior business insurance manager with ESSOR

Passionate about both his work and his life in general, this experienced broker fully understands the importance of choosing the right insurance for a construction site and has many grateful clients to show for it. Let’s hear what this man of action has to say!

What’s your career been like so far? How long have you worked in insurance?

I’ve been in insurance for almost 12 years now. I initially wanted to go into finance, but some family members who were already working in insurance persuaded me that insurance would offer me the kinds of challenges and opportunities I was looking for. I was also fortunate to do two internships in insurance during my education, which gave me a foretaste of the actual work as well as an opportunity to get my feet wet. I have absolutely no regrets about my choice!

You’re particularly active on the local sports scene in Mont-Sainte-Anne, and you combine your passion for the outdoors with community involvement. How do you manage? 

I have two other deep passions in my life – downhill skiing and mountain biking, and I also love mountains in general. Since I live in a small community near Mont-Sainte-Anne where everyone knows each other, I think it’s important to be involved in your local community, though I sometimes lack the time due to work and my three young children. Nonetheless, I was a Leucan fundraising campaign ambassador last year in Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré. I’m particularly proud of this contribution to the community because the money raised went directly to children with cancer and their families in the region.

What is your business insurance specialty? 

My clients operate in a variety of sectors, so I consider myself a generalist. However, I started out as an underwriter with an insurance company that primarily dealt with building contractors. I used to analyze the risks entailed in insurance policy proposals from brokers and recommend the best prices and protections for my clients. That’s how I gradually developed expertise in construction and why I feel I can provide well-grounded advice to my clients based on their specific needs. 

Why is it a good idea for building contractors to deal with Essor?

Essor brokers develop solid working relationships with their building contractor clients: we visit their sites, identify their real needs and apply our in-depth knowledge of the industry to prepare custom insurance proposals for each client’s situation. We are also located more or less throughout Quebec, which makes us easy to reach.

The term “wrap-up insurance” is becoming much more common these days. Why is this kind of protection necessary?

When you insure a construction project, you cover the civil liability of everyone involved, such as subcontractors, suppliers, professionals, financial service providers and so on. Wrap-up insurance is all-encompassing protection particular to the construction industry and that’s why it’s so essential. A wide range of actors play different roles in construction projects, each with their own set of responsibilities. That’s why it’s important to carefully evaluate your client’s share of the overall responsibility in order to offer the right insurance coverage, whether civil liability insurance for a business or professional insurance for a micro-entrepreneur.

Can you tell us about a construction project that was particularly challenging for you?

Mega-projects are the most complicated to insure, especially those involving the construction or renovation of very expensive buildings. A major challenge these days is finding insurance for such large-scale projects because of the often limited number of potential insurers due to consolidations and acquisitions in the industry. Without identifying it, I remember a project in Quebec City that was so huge that it required several different insurers to share the responsibility of covering all the risks involved.

What would you say was your proudest moment in your time so far with Essor?

Well, actually quite a few come to mind! Whenever a client recommends me or a contractor thanks me at the end of a project, I feel that I’ve provided good service and that my work has been appreciated.

Need insurance for your business or construction project? An ESSOR broker is standing by!