Topic
Legal
B.C. health authority warns of possible privacy breach after police recover documents
March 8, 2024 The Canadian PressAn RCMP investigation has revealed a possible privacy breach for thousands of employees who worked or work at a health authority in British Columbia’s Interior. Interior Health says police contacted them in January about finding a document during its investigation…
Staying on the right side of Quebec’s language law, Bill 96
March 7, 2024 David GambrillCanada’s property and casualty insurance industry is advised to establish a policy and train employees to comply with Bill 96, Quebec’s French language law, which calls for all policy contracts with clients in the province to be done in French…
Edmonton City Hall attack supports terror charges: RCMP
March 7, 2024 The Canadian PressMounties say they believe an attack on Edmonton City Hall in January was politically motivated, meaning it reaches the legal threshold for terrorism charges. Supt. Glenn Sells of the RCMP’s national security team said Tuesday that officers had seized an…
Landmark opioid case wrestles with who defends among multiple insurers
March 1, 2024 by David GambrillWhen multiple commercial insurers are on the hook consecutively for long-tail claims spanning decades, defence costs should be allocated according to the proportion of time they were on risk, the Ontario Appeal Court ruled this week. The court’s landmark decision…
Vehicle warranties: Auto insurers don’t owe premium tax on dealer’s fees
February 29, 2024 by David GambrillAn insurer doesn’t owe provincial premium tax on auto dealer’s fees charged for vehicle equipment warranties, the Supreme Court of B.C. has ruled. Vehicle equipment warranties are commonly sold at auto dealerships. Customers pay for vehicle warranty policies as part…
Why this Uber driver was not injured in an auto accident
February 26, 2024 by David GambrillAn Uber driver who slipped on ice when helping a passenger load the trunk was not involved in an auto ‘accident,’ the Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal has ruled. The ruling is consistent with a trend in Ontario case law over…
Will bigger vehicles lead to bigger claims?
February 23, 2024 Philip PoradoWith accident rates climbing, one growing area of concern is that vehicles are becoming much larger. For example, rapid changes in vehicle specs mean full-size SUVs from 1999 would today meet the gearhead moniker of ‘Cute Ute.’ With sport utility…
Sports insurers urged to consider video review
February 22, 2024 by David GambrillA legal firm urges sports insurers to require their sports association clients to install cameras to record the action, following the B.C. Court of Appeal’s January 2024 decision in Cox v. Miller. In Cox v Miller, the court found Karl…
Air Canada chatbot error shows liability implications of AI
February 21, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoAir Canada has been ordered to uphold a policy fabricated by its AI customer chatbot in a recent Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) dispute. The decision is a cautionary tale for why clients need to be sure their AI chatbots…
Brokers needn’t advise new Canadians to obtain a provincial driver’s licence
February 20, 2024 by David GambrillInsurance brokers in B.C. aren’t required to advise clients new to Canada that they must apply for a provincial driver’s licence within 90 days of residency in the province, B.C.’s Civil Rules Tribunal has ruled. “I find that the duty…
Lax e-scooter insurance spells trouble for Canadian municipalities
February 12, 2024 Philip PoradoBased on what’s taking place in other jurisdictions, lawsuits over accidents involving e-scooters will likely rise in Canada – particularly in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, where some municipalities permit their use on public streets, park trails, or sidewalks. Municipalities…
A golfer’s shot hits a homeowner’s car. Is he liable for not shouting “fore”?
February 7, 2024 by David GambrillA golfer who doesn’t shout “fore” before his golf ball damages a nearby homeowner’s car isn’t necessarily liable to pay the auto owner’s insurance deductible. That’s because even if the golfer had issued the warning, the parked car couldn’t get…