Topic
Legal
How Northbridge beat the taxman
October 26, 2023 by David GambrillNorthbridge is allowed to claim GST input tax credits for insurance policies it issued to trucking companies operating in both Canada and the United States, the Federal Court of Appeal has ruled. The decision overturned a Tax Court of Canada…
Policy exclusion? Watch your exceptions in multiple-cause losses
October 18, 2023 by David GambrillUnderwriters must pay close attention to the policy wording they use in their exceptions to exclusions, lest insurers find themselves on the hook for covering losses with two or more suspected causes. That’s a key takeaway from Brock Stock Farm…
Clarifying Nativelands: What the decision means to brokers
October 11, 2023 Stephen F. Gleave, partner, DLA Canada (Toronto)Canadian Underwriter published an article on Sept. 19, 2023, entitled “Court draws distinction between a brokerage and a consultant.” The article deals with an important decision of Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan released on July 25, 2023. The matter…
Is FSRA planning to license aggregators?
October 6, 2023 Philip PoradoOntario’s insurance regulator has confirmed it is considering whether or not aggregators need to be licensed. Since August, when Ontario’s financial services regulator issued a report outlining concerns about auto insurers’ compliance with take-all-comers requirements, Canada’s P&C insurance industry has…
Why you might need a diversity, equity and inclusion partner
September 28, 2023 Alyssa Di SabatinoNeed some help with your brokerage’s efforts to develop a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace? Consider partnering with another organization to create recruiting or other interim partnerships, suggested Craig Pinnock, chief financial officer of Northbridge Financial Corporation. “These are the…
Why this address misrepresentation ruling was set aside
September 27, 2023 by Jason ContantOntario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) erred in law when ruling it had to rely solely on the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS) and had no jurisdiction to award equitable remedies under the Insurance Act, a provincial court has found. In…
What’s contributing to rising auto premiums in Alberta?
September 26, 2023 by Jason ContantLitigation costs stand out as a major contributor to premiums drivers pay in Alberta, according to a new report from accounting firm MNP. Legal costs in Alberta’s auto insurance system have risen 31% since 2018 and account for roughly 20%…
Brokers: Is your client’s dog “friendly?”
September 25, 2023 by David GambrillWhen two dog owners pass each other while walking their dogs, it is common to hear one ask of the other’s dog, “Friendly?” Perhaps that’s what personal lines home insurance brokers should be asking their dog-owning clients, since lawsuits against…
Court draws distinction between a brokerage and a consultant
September 19, 2023 by David GambrillCiting the lack of a non-compete agreement, as well as the difference between insurance consulting services and those of a traditional insurance brokerage, the Ontario Superior Court declined to order an injunction that would stop two First Nations land claims…
What a tribunal said about psychological symptoms in an auto case
September 5, 2023 by David GambrillOntario’s Licence Appeal Tribunal has rejected a claim for auto accident benefits arising from psychological symptoms, finding that while these symptoms happened after the crash, they were not caused by the crash. Also, the adjudicator found the injured insured’s doctors…
Why OSFI changed its rules for appointed actuaries
August 31, 2023 by David GambrillIn the wake of IFRS 17 accounting changes, Canada’s solvency regulator is requiring federally regulated P&C insurance companies to be more proactive in reporting any changes related to their appointed actuaries (AAs) and their peer reviewers. The regulator has also…
Where the burden of proof lies in accident claim adjudications
August 28, 2023 Philip PoradoAn applicant who was able to prove on a balance of probabilities that she should be removed from the minor injury guideline (MIG) because of a psychological impairment is entitled to additional accident benefits, Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal adjudicator Nick…