Topic
Technology
Are underwriters pricing for new tech in homes?
April 22, 2024 by David GambrillGlobally, the property and casualty insurance industry may be underestimating the vulnerability of property that uses technology to adapt to climate change, a speaker told attendees at the 38th Swiss Re Outlook breakfast held in Toronto last Tuesday. Also, property…
3 strategies for improving your cybersecurity posture
April 19, 2024 by Jason ContantGetting the basics right can help an organization improve its cybersecurity posture, a former intelligence officer at the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) said during an industry event Thursday. Three basic strategies — mitigate, separate and positive control — can…
How auto theft is evolving
April 17, 2024 by Jason ContantFraudsters are adapting their methods in an attempt to fly under the claims radar, and even using artificial intelligence to create false documentation and platforms for claims handling, speakers tell the Insurance Institute’s 2024 CIP Society Symposium. Auto theft has…
How cloud services can speed up the P&C industry
April 12, 2024 by Jason ContantCloud-based services can serve as a much-needed speed accelerator to the Canadian P&C insurance industry, eliminating friction and digitizing the customer experience, speakers said Thursday at the 2024 CIP Society Symposium in downtown Toronto. “I personally think the biggest threat…
How brokers can harvest insurance capacity for farmers
April 4, 2024 Alyssa Di SabatinoOne key element of creating a farm-specific MGA was the need to introduce proprietary technologies. Brokers of late have expressed concerns about the proliferation of new portals, which many see as a burden. “The first thing is acknowledging it is…
How lithium-ion batteries threaten recycling facilities
April 3, 2024 Philip PoradoIntroduction of lithium-ion batteries has introduced new hazards into the everyday lives of Canadians due to their ability to catch fire spontaneously – a phenomenon known as ‘thermal runaway.’ What began as concerns about fires started by cell phone and…
Why brokers are looking at personalized communication automation
April 2, 2024 by Jason ContantCanadian property and casualty insurance brokerages are gravitating towards personalized communication automation (PCA), an executive at brokerage automation company Pathway tells Canadian Underwriter. Nine years ago, only about 3% of insurance brokerages had adopted PCA into their operations, says Alek…
Tackling brokers’ Number 1 workflow pain point — eDocs
March 27, 2024 David GambrillImagine a brokerage having to hire someone just to open electronic documents (eDocs) from insurance companies to find out what they’re about. And yet, that’s exactly what happens when insurance companies send eDocs to brokerages with catch-all titles such as…
Giant Tiger customer data compromised in incident with third-party vendor
March 26, 2024 Tara Deschamps – The Canadian PressGiant Tiger Stores Ltd. says contact information for some of its customers was compromised in an “incident” linked to a third-party vendor it uses. Alison Scarlett, a spokesperson for the Ottawa-based discount retailer, would not name the vendor on Monday…
Onlia acquired by PE firm focused on Canadian P&C distribution
March 26, 2024 by David GambrillSouthampton Financial Inc., a private equity firm focused on the Canadian property and casualty insurance distribution space, has agreed to acquire Onlia Insurance from Achmea and Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. Headquartered in Toronto, Onlia is a digital insurance agency that…
Can farm insurance coverage be delivered online?
March 25, 2024 Alyssa Di SabatinoThe words ‘technology’ and ‘farm insurance’ aren’t always mentioned in the same breath. Historically, farm insurance providers do most of their business through offer and acceptance — sending either online or paper applications to clients. Underwriters and brokers then use…
Could quantum computing destabilize Canada’s P&C sector?
March 22, 2024 Jason ContantQuantum computing holds promise for dozens of industries, including property and casualty (P&C) insurance. But there are also downsides to the technology. For one, quantum computers are not yet that stable and must operate in extremely controlled environments. It’s not…