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CNA Canada appoints Dean Grigoruk to head up its Montreal branch

July 29, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Dean Grigoruk has been appointed CNA Canada’s assistant vice president, branch manager, Montreal. Grigoruk joins CNA from AXA Assurances, where he had responsibility for leading a team of commercial lines underwriters for AXA’s larger mid-market division. He has close to…

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Extended warranties or guarantees are not “insurance” for tax purposes: Alberta Appeal Court

July 28, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Extended warranties or guarantees on products other than vehicles do not count as “insurance” for tax purposes, the Alberta Court of Appeal has ruled.In Brick Protection Corporation v. Alberta (Provincial Treasurer), the Appeal Court concluded on July 21 that taking…

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Phony airbag deployment often used to beef up claim damage: accident reconstruction expert

July 28, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Phony airbag deployment is an increasingly common element of auto fraud, an accident reconstruction expert told an education seminar held in London, Ontario on July 26. Gord Jenish, president of Jenish Engineering, presented some common signs indicating the fraudulent deployment…

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Alberta holds the line on mandatory auto insurance premiums

July 28, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Alberta’s Automobile Insurance Rate Board (AIRB) has decided to maintain premiums at 2010 levels for mandatory automobile insurance.The decision not to increase rates was based on input from Albertans, the board’s consumer representative, the board’s actuary and insurers during an…

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Crawford & Company (Canada) appoints two new branch managers

July 28, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Jennifer Tims has been named branch manager of operations for Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc. on Vancouver Island. She will assume the role immediately. Tims has been with Crawford for more than 10 years, previously working with the company’s Edmonton…

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The Co-operators donates more than $230,000 to more than 150 organizations

July 28, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

The Co-operators has donated $236,150 to 156 community organizations throughout Canada.The contributions are part of the organization’s Directed Donations program.In this program, individual staff members direct $75 of corporate funds – directors and delegates direct $125 – to the organization…

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SGI reaches tentative agreement with unionized workers

July 27, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

SGI and the Canadian Office and Professional Employees (COPE) Union Local 397 have reached a tentative agreement. SGI’s unionized workers took job action on July 7. Roughly 1,500 workers at the public insurer had been without a contract for 18…

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OPP notes increase of insurance frauds involving ‘homemade’ trailers, marina chop shops and ATVs

July 27, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Car theft may be grabbing headlines these days, but frauds involving other types of vehicles have emerged recently on the radar screens of Ontario police. These include insured ‘homemade’ trailers, watercraft and all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).Sergeant Stephen Boyd of the Ontario…

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Paying out small auto claims without investigation could embolden fraudsters

July 27, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Insurance companies settling small claims without any investigation may in fact be emboldening fraudsters to commit more serious forms of fraud in the future, a claims investigator warned at a seminar on combating auto fraud.Jordan Legg of Cunningham Lindsey spoke…

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West coast forest fires likely to become much more severe

July 26, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

By 2050, forest fires in the Rockies will likely be an annual event, with little chance of forests being able to replenish between events, the Globe and Mail reported.The Globe and Mail reported on a study, which will be published…

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WSI maintains its prediction of active hurricane season in 2011

July 26, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

WSI (Weather Services International) is maintaining its forecast for above-average activity in the 2011 hurricane season, likely with a landfall on the US Gulf coastline. Its 2011 predictions include 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four intense hurricanes (Category 3…

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Lawsuits and identity theft keeping CEOs up at night

July 26, 2011 by Canadian Underwriter

Third party lawsuits and identity theft are the largest areas of concern for CEOs, according to a survey of more than 200 executives, a survey commissioned by Chartis Private Client Group found. Chartis commissioned Chief Executive Group to survey a…