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Since its inception, DPA Assurances has been firmly established in the Montérégie agricultural sector. Mario Poirier, director of the company’s agricultural division, explains how farmers have special needs and shares his passion for the sector.
DPA’s first activities date back to the early 1940s when dairy farmer Léopold Desmarais decided to sell personal insurance as a sideline to farming. In just a few years, the success of his farmer-friendly insurance products spread to other parishes in the Saint-Hyacinthe region. His wife Denise then joined the company, and his sons, André and Claude, followed suit in the early 1970s.
The family business, which became Groupe DPA Assurances (for Desmarais, Pinsonneault and Avard) in 2006, continues to grow through alliances and acquisitions. It now serves nearly 30,000 clients from its three offices and employs some 110 brokers and other employees.
“Our insurance firm has one of the highest concentrations of agricultural clients in Montérégie,” says Mario Poirier, proudly. According to statistics posted in French on the website of Quebec’s farmers’ union, the UPA, Montérégie is home to nearly 7,000 farms and a quarter of Quebec’s agricultural jobs.
DPA’s agricultural division personifies farming expertise
Mario Poirier has been with DPA for 30 years. “I started my career as an insurance broker for individuals and businesses,” he recalls. “Although I had no insurance experience to start with, I had a good knowledge of the farm sector and over the years, I’ve made this sector my specialty.”
When DPA created its agricultural division in 2013, Mario naturally became its director—a position he still holds today. “My knowledge of agriculture allows me to give good advice to clients, who need to understand and manage the risks associated with their business,” he says.
Why agriculture is a real specialty
DPA Assurances knows the agricultural sector very well. “I’m the third generation of brokers in the company who work in the agricultural sector and we’re already preparing the fourth!” he adds.
Much of Mario’s work takes place in the field, which he enjoys very much. “I regularly visit agricultural operators to update their file or finalize a new proposal,” he explains. “It’s essential to spend time with them in order to understand their situation and decide what protection best meets their needs and investments.”
DPA’s agricultural insurance products cover all kinds of operations—hog, vegetable, poultry, grain, dairy and other livestock. Agricultural insurance policies are very specific, given that equipment, buildings, animals and greenhouses are exposed to many risks.
“You have to know the environment and all its particularities very well if you want to properly advise clients,” says Mario. “Every client needs to be guided and reassured, and to feel that we understand them. Otherwise, they’ll just look elsewhere.”
Sometimes you have to be patient with clients who can surprise you at times. “For instance, one of my clients refused to insure his two chicken barns,” says Mario with a smile. “He wanted to insure only one because he didn’t see any risk that both of them would burn down on the same day!”
Mario Poirier’s biggest reward? When a customer says “thank you for being there” when filing a claim.
A sector that’s always on the move
Over the past 30 years, Mario Poirier has witnessed the many changes that have impacted the agricultural sector. “It’s a sector that has evolved tremendously. For example, we’re no longer talking about farmers, farmland or farms, but rather agricultural entrepreneurs and agricultural enterprises.”
Agricultural ventures are getting bigger and bigger, and they are making more and more use of computerized processes and complex technologies. “Operators often have to make huge financial investments. You have to understand how new equipment can boost production in order to provide the right insurance coverage,” Mario points out.
In fact, risk analysis differs from operator to operator, and only a broker can determine the right insurance coverage for a specific need. “Each file is a new challenge, so I’m still learning something new every day.”
It’s this farming background and passion for agriculture that makes Mario and his DPA Assurances colleagues the best insurance brokers for agricultural operators. Don’t hesitate to contact us about your specific needs.