By Jenn Watt

After 64 years of providing insurance to the Haliburton Highlands Dawson Insurance Brokers Ltd. is under new ownership.

While the name and the staff will remain Dawson Insurance is now owned by Darryl Hudson of Hudson Henderson Insurance Brokers Ltd.

“Darryl and I have known each other for a good number of years and respect each other as business people” says Arthur Dawson whose father Cliff started the business in 1951.

“I’d been thinking about it for a year or so and it just came up that Darryl was looking to expand and  Haliburton would be a good fit for him. Our staff are continuing on – Maureen and Eileen – and we’re welcoming Margaret Reiss who was born and raised here” he says.

Reiss will be filling the role of operations/broker while Maureen Smith and Eileen Stiver will continue as customer service brokers. Dawson will be staying with the business with a new title: new sales  broker and consultant.

Dawson and Hudson both say the insurance business is always changing with a range of duties each day.

“We could advise somebody on a business policy at 10 a.m. and then we could be insuring a cottage next and we could have a house fire in the afternoon. There’s diversity in claims and duties and new business” says Hudson.

“It’s an interesting field where you can learn every day. You’re providing a personal service to people to explain a lot of the contracts and wordings” says Dawson.

Darryl Hudson who grew up in Minden and attended high school in Haliburton said he’s pleased to offer service in Haliburton. This is the fourth office for the brokerage with others in Cannington Bracebridge and Minden.

In bringing the brokerages together more services are now being offered including travel insurance life insurance group benefits and financial services.

Hudson said this is also good for business clients.

“We can now do the business policy and add the employee benefits and group plan. We can consult on the employee benefits needs and bring life insurance for buy-sell agreements and financing needs. We can do travel insurance and RRSPs” Hudson said in an email.

The sale was “highly supported and well received” by the insurance companies of both businesses Hudson says and for Dawson Insurance clients there will be no changes to insurance policies.

The public is welcome to drop by the office to meet the staff and an open house is in the works.