Canadian Underwriter

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Markets / Coverages


Harvested wheat field in Saskatchewan
News CatastrophesClaimsClaims CanadaClimate ChangeInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Why climate change on the farm equates to a big bill

April 8, 2024 Amanda Stephenson – The Canadian Press

To get an idea of the financial toll extreme weather is taking on this country’s agriculture industry, look no further than the government of Saskatchewan’s books.  The prairie province had forecast a more than $1 billion surplus for the fiscal

Calculating the cost of auto insurance
News BrokersClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Are optional auto benefits a good choice for your clients?

April 5, 2024 by Jason Contant

Ontario’s recent 2024 budget proposes expanded choice for auto insurance consumers by offering more optional accident benefit coverages, but that may wind up being a zero-sum game that sends clients down a slippery slope, suggests Adam Mitchell, CEO of Ontario

Semi-truck at a storage warehous
News BrokersCommercial LinesInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

How insurers verify truck fleet sizes before insuring them

April 3, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Commercial truck fleets trying to get more favourable insurance rates by only reporting the trucks on the road, and not the ones on their lots, might find themselves outwitted by the industry’s scrutiny, sources tell Canadian Underwriter.  But whether due

Lithium ion batteries in laptops, cell phones, e-scooters and other devices create fire risk at disposal sites
News ClaimsInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesTechnology

How lithium-ion batteries threaten recycling facilities

April 3, 2024 Philip Porado

Introduction of lithium-ion batteries has introduced new hazards into the everyday lives of Canadians due to their ability to catch fire spontaneously – a phenomenon known as ‘thermal runaway.’ What began as concerns about fires started by cell phone and

Quebec taxi driver protesting new government regulations.
News InsuranceLegalLegislation / RegulationMarkets / Coverages

Class-action lawsuit by taxi drivers against Quebec government begins

April 2, 2024 Jacob Serebrin – The Canadian Press

A trial opens Tuesday in a class-action lawsuit accusing the Quebec government of wiping out hundreds of millions of dollars in the value of taxi permits by allowing ride-hailing company Uber to operate and then by abolishing the permit system.

Toronto Police talking about vehicle theft investigation, Project Paranoid
News ClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesRisk

Toronto police recover stolen vehicles amid ongoing rise in auto theft

March 28, 2024 Maan Alhmidi – The Canadian Press

Toronto police announced the recovery of 48 stolen vehicles and the arrests of seven people Wednesday as they detailed their latest attempt to crack down on the growing issue of auto theft in the region. Investigators said information gathered during

The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 27, 2024
News ClaimsClaims CanadaEngineeringInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Canadian bridges are safe, officials say, after U.S. bridge rammed by ship collapses 

March 27, 2024 Jacob Serebrin – The Canadian Press

Canadian authorities tried to reassure the public about the safety of bridges in the country following the collapse of a bridge in Baltimore, Md., early Tuesday morning after it was rammed by a container ship.  Halifax Harbour Bridges, which operates

Car keys laying on top of an auto insurance policy
News ClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceLegalMarkets / Coverages

What the P&C industry thinks of Ontario’s 2024 budget

March 27, 2024 by Jason Contant

Proposed reforms to Ontario auto insurance will make life simpler for accident victims but could increase premiums and costs for insurers, says David Marshall, who’s served as senior advisor to the provincial government on auto insurance and pension funds.  In

Top view of six cyber employees using laptops at a company
News BrokersClaimsCommercial LinesInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

How to keep cyber criminals from capitalizing on company culture

March 26, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Humans continue to be the weakest links when it comes to corporate cyber security, but companies looking to reduce phishing or ransomware attempts must first address their company culture, one expert tells Canadian Underwriter.   Over the past two to

Cybersecurity concept
News ClaimsClaims CanadaCommercial LinesInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesTechnology

Giant Tiger customer data compromised in incident with third-party vendor

March 26, 2024 Tara Deschamps – The Canadian Press

Giant Tiger Stores Ltd. says contact information for some of its customers was compromised in an “incident” linked to a third-party vendor it uses. Alison Scarlett, a spokesperson for the Ottawa-based discount retailer, would not name the vendor on Monday

Tractor bringing in the hay
News BrokersInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesTechnology

Can farm insurance coverage be delivered online?

March 25, 2024 Alyssa Di Sabatino

The words ‘technology’ and ‘farm insurance’ aren’t always mentioned in the same breath. Historically, farm insurance providers do most of their business through offer and acceptance — sending either online or paper applications to clients. Underwriters and brokers then use

Person reporting a stolen vehicle
News ClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Insurer’s Top 5 insurance fraud claims of 2023

March 25, 2024 by Jason Contant

An intoxicated driver who reported her car stolen to avoid the consequences of impaired driving and fake invoices for high-end jewellery reportedly stolen from a vehicle were among Saskatchewan Government Insurance’s (SGI) Top 5 insurance fraud claims of 2023.  The