Topic
Adjusters
Estimator’s COVID dilemma: Photos of auto damage not enough, in-person visit not allowed
June 11, 2021 by David GambrillIt’s an auto insurance estimator’s Catch-22. A B.C. small claims tribunal recently downplayed expert evidence based on photos taken in an auto collision shop because the estimator didn’t conduct an in-person inspection of the vehicle — even though pandemic lockdown…
Forget data: The case for going with your gut instinct
June 8, 2021 by David GambrillData analysis may be held up as the gold standard for making sound business decisions. But a recent study suggests gut instinct — when backed up by simple decision aids — may actually be better in situations of high uncertainty.…
Tribunal sides with Intact in home insurance co-payment spat
June 3, 2021 by David GambrillA B.C. homeowner who is listed along with a second person on his home insurance policy has lost his bid to have Intact issue him a payment directly for his own personal items damaged in a flood, instead of issuing…
Using pics in social media investigations? Here’s one thing you need to do…
May 6, 2021 by Greg MeckbachClaims professionals who rely on videos and photos obtained through social media investigations need to make sure that evidence can be backed up as authentic, Virtual Symposium B.C. speakers suggest. There are several reasons why a social media investigation is…
Appeal court ‘vindicates Aviva’ in slip-and-fall lawsuit
May 6, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCommercial liability clients do not have to settle personal injury lawsuits even if the defendants are perceived as having deep pockets, a recent Court of Appeal for Ontario ruling suggests. “A litigant, or its insurer, even if wealthy, is not…
Ontario judge urges legislature to deal with insurance fraud
April 22, 2021 by David GambrillAn Ontario judge has taken the rare approach in a sentencing decision to urge the provincial government to take steps to prevent future instances of insurance fraud. Ontario Court Justice David S. Rose made the obitur remarks in his written…
What the court said when property owners refused to submit a Final Proof of Loss
April 20, 2021 by David GambrillWestland Insurance Company was within its rights to assume a contentious, two-year insurance claim had been resolved when two Victoria, B.C., property owners refused to submit a “Final Proof of Loss” form that had been filled out for them to…
Toilet trouble means strata owner must reimburse corporation’s $5,000 deductible
April 19, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA British Columbia townhouse owner whose toilet overflowed and caused damage has to pay the $5,000 deductible on the strata corporation’s insurance claim, the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT) has ruled. Jefferson Wu is the principal of Kwan-Wu Holdings Ltd.,…
How to build empathetic managers for the hybrid workplace
April 16, 2021 by David GambrillCanadian property and casualty insurance industry leaders have often talked about the importance of managing with empathy during the pandemic, but empathic managers will become even more valuable in the hybrid workplaces that are expected to emerge after the pandemic…
Adjuster’s fine halved on appeal in a replacement cost dispute over a tractor
April 15, 2021 by David GambrillA Manitoba insurance adjuster has been fined for failing to carry out instructions from an insurer to inform a claimant about how to replace their tractor under the terms of the insurer’s Limited Waiver of Depreciation. The adjuster, Douglas Boyd…
Intact wins the battle, but loses the war, in Alberta wildfire claim
April 7, 2021 by David GambrillIntact Insurance has lost its appeal over procedural unfairness in an Alberta wildfire property damage claim, even though an umpire in the case made a decision based on information that was not placed on the record by either the claimant…
Why dirt bike accident victim can get Ontario auto accident benefits
March 6, 2021 by Greg MeckbachAn Ontario claimant who suffered a severely disabling injury after falling off his dirt bike during a competition is entitled to accident benefits under his auto policy. This is the result of Beaudin v. Travelers Insurance Company of Canada, released…