Hawkrigg Insurance Partners  •  Toronto

Insurance advisory
for clients who expect
something more.

Thoughtful, senior-led counsel for families, business owners, and professionals with complex needs and little patience for ordinary service.

Begin a Conversation Our Services
30+
Years of Leadership
White-Glove
Service Model
HNW & Commercial
Specialist Advisory
What We Stand For

The way insurance
should be done.

Most brokerages are built for volume. We are built for relationships. Our clients value continuity, discretion, and an advisor who genuinely understands their situation.

A Dedicated Senior Advisor

One experienced point of contact who knows your situation, stays with you through renewals and claims, and is always reachable when it matters.

Coverage Tailored to You

We review your full risk picture and structure coverage that reflects your actual life, not a standard package. No gaps, no unnecessary overlap.

Proactive, Not Reactive

We identify coverage gaps before they become problems. Life changes, and your protection should keep pace with it without you having to chase it.

Claims Advocacy

When you need to make a claim, we manage the process on your behalf, communicate with carriers directly, and advocate for the outcome your coverage entitles you to.

Continuity Across Generations

We build relationships that extend across life transitions, estate planning, and generational change. Your advisor grows with you and your family.

Cross-Border Capability

For clients with property, business, or family exposure in the United States, we provide coordinated coverage across both jurisdictions from advisors who understand both markets.

Luxury residence
Your Home
Modern office building
Your Business
Mountain property
Your Legacy
Professional advisory meeting
Our Services

Advisory across
every dimension.

We provide senior-led advisory across personal, commercial, specialty, and cross-border insurance. Our approach starts with understanding your full risk picture, not with selling you a product.

  • High-value homes, properties & valuables
  • Commercial insurance for owner-led businesses
  • Family office & multi-generational coverage
  • Cross-border & U.S. exposure
  • Specialty & complex risk solutions
  • Claims advocacy & renewal strategy
Explore Our Services

"The measure of a good insurance advisor is not how easily they place your coverage. It is whether they are beside you when something goes wrong."

John Hawkrigg  •  President & CEO, Hawkrigg Insurance Partners
John Hawkrigg
Leadership

Led by one of Canada's most
experienced operators.

John Hawkrigg has spent more than 30 years building respected insurance organizations across Canada. From founding and scaling HKMB into one of the country's largest private commercial brokerages, to leading Jones Brown Inc. as CEO through to its acquisition by Gallagher in 2019, his career is defined by culture, integrity, and long-term client relationships.

At Hawkrigg Insurance Partners, John brings that same commitment to a purpose-built platform for clients who deserve more than the standard brokerage model offers.

Read John's Story
Strategic Partner

Backed by
long-term capital.

Hawkrigg Insurance Partners is supported by VRG Capital, a Toronto-based private investment firm with more than 20 years of experience building quality Canadian businesses. Their involvement provides the long-term capital and operational foundation that allows us to invest in our people, our platform, and our clients.

Learn More
VRG Capital

A proven partner for the long term.

1982
Founded
70+
Investments
$500M+
Equity Raised
CA
Family Office Backed
Ready for a more
considered approach?
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About

Thirty years building
Canada's finest brokerages.

Our Leadership

An accomplished team assembled
for the long term.

Hawkrigg Insurance Partners is led by a team with a rare combination of deep insurance expertise, disciplined capital stewardship, and a shared belief that great organizations are built on trust, culture, and long-term thinking.

John Hawkrigg
President & CEO

John Hawkrigg BA

John Hawkrigg brings more than 30 years of proven leadership and entrepreneurial success within the Canadian insurance industry. Over his career, he has built, scaled, and led multiple high-calibre organizations, with a consistent focus on people, culture, and long-term value creation.

In 1987, John and his business partner purchased Muntz & Beatty Inc., one of Canada's oldest commercial insurance brokerages. In 1994, Muntz & Beatty merged with Guthrie Keilty Bickerstaff and, in 1998, merged with Hunter Rowell Limited, forming Hunter Keilty Muntz & Beatty (HKMB). HKMB grew to become one of Canada's largest privately owned commercial insurance brokerages, before being acquired by HUB International in 2008.

John joined Jones Brown Inc. in 2014 as CEO, a national retail P&C insurance brokerage offering comprehensive commercial and personal insurance services across Canada. Under his leadership, Jones Brown became recognized for its strong culture, deep client relationships, and disciplined growth. The company was ultimately acquired by Gallagher in 2019, after which John continued as Chairman through integration.

