Topic
Commercial Lines
Don’t let clients cheap out on cyber coverage
May 10, 2023 Philip PoradoAs high-profile ransomware attacks continue to grab headlines, insurers providing directors and officers (D&O) coverage are concerned private company boards might not be managing cyber risk. “Are they allocating enough funds to cybersecurity? Are they going to have a lawsuit…
How is the cannabis insurance market faring?
May 9, 2023 by Jason ContantFour-and-a-half years after recreational marijuana use was legalized in Canada, cannabis companies continue to face a number of challenges, including insolvency, consolidation and low or flat growth, according to a recent report from EY Canada. “Established/mature markets — including Canada,…
Tips for advising commercial clients during economic downturns
May 9, 2023 Alyssa Di SabatinoInflation and the looming threat of an economic downturn would seem like a one-two punch that would make commercial clients think about ways to skimp on insurance. But it isn’t necessarily so. “Insurance is not a discretionary spend for most companies,”…
What your business clients need to know about generative AI risks
May 4, 2023 by David GambrillCommercial brokers and insurers should alert their business clients to new liability risks around intellectual property (IP), copyright and licensing associated with using generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies like ChatGPT, Dall-E and Bard. “Generative AI is a type of artificial…
Aviva reveals Number 1 risk facing Canadian businesses
May 3, 2023 by Jason ContantEconomic uncertainty remains the Number 1 risk facing Canadian businesses, according to Aviva Canada’s second annual Risk Insights Report. Based on a survey of nearly 1,500 Canadian business leaders, the report found one in three businesses stated they were “very…
Vancouver port traffic dips in 2022, hinting at economic slowdown to come
May 3, 2023 Christopher Reynolds - THE CANADIAN PRESSMONTREAL – Cargo volumes at Canada’s largest port fell by three per cent last year as the global economy began to show signs of a slowdown. Though grain and fertilizer exports surged in the second half of 2022, the gains…
Commercial lines are growing. Will this affect profitability?
May 3, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoTighter underwriting control, client safeguards and softening of certain lines have helped some business segments start growing again, experts told a Canadian Underwriter webinar. But the industry is wary of growth at the expense of profitability. “We’ve got a lot of…
Why MGAs are here to stay
May 2, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoHard markets have historically offered a tremendous opportunity for growth for managing general agents (MGAs), but industry experts say they will be here to stay even when the market softens. Unlike primary insurers, MGAs provide capacity in specialized areas of…
How many Canadian properties are at high risk of wildfire?
May 2, 2023 by Jason ContantApproximately 300,000 properties across Canada are at a high wildfire risk, with another million carrying a minor risk of being impacted by wildfires during the typical mortgage term, according to Vancouver-based software and data analytics company Minerva Intelligence Inc. Minerva…
Brokers still worry about the hard market, but what’s next?
May 1, 2023 Philip PoradoAlthough Canadian property and casualty (P&C) insurance brokers still call the hard market their greatest challenge, their overall level of concern is gradually waning. So found Canadian Underwriter’s 2023 National Broker Survey, in which more than 150 brokers nationwide expressed…
How the cyber liability loss ratio fared in 2022
April 28, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoCanadian cyber liability insurance seems to have turned a corner on its loss ratios, even accounting for reserve releases, says an industry financial observer. With net incurred claims of negative-$178.7 million last year and net premiums earned at $372.7 million,…
Insurer successfully defends city’s appeal over fire response times
April 28, 2023 by David GambrillCanada’s top court Thursday refused to hear an appeal in a case in which a Quebec municipality was found 25% liable for a fire that destroyed a commercial building when not enough firefighters were present after 10 minutes to fight…