Topic
Risk
Drones, phones and loss control: how inspections changed amid the pandemic
May 5, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoLoss control strategies had to pivot amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and while many insurance carriers reverted to ‘Old School’ loss control inspections via the phone, some took it even further, industry experts share during a Canadian Underwriter webinar. The…
What disco-era stagflation means for insurers’ bottom lines
May 5, 2022 Philip PoradoTight supply chains are taking a bite out of GDP numbers, stagnating economies across the globe while simultaneously pushing up prices. For anyone whose memories don’t stretch back to the 1970s, the counterintuitive combination of a stagnating economy and rising…
Beware the tax implications of unlicensed insurance
May 3, 2022 Jason ContantIf you’re looking to place a risk through an insurer that’s not licensed to write business in Canada, it’s important to understand the requirements around filing federal and provincial taxes, as well as special broker licenses. Although direct placement with…
Court sides with Atradius in $5.94-million credit insurance dispute
April 28, 2022 by David GambrillOntario’s Superior Court upheld a $100,000 sublimit in an Atradius credit insurance policy dispute, in which the receiver for the bankrupt Eagle Travel Plaza, BDO Canada, claimed the full policy limit of $5.94 million. Before it went bankrupt in 2019,…
Sexual harassment: Grounds for dismissal, but not for denying severance
April 27, 2022 by David GambrillSlapping a woman on the buttocks in the workplace may be grounds for dismissal, but the threshold for terminating severance as a result of sexual harassment requires ‘wilful misconduct,’ the Ontario Court of Appeal has ruled. In essence, if the…
Partnership approach needed in current cyber risk landscape
April 25, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoAs the cyber landscape and ransom attacks evolve, the onus is on insureds to protect themselves just as much as it is on insurers to provide coverage, says a webinar panellist. “The archaic method of underwriting risk has shifted dramatically…
Kilometres driven: TD’s non-UBI approach
April 20, 2022 by David GambrillWhile many insurers tout usage-based insurance as the most accurate way to rate kilometres driven, TD Insurance is offering a new twist on an old ratings variable. To offer consumers choice, and a more accurate assessment of their driving risk,…
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…
Not addressing diversity issues creates risk for brokers, survey finds
April 14, 2022 Phil PoradoNearly all Canadian brokers agree addressing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) issues is linked to business success, according to a late 2021 Canadian Underwriter online survey of 208 brokers across Canada, made possible with the support of Sovereign Insurance. It…
More than eight in 10 Canadians admit they drive distracted
April 11, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoEighty-three per cent of Canadian drivers engage in at least one distracted driving behaviour, and this has only increased in the past year, finds a recent survey. But distracted driving doesn’t come without its costs. Non-digital distractions lead the…
How the federal budget impacts P&C insurers
April 8, 2022 Philip Porado, with files from Melissa Shin and Rudy MezzettaAs expected, 2022’s federal budget included a 1.5% bank and insurer surtax for taxable income over $100 million for taxation years that end after April 7. That means those companies will pay 16.5% on income above that threshold going forward.…
Will faster highway speeds lead to more claims?
April 7, 2022 Philip Porado and Alyssa DiSabatinoStarting Apr. 22, Ontario drivers will be able to take six sections of highway, primarily in the southern part of the province, at 110 km/h. Highway segments where speeds will permanently rise from 100 km/h to 110 km/h are: Queen…