Canadian Underwriter

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Earnings / Ratings


Wooden cubes spelling out International Financial Reporting Standards
News Earnings / RatingsInsuranceLegalLegislation / Regulation

Will IFRS 17 make insurers’ results harder to compare?

January 25, 2023 Philip Porado

At best, it will be difficult to make initial comparisons to insurers’ IFRS 17 results, due to differences between companies’ approaches under the new accounting standard, said a report this week from Fitch Ratings. A stated objective of the insurance

The Bank of Canada is expected to hold its interest rate next week.
News Earnings / RatingsInsurance

Bank of Canada hikes key interest rate by quarter point, says it plans to hold

January 25, 2023 The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada raised its key interest rate by a quarter of a percentage point Wednesday and said it expects this to be the last rate hike of the cycle. The rate increase marks the eighth consecutive

Profitability trending toward positive
News Earnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesReinsurance

Why P&C industry profitability is trending toward positive

January 23, 2023 by Jason Contant

Canada’s property and casualty insurers should see increased overall profitability and premium rate increases as the industry’s 2023 outlook trends to positive, ratings firm DBRS Morningstar said in a new report. “The credit rating trend for the majority of DBRS

Rising interest rates and inflation
News Earnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Despite inflation slowing in December, Bank of Canada still expected to hike rates  

January 17, 2023 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA – Canada’s annual inflation rate slowed last month but economists are still expecting the Bank of Canada to hike its key interest rate next week.   In its latest consumer price index released Tuesday, Statistics Canada said the country’s annual

Economists are expecting a mild recession in Canada.
News Earnings / RatingsEmploymentInsuranceRisk

Bank economists see mild recession likely ahead despite surprising resilience

January 13, 2023 The Canadian Press

TORONTO – Big bank economists say the surprisingly resilient economy is likely headed for a mild slowdown in the year ahead, but that recent events show how difficult it is to predict the future. Speaking at an Economic Club of

Shot of a stressed businesswoman with headache in the office.
News BrokersCatastrophesClaimsClimate ChangeEarnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesReinsuranceRisk

Hard market “fatigue” setting in, P&C industry survey suggests

January 12, 2023 by David Gambrill

Hard market fatigue is starting to become an issue for Canada’s property and casualty insurance industry, and several industry professionals are worried ongoing capacity and pricing issues could invite government intervention down the road. “We will continue to have many

Working out the financial results
News ClaimsEarnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Regulator green-lights auto insurer’s two-year rate freeze

January 11, 2023 by Jason Contant

British Columbia’s auto insurance regulatory body has approved a 0% rate change for basic auto insurance rates in the province for two years, the fifth year in a row of no rate increase. The British Columbia Utilities Commission approved the

Sobeys experienced a cyberattack in November.
News ClaimsClaims CanadaCommercial LinesEarnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesTechnology

Sobeys parent company says cyberattack expected to cost $25M after insurance

December 19, 2022 Brett Bundale - THE CANADIAN PRESS

Sobeys parent company Empire Co. Ltd. has shared new details on a cyberattack that shut down its pharmacy services and other in-store functions last month. The security breach in early November left customers unable to fill prescriptions for four days,

The Bank of Canada building in Ottawa
News Earnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Bank of Canada hikes key rate by half percentage point, signals possible pause

December 7, 2022 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada hiked its key interest rate by half a percentage point Wednesday to 4.25 per cent – the highest it’s been since January 2008 – while signalling it may pause its aggressive rate hike cycle.

High inflation in Canada
News Earnings / RatingsInsurance

Bank of Canada expected to end year with one more rate increase

December 2, 2022 Nojoud Al Mallees - THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA – The Bank of Canada is expected to conclude a historic year marked by high inflation and aggressive monetary policy tightening with one more interest rate hike on Wednesday. Forecasters anticipate the central bank will raise its key interest

IFRS 17 accounting standard
News Earnings / RatingsInsuranceLegislation / RegulationMarkets / Coverages

How ready are Canadian insurers for IFRS 17?

November 30, 2022 by Jason Contant

Canadian insurers appear to be in a ‘pretty good place’ when it comes to implementation of the upcoming IFRS 17 insurance accounting standard but Canada’s federal solvency regulator recognizes the change is complex and will be challenging. “Accounting systems are

Concept of inflation and economics
News ClaimsClaims CanadaEarnings / RatingsInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

How claims inflation is affecting Definity’s auto, property lines

November 22, 2022 by Jason Contant

Claims inflation in Definity Financial Corporation’s auto and property lines appears to be stable, Definity president and CEO Rowan Saunders said during a recent virtual fireside chat with RBC Capital Markets. While inflation is at elevated levels, it’s starting to