Keyword
British Columbia
What if the Alaskan earthquake happened in Canada?
January 24, 2018 by Jason ContantA recent earthquake off the coast of Alaska, which prompted a brief tsunami warning for British Columbia, resulted in no immediate reports of damage — but what if it did strike Canada’s westernmost province? A 2013 study by catastrophe modelling…
Tsunami fears send people in B.C. to higher ground
January 23, 2018 Terri Theodore and Beth Leighton - THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – A tsunami warning issued for coastal British Columbia was cancelled Tuesday morning after people living along parts of the province’s coast evacuated to higher ground when a powerful earthquake struck off Alaska. Residents in some coastal communities were…
Insurers, society face irreversible climate change: reinsurance board exec
December 19, 2017 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorWildfires that hit British Columbia earlier this year and that continue to affect California are among the effects of climate change, says Karen Gavan, former CEO of Waterloo, Ont.-based Economical Insurance. “Literally California has been burning all fall,” said Gavan,…
Industry encouraged to offer discount for using cellphone blockers
December 11, 2017 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorVehicle owners who install smart phone-blocking apps should get a break on insurance rates, some industry groups contend. British Columbia’s government-owned auto insurer says it will roll out telematics devices designed to block drivers from using their wireless phones on…
Burning Questions
December 11, 2017 Angela Stelmakowich, EditorWhat is needed to create enhanced focus and kick-start more action with regard to the wildfire peril in Canada? Approaches deserving of a look (or a closer look) range from improving stakeholder understanding of the potential related losses to rethinking how the peril needs to be modelled and addressed within insurance policies.
Are you covered for giant boulder damage? Not if the Earth moves…
December 7, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterResidents in certain parts of British Columbia may be used to evacuations from wildfires, but how about evacuations due to giant boulders? The Canadian Press reported earlier this week that eight properties in the province’s Fraser Valley, including five homes,…
TSB calls on aviation regulator to ‘reduce the risk of impairment’ of flight crew
November 9, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterCanada’s aviation industry should have a “comprehensive substance abuse program” that includes drug and alcohol testing of workers in safety-sensitive positions, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada recommended in a recent accident report. In 2015, two commercial pilots were killed…
B.C. to designate distracted driving as high-risk behavior under ICBC’s Driver Risk Premium program
November 6, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Government of British Columbia’s Ministry of Attorney General announced on Monday that it will work to designate distracted driving as a high-risk driving behaviour under the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia’s (ICBC) Driver Risk Premium program. This means a…
Echelon Insurance reports near halving of net income in 2017 Q3 compared to 2016 Q3
November 3, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterThe B.C. wildfires and losses related to commercial auto and motorcycle contributed to Echelon Insurance witnessing a 42% decrease in net income and an increase in combined operating ratio for 2017 Q3 compared to 2016 Q3. Net income amounted to…
Almost half of B.C. drivers using winter tires this year: ICBC survey
October 31, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterNearly half (48%) of polled drivers in British Columbia “plan to or already have put winter tires on their vehicle in anticipation of another heavy winter this year,” the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) reported on Monday. The survey…
B.C. strengthens spill response regulations
October 16, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterTransporters of liquid petroleum products in British Columbia now will need to have provincial plans in place to manage a spill, the province’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy announced on Friday. The new regulations requiring spill preparedness apply…
Brakes tapped on ridesharing in B.C. despite election promises to allow Uber
October 4, 2017 Dirk Meissner - THE CANADIAN PRESSVICTORIA – An election promise to bring ridesharing to British Columbia by the end of the year has taken a detour as the NDP government says safety of passengers and operators comes first. Transportation Minister Claire Trevena said Tuesday the…