About
Our Purpose: Providing unequaled value throughout the insurance placement chain
SIGNAL Underwriting Inc. is an independently Canadian owned boutique Managing General Agent that brings unequalled value to our three customers:
-
Tailored insurance coverage and products for individual insureds
-
Support and industry knowledge for our broker partners
-
Expert underwriting for our insurance carriers
SIGNAL Underwriting Inc.:
-
Focuses on products where we hold the underwriting authority
-
Serves specialized areas of the commercial insurance market
-
Offers customized products for each industry segment
-
Brings over 20 years of broking and underwriting experience
SIGNAL Underwriting is an approved Coverholder with Lloyd's of London, which was achieved within our first year of operation. As well, we are a proud member of the Canadian Association of Managing General Agents (CAMGA) since 2021, and the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) since 2022.
SIGNAL is also a licensed MGA/Wholesale Broker with the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario, Alberta Insurance Council, Insurance Council of British Columbia, Insurance Council of Manitoba, FCSC of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Finance and Treasury Board, the Insurance Council of Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and in Prince Edward Island.
SIGNAL operates in British Columbia as SIGNAL Underwriting Services.
Alexander Blair-Johns, FCIP, CRM, RPLU, CAIB
Founder, CEO, Class Underwriter
Alex has been in the insurance industry since 2002, spending his first 8 years as a commercial insurance broker working with commercial insurance programs and within the Healthcare and Life Sciences practice.
In 2010 he moved to underwriting where he managed a large portfolio of Healthcare, a variety of commercial insurance programs and a Life Sciences book of business. Holding titles of Senior National Manager (Programs) and Professional Liability Lead, and AVP Healthcare and Life Sciences during his tenure.
In March 2021 Alex founded SIGNAL Underwriting Inc., a company that provides unmatched value to all three of its customers: the retail broker, the insured and the insurance company.
He currently holds the professional designations of Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker (CAIB), Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional (FCIP), Canadian Risk Management (CRM) and Registered Professional Liability Underwriter (RPLU). As well as a principal brokers license with the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario, and in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.
Alex won an Insurance Business Canada Magazine 5-Star Underwriter Award in 2023.
Fatma Ecem Yazar
Junior Underwriter
Fatma launched her career at a prestigious global brokerage with its head office based in London. During her seven years, she worked in Property & Casualty (P&C) lines across the global insurance and reinsurance markets, including working with Lloyd's of London.
Her experience includes working with reinsurance binding authorities and large facultative placements, as well as business development and client management. She has built strong and productive partnerships with leading carriers and underwriters and is actively expanding her expertise within the Canadian Insurance market. During her previous tenure, she also participated in the Lloyd’s broker program and a global specialty broker's academy in London.
Fatma holds a Bachelor of Sciences in Mathematics and is pursuing the Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation, a testament to her unwavering commitment to continuous professional development.
Mike Hinton
Underwriter
Mike joined the SIGNAL Underwriting team in 2023 with a breadth of knowledge and experience from his prior career to our Healthcare and Life Sciences practices.
Mike has been a member of the Healthcare community since 2004. In his initial years he worked in emergency care as a Primary Care Paramedic, and then moved to the acute care setting providing functional rehabilitation within a variety of hospital units including Transplant, ICU, General Medicine, Nephrology, Thoracic, and Stroke.
He has earned diplomas and certifications in Paramedical Science (A-EMCA, PCP), Physio and Occupational Therapy (OTA/PTA), as well as Massage Therapy (RMT), and is currently working towards his CIP designation.
He has also served as a clinical preceptor for over 100 students, and served as chairperson for 4 years for the Program Advisory Committee at Humber College for the OTA/PTA program.
Shana Mistry
Junior Underwriter
Shana joined the SIGNAL Underwriting team in 2024, bringing a unique blend of experience from her background in sales, office management, and the aesthetics industry.
Shana has a knack for building strong relationships, thanks to her years in sales and client relations. She transitioned to office management, where her leadership and organizational skills shone, making her a key player in any team. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to successfully run a home spa business, giving her deep insights into the needs and preferences of clients in the aesthetics sector.
Currently working towards her Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation, Shana is always looking to grow and improve. Her positive attitude, dedication, and genuine care for people make her a pleasure to work with and a valued member of the SIGNAL Underwriting team. Shana's unique background and personal touch ensure that clients feel understood and well taken care of.
Sherene Cole-Haase, CIP, CRM, CAIB
Manager, Business Operations
Shortly after completing her college program in Accounting and Management, Sherene "fell into insurance" landing in the P&C sector over 30 years ago.
Her journey from Commercial Underwriting Assistant, steadily progressed through Client Service & Sales, Underwriting, Training and Development, Leadership/Management and Operations, with leading Brokers, Insurers and MGAs.
Sherene has also served as a National Examinations Author for the CIP program with the Insurance Institute of Canada.
In her role prior to joining Signal, Sherene was the Underwriting & Operations Manager for Ontario & Western Canada with another MGA.
Sherene holds the professional designations of Canadian Accredited Insurance Broker (CAIB), Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP), Canadian Risk Management, (CRM) as well as a level 2 brokers license with the Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario.
In addition to Management Consulting in the P&C insurance sector, she is a certified Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and experienced in Organizational Development, Change Management and Career Coach with proven results.
Sherene's mantra is "optimizing operational excellence to maximize the bottom line” which she achieves through people engagement and process improvements.