John's leadership philosophy is rooted in integrity, transparency, and stewardship. He has a long track record of investing in talent, empowering teams, and building organizations that maintain culture and performance through periods of change.

Greg Cochrane
Executive Chairman

Greg Cochrane BA, MBA

Greg Cochrane has been a Managing Partner of VRG Capital since 2011. With VRG he has been a lead investor and director in a number of public and private companies including Wheels Group, Capri Media Group, Jones Brown Insurance Brokerage, and Founders Advantage Capital.

Greg began his career with General Electric and then S.C. Johnson. In 1981 he bought into Mariposa Communications. By 1997, when Mariposa was sold to Mosaic Group, he and his partner had built the largest event company in Canada. In 2001 he became a lead investor in Pareto Corporation, a start-up marketing services business which became publicly traded in 2004 and was sold to private equity in 2011.

In 2016, he joined Data Communications Management (TSX:DCM) as an investor and Director, was appointed President in late 2016 and CEO in 2018 until March 2021. Greg currently serves as Vice Chairman on the Board of Directors.

He is a founding donor of the Centre for Business Venturing at Queen's University and a member of its Advisory Board. Greg is the past co-chair for "Capitalize 4 Kids," Canada's premier investment conference, and received Canada's 125th Commemorative Anniversary medal for community volunteerism in 1992.

Laura Freimane
Controller

Laura Freimane CPA

Laura Freimane is a senior finance executive with more than a decade of leadership experience across the VRG Capital ecosystem. Since joining VRG in 2012, she has held progressively senior roles, beginning as an accountant before being promoted to Controller in 2013, providing operational oversight and financial accounting across the firm and its portfolio companies.

Over her tenure, Laura has supported a range of complex transactions including IPOs, M&A transactions, and interim executive mandates. Most recently, she served as CFO of TRUBAR, where she helped guide the company through its successful $200M+ acquisition.

Laura is a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and has completed the Canadian Securities Course. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management from Riga Stradins University in Latvia.

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Who We Serve

Clients with
complex needs.

Our Clients

We are a natural fit for clients
who have outgrown standard service.

If your situation involves significant assets, a business, cross-border exposure, or any degree of complexity, you likely deserve more than the standard brokerage experience can offer.

01
Families with Significant Assets

Clients with multiple properties, valuable collections, and personal liability exposure that goes beyond what a standard broker is equipped to handle with care.

Primary ResidencesValuablesPersonal Liability
02
Family Offices

Single and multi-family offices who want consolidated, professionally managed insurance oversight across the full family asset base and across generations.

Portfolio OversightMulti-GenAdvisor Coordination
03
Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

Clients whose personal wealth and business risk are connected. We manage both under a single advisory relationship so nothing falls between the cracks.

CommercialPersonalSuccession Risk
04
Clients with U.S. Exposure

Canadians with vacation properties, business operations, or family members in the United States require coordinated coverage across both jurisdictions. We provide it.

U.S. PropertyCross-Border BusinessInternational
Services

Thoughtful coverage
for every dimension.

Personal Insurance

Protecting the things
that matter most.

We approach personal insurance as a comprehensive advisory engagement, reviewing your full asset picture and building coverage that is genuinely suited to your circumstances.

Home & Property

Primary residences, seasonal properties, vacation homes, and investment properties. Coverage structured at the right limits, with the right terms.

  • Primary & secondary residences
  • Guaranteed replacement cost
  • Vacation & seasonal properties
  • Water damage & service lines
Valuables & Collections

Scheduled coverage for art, jewellery, watches, wine, antiques, and other items whose value demands proper protection rather than a standard floater.

  • Fine art & sculpture
  • Jewellery & timepieces
  • Wine & spirits collections
  • Antiques & collectibles
Personal Liability

Excess liability and umbrella coverage that extends well beyond standard limits, protecting your assets in an increasingly litigious environment.

  • Personal umbrella policies
  • Board & trustee liability
  • Domestic staff coverage
  • Recreational vehicle liability
Commercial & Specialty

Built for owner-led
businesses and their principals.

For clients whose personal and commercial risk are intertwined, we coordinate both under one senior advisory relationship.

Commercial Property & Liability

Core commercial coverage for owner-operated businesses, structured around your specific risk profile rather than a standardized package.

  • Property & general liability
  • Business interruption
  • Cyber & professional liability
  • Commercial auto
Management Liability

Protection for directors, officers, and management of private companies, family businesses, and portfolio company executives.

