On May 31, Duliban Insurance Brokers celebrated 50 years in business, marking five decades of growth from a small local agency into one of Ontario’s leading independent insurance brokerages. What makes this milestone even more significant is the company’s continued success and evolution under third-generation family ownership.
Jason Duliban and his twin brother, Adam, took full control of the company in 2014, when they were only in their 20s. Their grandfather, James, worked at Atlas Steel for 30 years before retiring at age 52. With his retirement savings, he bought a small insurance agency and ran it with his wife, officially founding Duliban Insurance Brokers in 1976. Old friends and clients followed James to this new venture because of how much they trusted him.
In 1991, Jason and Adam’s father, Tom Duliban, took over, and in 2008, the brothers began working for the business as well. They knew that the odds were against them, as most third-generation businesses don’t succeed. But they were also inspired by how hard their father worked and the connection he had with the local community. “All that Adam and I wanted to do was follow in his footsteps,” says Jason.
Jason and Adam worked to grow the business from a team of 12 in 2008 with two locations, to now a team of 100 with five locations across the Niagara and Hamilton area. “We’re very proud of not just our growth, but that the values and personality of the business haven’t changed since our grandfather started it,” says Jason.
Jason lists their family’s values as hard work, putting other people’s interests in front of their own, and giving back to the community. “We believe that when we give back to the community, the community will take care of us,” he says.
In his day-to-day work, Jason is often asked why a brokerage is preferable to working directly with an insurance company. To him, the answer is simple: a brokerage is there to support and guide clients to make the best choices and find the best premiums. They understand their clients’ needs, and they shape their policies around those needs — putting them first. “We work for our customers; we don’t work for the insurance companies,” Jason explains.
Duliban Insurance Brokers represents the top 40 insurance companies across Canada and has clients all over Ontario and the Maritimes. Whether it’s a fire, a flooded basement, or a car accident, Jason and his team see a claims situation as their biggest opportunity to support their clients.
A big part of the job is having the ‘soft skills’ to support clients in those moments. Jason and Adam will often choose to hire team members who have no insurance experience and provide them with the tools and support to help them be successful. “It increases the pool of candidates,” explains Jason. “We’re looking for people who are honest and hard workers who share our values. We can teach insurance.”
In keeping with their values, Duliban Insurance Brokers has chosen a charity to support every year since 2013. They’ve raised $750,000 for charity so far, and to help make a greater impact, their team members volunteer with the organization, as well. This year, the business is supporting Comfort Bears, an Ancaster-based non-profit that provides support bears and resources to families of children who are facing cancer, terminal illness, chronic illness, or trauma. “We’ve been fortunate to build relationships with many charities in our community who are extremely deserving,” says Jason.
With the business expanding so much, being involved with local initiatives is one of the ways that the company stays in touch with its roots. The company’s growth and the strong community relationships are a happy combination for Jason and Adam. “When we look at our future, we’re excited about who we are and where we’re going.”
