Topic
Legal
Ontario drivers to face higher fines for distracted driving as of March 18
February 25, 2014 by Canadian UnderwriterTORONTO – An Ontario court has hiked the set fine for motorists caught driving while using a cellphone or other prohibited device. Chief Justice Annemarie Bonkalo of the Ontario Court of Justice has signed an order increasing the set fine…
One third of Canadian businesses report being subject to economic crime: PwC
February 24, 2014 by Canadian UnderwriterMore than one in three Canadian respondents reported their businesses were subject to economic crime, and more than one in ten of those said economic crime cost their companies more than $5 million, a new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP suggests.…
Accident victims group takes issue with report on Ontario auto dispute resolution system
February 21, 2014 by Canadian UnderwriterA recent report on Ontario auto insurance dispute resolution includes six paragraphs discussing insurers’ medical examinations, but the recommendations ignore the effect of “flawed” medical opinions, an accident victims’ group suggested Friday. The Ministry of Finance released Tuesday the final…
Motorists criticize tactics of U.S. federal roadside survey on impaired driving as intrusive
February 20, 2014 Michael Rubinkam, THE ASSOCIATED PRESSREADING, Pa. – Orange cones and flashing police lights confronted Ricardo Nieves as he rounded a bend on the way to his mother’s house. Before he knew what was going on, Nieves said a man working for a government contractor…
Final review of Ontario auto dispute resolution system released with 28 recommendations
February 19, 2014 by Canadian UnderwriterThe final report including recommendations for improving Ontario’s dispute resolution system from auto insurance has been issued, following multiple consultations with stakeholders. The review of the DRS was delivered to the Ministry of Finance on Tuesday by J. Douglas Cunningham,…
Federal unit ‘most likely’ needs more funding if emergency response plans mandated for flammable liquids transported by rail: Report
February 18, 2014 by Canadian UnderwriterA report recently submitted to Transport Minister Lisa Raitt notes that shipments of crude oil by rail have “risen exponentially” in recent years and but that the federal organization responsible for guidance on transportation of dangerous goods may not have…
Toyota recalls 1.9 million Prius cars worldwide to fix software glitch
February 12, 2014 THE ASSOCIATED PRESSTOKYO – Toyota is recalling 1.9 million hybrid Prius cars globally for a software glitch that could cause the vehicle to stall. Toyota Motor Corp. said Wednesday that 997,000 Prius cars in Japan, some 713,000 in North America, another 130,000…
Social media can be key in claims investigations, but ethics critical
February 4, 2014 Harmeet Singh, Online EditorUsing social media can be critical for claims investigations, but keeping ethics top of mind is equally important, for both reputation and the success of a case, says one industry expert. “Any good claims investigator, in addition to using that…
Slight increase in Nova Scotia’s minor injury cap announced
February 3, 2014 by Canadian UnderwriterNova Scotia’s minor injury cap has increased to $8,213 for 2014, notes a Jan. 31 bulletin from the province’s Office of the Superintendent of Insurance. The new cap – the limit must be reviewed annually to reflect changes in the…
U.S. feds to announce whether new cars should be able to talk to each other to prevent collisions
February 3, 2014 Joan Lowy, THE ASSOCIATED PRESSWASHINGTON – Federal officials are planning to announce Monday whether automakers should be required to equip new cars and light trucks with technology that enables vehicles to communicate with each other to prevent collisions. Such vehicle-to-vehicle communication could transform traffic…
Bell small business customer information breached in hacking attack
February 3, 2014 THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – Bell Canada says 22,400 of its small business customers have had their account information compromised by hackers. Bell says in a release the breach of usernames and passwords occurred when an Ottawa-based third-party supplier had its systems hacked.…
Electronic Signatures
February 1, 2014 Catherine Smola, President and CEO, Centre for Study of Insurance OperationsElectronic signatures make workflow less cumbersome. They can also produce an audit trail for each transaction and provide proof that the customer received and read the documentation before he or she signed it.