Topic
Restoration
One key difference between a builders’ risk policy and a liability policy
August 30, 2022 by David GambrillStarr Insurance & Reinsurance Limited does not have to defend its insured in a Quebec construction case, because its builders’ risk policy is essentially a property policy, not a liability policy, Quebec’s Superior Court has ruled. In construction, a builders’…
Deloitte report: How microeconomic factors will impact claims costs
August 17, 2022 Philip PoradoYes, overall inflation is high. One trip to the grocery store demonstrates that faster than a macroeconomics refresher lecture. So will a glance at Canada’s June 2022 Consumer Price Index, which jumped 8.1% over the prior year to mark its…
Why Intact can’t recover $2.9 million in excess insurance payment
July 7, 2022 by David GambrillIntact Insurance has lost its bid to recover $2.9 million it paid above and beyond its $5-million insurance policy limit for cleaning up a 2012 chemical spill in North Bay, Ontario. Ontario’s Court of Appeal rejected Intact’s arguments that it…
Why it’s taken a year to get Lytton, B.C.’s post-wildfire rebuild underway
June 29, 2022 by David GambrillTo the naked eye, not much has changed since Lytton, B.C. was razed by a June 30, 2021 wildfire, causing an estimated $100 million in insured damage. Coming up on the fire’s one-year anniversary, debris-removal work has finally begun for…
Why insureds might need parametric coverage alongside conventional policies
June 1, 2022 Megan LinkinWhen Hurricane Ida made landfall on Aug. 29, 2021, a handful of parametric insurance policies in Swiss Re Corporate Solutions’ portfolio were affected and potentially triggered. By Sept. 1, all relevant data for determining if the hurricane’s winds met policy-defined…
War and other factors loom over shipping sector: report
May 27, 2022 Philip PoradoWhile fewer total losses of cargo ships worldwide is good news for marine insurers, the number of shipping casualties rose during 2021, said Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty’s (AGCS) annual Safety & Shipping Review. Globally, 54 total vessel losses were…
How to speed up claims response for NatCats
May 25, 2022 Yasser Korany, Mario Delorme and Mazen HabashExtreme weather events have become common, some bringing unprecedented levels of destruction to structures and facilities, overwhelming owners, property managers and insurers. In response, nearly all major insurers have created centralized Cat units dedicated to handling claims arising from extreme…
Brokers beware: High inflation may catch up to claims valuation software
May 20, 2022 Philip PoradoValuation models in software systems used by insurers to calculate replacement and restoration costs for commercial structures must be checked more often when inflation’s running high. That’s because costs for labour, lumber, drywall, concrete and other construction materials can jump…
Rising lumber, materials costs lead claims professionals to tweak their approach
May 16, 2022 Philip PoradoWith the inflation rate at a 30-year high, specialists handling home reconstruction claims are making adjustments that reflect surging prices for construction components – including lumber, finishing materials and appliances. What started as supply chain problems, some of which were…
3 lessons about brokers’ obligations to insureds
May 6, 2022 Harmon C. HaydenA broker has an obligation to help clients understand policy specifics and avoid coverage gaps, and it’s not necessarily going to save them if the client hasn’t reviewed the policy, the British Columbia Court of Appeal found recently in Alvaro…
How guaranteed replacement fits within a world of rising home costs
April 26, 2022 Philip PoradoWhile federal budget proposals aimed at dampening home-price escalation may modestly help insurers control reconstruction costs for insureds, there’s another side to the conversation. What if it doesn’t work? Beyond price appreciation, lots of factors — like updates to building…
Ukraine war insured losses could outstrip 9-11
April 20, 2022 Philip PoradoWhen adjusters are finally able to assess the damage stemming from the war in Ukraine, costs may exceed the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks as the largest industry-wide insured loss, across all classes of business, in history, said a specialty…