Expert Q&A with Western Financial Group: How Groupex Helps Canadian Restaurants Save on Insurance
As Canada’s top insurance broker, Western Financial Group is committed to delivering convenient, expert driven protection for restaurant owners across the country. And while the restaurant industry continues to face tight margins, rising costs, and evolving risks, many operators are looking for smarter, more stable ways to protect their business. We sat down with Drew Woytko, Director, Business Development at Western Financial Group, to discuss why the Groupex partnership matters and how it’s helping foodservice owners access better protection, more convenience, and real savings.
Q1: Drew, for readers who haven’t heard of it, what exactly is Groupex, and why does it matter to restaurant owners?
Drew: Groupex is a national buying group that gives independent restaurants, pubs, bars, and foodservice businesses the kind of purchasing power normally reserved for large chains. It brings operators together so they can access exclusive vendor savings, operational perks, and member only advantages they simply couldn’t get on their own.
Through our partnership with Groupex, members now receive 8–10% savings on Business Insurance and Employee Benefits, on top of everything they already save through other Groupex vendor programs. These offerings were designed specifically around the realities of running a restaurant, from rising costs to unpredictable market conditions.
At Western, we see Groupex as a community of owners helping owners, and that aligns perfectly with our commitment to care, our focus on convenience, and our belief that customers always come first.
Q2: Why did Western Financial Group choose to partner with Groupex?
Drew: Restaurants told us they needed more extensive insurance, stable pricing, and access to true industry experts, not generic one-size-fits-all plans. Groupex shared that vision.
Through the partnership, members gain access to 8–10% savings for qualified businesses, along with in-house claims support, risk management and loss prevention services, and complimentary insurance health checks. They also benefit from annual building replacement cost reports and long-term price stability through pooled programs, support designed to make protection clearer, more predictable, and easier to manage.
These offerings are part of the Groupex Member Advantage, and they exist because both of our organizations care deeply about supporting Canada’s hospitality sector; in good times and in challenging ones.
This partnership works because we share the same mission: delivering convenience, expert guidance, and care to business owners who don’t have time for complicated insurance processes.
Q3: What makes the Groupex-Western partnership different from what restaurant owners might get from a traditional broker?
Drew: Most brokers simply don’t offer industry-specific programs or long-term protection against major rate spikes. The Groupex partnership is built by the industry, for the industry.
Members get access to:
- Tailored hospitality insurance
- TotalGuard Employee Benefits with unmatched rate stability
- Savings negotiated specifically for foodservice
- More than 100 insurance provider options
- Pooled pricing that reduces volatility year over year
- Inhouse claims, risk management, and loss prevention at no additional cost
You can buy insurance anywhere, but you cannot get this combination of pricing, stability, and restaurant-focused coverage anywhere except through Groupex.
What we hear most often from owners is that the convenience and expertise make the biggest difference. They never feel like they’re navigating this alone, and that’s exactly the point.
Q4: What common gaps do restaurant owners face, and how does this program help close them?
Drew: Restaurants often have coverage gaps they don’t realize exist, including: business interruption, equipment breakdown, cyber protection for POS systems, accurate replacement cost valuations, and benefits plans stable enough to budget long-term.
We close these gaps these gaps by providing hospitality-specific business interruption and liability coverage, mechanical and equipment breakdown protection, enhanced cyber security options, and annual building replacement cost reports. Members also benefit from pooled TotalGuard benefits plans that help reduce unexpected rate increases, along with inhouse risk management support designed to prevent issues before they become costly claims.
Our goal is to bring peace of mind to owners, so they can focus on what they do best: feeding their communities, supporting their staff, and running incredible restaurants.
Final Thoughts from Drew
At Western, we don’t believe insurance should feel like a burden. Our role is to make protection convenient, to support people with care, and to empower businesses with experts who understand their world. Restaurateurs give so much to their communities, and they deserve a partner who gives that same commitment back.
