Topic
Markets / Coverages
Large commercial brokerage expands presence in benefits space
June 6, 2019 by Jason ContantYet another commercial brokerage has expanded its presence in the benefits space in Canada. Toronto-headquartered Navacord Corp. announced Tuesday the acquisition of Toronto-based Future Benefits Management Inc. (FBMI), effective June 3. Founded in 1995 and exclusively focused on group benefits,…
Brokers concerned about blanket approach to binding authority restrictions
May 31, 2019 by Jason ContantWith wildfires raging in northern Alberta and Ontario, brokers are reporting some funky outcomes associated with insurers’ binding authority restrictions. Under the restrictions, brokers cannot bind coverage in areas under civil authority, forest fire alerts, flood alerts and certain earthquake…
How Ontario got it right on surety
May 30, 2019 by Jason ContantThe federal government should follow Ontario’s lead in addressing contractor insolvency before the federal budget bill becomes law, says the Surety Association of Canada (SAC). The federal budget bill, Bill C-97, was tabled in March and passed second reading on…
Does an earthquake endorsement cover sinkhole damage?
May 28, 2019 by Jason ContantIf a home collapses into a sinkhole, is there coverage under a standard homeowner’s policy or earthquake endorsement? Not under many homeowner’s policies, but possibly under the earthquake endorsement, depending on the policy language and if the quake caused the…
Why your clients may not be covered when there’s an active wildfire
May 21, 2019 by Jason ContantWith wildfire season already underway in Alberta and British Columbia, brokers will be looking at how insurance can help their clients mitigate any losses. But brokers and clients alike may not know that the ability to bind coverage could be…
Why rewards programs are a new cyber threat
May 21, 2019 by Jason ContantIf your client offers loyalty and rewards programs, they may want to keep a closer eye on securing these “non-traditional risk points” from cyber criminals. Earlier this year, several McDonald’s customers in Canada complained that criminals had breached their accounts…
How should employers treat recreational marijuana use?
May 9, 2019 by Jason ContantEmployers should treat marijuana use in the workplace as they would alcohol use, a senior claims professional told Canadian Underwriter Monday. “All of the liability still exists,” said Heather Matthews, senior vice president of Crawford & Company (Canada)’s National Claims…
Is sinkhole damage covered under a standard home insurance policy?
May 7, 2019 by Jason ContantEditor’s Note: This story has been edited to include additional comments. Is damage from a sinkhole covered under a standard homeowner’s policy? “Earth movement” is typically excluded under a standard policy, but an earthquake endorsement may provide coverage. The…
Tips for your cyber clients on creating stronger passwords
May 1, 2019 by Jason ContantBrokers advising their clients on cyber security should inform them that re-using passwords – or using passwords in the first place – is not the best practice. “Passwords still have their use, but not as a way to uniquely verify…
The top threat facing Canadian businesses
April 29, 2019 by Jason ContantCyber attacks and data breaches are the Number 1 threat to businesses in North America, according to Aon plc’s newly released 2019 Global Risk Management Survey. Aon surveys thousands of risk managers across 60 countries and 33 industries every two…
Is the industry taking a consistent approach to overland flood coverage?
April 23, 2019 by Jason ContantAre carriers taking a consistent approach to covering overland flood? The flood waters sweeping across New Brunswick and Quebec have brought the issue to the forefront. In general, overland flood was not covered in Canada until 2015; only sewer backup…
Credential stuffing: Canada’s newest cyber threat
April 15, 2019 by Jason ContantA new cyber threat called “credential stuffing” is emerging, and Canada is the third-most targeted country in the world, according to a new report. Credential stuffing is when hackers take a stolen username and password and then run it through…