  • Directors & officers liability
  • Employment practices liability
  • Fiduciary liability
  • Crime & fidelity
Cross-Border Coverage

Integrated coverage for businesses and individuals with exposure in the United States, coordinated across both jurisdictions seamlessly.

  • U.S. admitted personal lines
  • Cross-border business liability
  • International workers compensation
  • Export & trade liability
Claims & Renewals

We stand beside you
when it counts.

A claim is the moment your insurance relationship is truly tested. When that moment comes, you deserve an advisor who advocates for you directly, manages carrier communication, and ensures you receive the outcome your coverage entitles you to.

We also conduct proactive annual reviews so your coverage never lags your circumstances. Life changes quickly. Your insurance should keep pace.

Professional consultation
Our Difference

What it actually
feels like to be our client.

In Practice

The things that make
a real difference.

01
One Senior Advisor. Always.

You are never passed to a service team or call centre. Your advisor is experienced, accountable, and knows your situation. When you call, you reach someone who can actually help.

02
Proactive Reviews, Not Just Renewals

We check in when your life changes, not only when it's time to renew. A new property, a business transaction, a life event — we want to know, because it likely affects your coverage.

03
Personal and Commercial, Coordinated

For business owners, personal and commercial risk are rarely separate. We manage both under one relationship, ensuring nothing falls between the cracks of two separate brokers.

04
Senior-Led Claims Support

When a claim arises, your advisor manages the process. We communicate with carriers on your behalf, track progress, and advocate for the outcome your coverage entitles you to.

05
Discretion at Every Level

Your financial situation and personal circumstances are handled with the same confidentiality you would expect from your lawyer or private banker. Always.

06
A Relationship That Endures

We build for the long term. Our model is designed so that you have the same trusted advisor through renewals, claims, transitions, and generational change.

Advisor consultation

"The best advisors are not the ones who place your coverage most efficiently. They are the ones who are still there for you years later."

John Hawkrigg  •  President & CEO
Strategic Partners

Long-term capital.
Shared values.

Our Partners

The institutions that
stand behind our platform.

Hawkrigg Insurance Partners is built on a foundation of proven institutional relationships, each chosen for shared values, long-term orientation, and a genuine commitment to quality.

VRG Capital

VRG Capital is a Toronto-based private investment firm representing a select group of Canadian family offices. Founded in 1982, VRG has 70+ companies invested and over $500M in equity capital raised. VRG has direct insurance sector experience through its investment in Jones Brown Inc., acquired by Gallagher in 2019.

For Hawkrigg Insurance Partners, VRG provides long-term capital, operational depth, and the strategic foundation to build without compromise.

Capital Partner Since 1982 $500M+ Equity Toronto, Canada
1982
Founded
70+
Companies
$500M+
Equity Capital
PROLINK
PBNet — PROLINK Broker Network Inc.

PBNet (PROLINK Broker Network Inc.) is a Canadian broker network that provides a structured platform for experienced insurance professionals to establish independently branded brokerages. Founded in 2007, PBNet now encompasses 42 independent brokerages nationwide.

Their platform carries the buying power of a $200M+ broker network, enabling Hawkrigg Insurance Partners to operate with full boutique independence while accessing national market leverage, carrier relationships, and operational infrastructure.

Broker Network 42 Brokerages $200M+ Network Founded 2007
2007
Founded
42
Brokerages
$200M+
Network
Partnership Opportunities

We are building
for the long term.

We are actively building our platform through selective acquisitions and partnerships. If you operate a quality brokerage, refer high-net-worth clients, or work in a complementary professional capacity, we would welcome a conversation.

Acquisition Partners

If you operate a respected brokerage and are considering your strategic options, we offer a platform that values your culture, your clients, and your legacy. All conversations are fully confidential.

Referral Partners

Private bankers, wealth advisors, lawyers, and accountants who advise clients with complex situations are welcome to reach out. We are a discreet, senior-level partner for the clients you trust us with.

Carrier Partners

We work with underwriters and carriers who share our commitment to tailored solutions and thoughtful risk assessment. Specialty market conversations are welcome.

Contact

Begin a
conversation.

Reach Us

Every inquiry is
handled with discretion.

Email
[email protected]
Phone
416.581.8850
Office
95 Wellington St. West
Suite 1400
Toronto, ON  M5J 2N7
Send a Message

How can we
help you?