The benefits of partnerships: Federation Insurance Products
The Federation believes that in order to be strong and sustainable, BC’s community social services sector must have access to high quality and affordable insurance products. That’s one big reason why our member agencies have access to a suite of comprehensive and reliable insurance programs and services at a competitive cost. We take a lot of pride in these products and they have been developed with care and consideration in order to meet the needs of our sector.
What you may not know is that these member benefits were created many, many years ago. It was 1984 when we began working with Schmunk Gatt Smith and Associates to develop the Federation Associate Benefit Plan (FABP). Thirty-one years later, we’re still working together to offer this plan—one of only three compliant with the requirements under BC Community Services Collective Agreement.
In many ways, the FABP is a lot like The Federation. It has been responsive to the needs of our members, changing and adapting to our requirements and constraints (enabling smaller organizations to qualify, freezing LTD rates until 2020 to get us through the bargaining period). Our partners at Schmunk Gatt Smith and Associates work incredibly hard to ensure it remains one the few compliant plans and they continue to go above and beyond to help us support our members. We’re incredibly thankful for this long-standing partnership.
We’re also thankful for our new partnership with Mesgon FitzPatrick Insurance who have committed to making our General Insurance Plan more competitive and more effective. Unlike our FABP, this partnership is new and still developing, but Megson FitzPatrick Insurance truly understands and embodies the spirit of our sector. They are innovative, they collaborated with us to develop something new and valuable, and they provide information (such as their suite Risk Management resources) to all of our members—even those that aren’t on their plan. That is the true spirit of partnership.
And in addition to everything they already do, both organization have graciously and generously stepped forward to host the networking receptions at The Federation’s provincial conferences. I know these events are enjoyed by all who attend—they are a rare moment for us to relax, kick back, socialize with our colleagues and special guests. And without the support of our insurance partners, we wouldn’t be able to host these popular events.
At the end of the day, all agencies need insurance. And The Federation’s insurance products are designed to benefit all parties involved. By purchasing benefits and insurance through The Federation, our members can stretch their money and increase the value of their membership dollars. The revenue from these plans supports everything we do—advocacy efforts, research, improving service delivery, and more.
If you are interested in learning more about The Federation’s suite of insurance products, please check out our website or contact The Federation office.
Rick FitzZaland
Federation Executive Director