Topic
Claims
Where Canada sits with high-risk flood insurance pool
February 3, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIndustry experts are trying to calculate how much it would cost to set up an insurance pool for homes at high risk of overland flood, an Insurance Bureau of Canada official suggests. Canada’s Task Force on Flood Insurance and Relocation…
One big lesson from pandemic business interruption coverage disputes
February 2, 2021 by Greg MeckbachThe industry could do a better job of explaining to commercial clients exactly what business interruption insurance actually covers, A.M. Best Company Inc. suggests in a report released Monday. “Disputes over BI cover are unfavourable for the reputation of affected…
Kidnap and ransom coverage: What you should tell your clients
January 28, 2021 by Greg MeckbachClients can buy insurance that would cover the financial risk of a kidnapping or hijacking, but brokers should be aware of several things. “In the event of a kidnapping, the onus is on the client to finance the ransom payment…
Telematics: Who’s jumping into the pool and who’s watching from the deck
January 28, 2021 by Greg MeckbachAuto insurers are taking a variety of approaches to telematics: Some are observing from the sidelines, while others report growing interest from consumers. The Travelers Companies Inc. introduced IntelliDrive in Canada last week, as Michael Klein, president of personal insurance…
Why this insurer had to pay $187K for ex-Ontario PC leader’s legal defence
January 28, 2021 by David GambrillAn Ontario court has ordered Sovereign General to pay $187,313 to cover the legal costs of former Ontario Progressive Conservative Party leader Patrick Brown, who personally incurred the expenses while defending a defamation lawsuit arising from the publication of his…
Risk management lessons from the governor general’s resignation
January 26, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIf a commercial client has any inklings of a toxic workplace, an independent investigation is one way of managing reputational and liability risk, an expert says. The resignations last week of Governor General Julie Payette and her secretary may have…
What the recovery from commercial hard market could look like
January 26, 2021 by Greg MeckbachBrokers could see a “K-shaped” recovery from the hard market in commercial lines because some sectors have been hit harder by the COVID-19 pandemic than others, panelists observed in a webinar hosted Jan. 25 by Canadian Underwriter. Some commercial lines…
Six reasons why commercial prices will probably continue rising
January 25, 2021 by Greg MeckbachDon’t expect a soft market for your commercial clients any time soon, executives with The Travelers Companies Inc. warn. Rates on renewal for business insurance were up 8.4% while rates in bond and specialty insurance increased by 12%, Travelers said…
This new type of class-action tort grew from genetically modified corn seed
January 22, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA proposed class-action lawsuit based on the novel tort of “premature commercialization” is going ahead in Ontario. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Dec. 10 it will not hear an appeal from Syngenta Canada Inc., which is facing a proposed…
How British Supreme Court COVID business interruption ruling could be imported into Canada
January 22, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA landmark British court ruling against insurers over business interruption coverage could be good news for restaurants or retailers who had to severely limit their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled largely in…
Why this small claims tribunal changed an auto insurer’s liability finding
January 21, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA British Columbia driver who was found 50% at fault for a collision by the province’s monopoly auto insurer has partly won a small claim against the other driver. Hartmut Wolfram and Yunsun Kim collided with one another in Burnaby…
This kind of homeowner’s liability claim has real teeth
January 21, 2021 by Greg MeckbachWhen a dog bites man, the wounds could be deep and wide for homeowners. “Pet bites top the list for home insurance liability claims,” reports Dorchester Insurance Brokers Ltd., based near London in the community of Dorchester, Ont. “Dog bites…