Three reasons Fairfax predicts a continuing hard market
November 5, 2021 by Greg MeckbachAs carriers continue taking a good hard look at their risk appetites, price increases could continue well into 2022. “We expect market conditions to remain strong throughout 2021 and well into 2022,” said Peter Clarke, chief operating officer of Toronto-based…
Homeowners loss ratio drops to 49.1% for this Top 10 insurer
November 3, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCanada’s sixth-largest property and casualty insurer has a loss ratio in home insurance of under 50% so far this year, but large losses in Western Canada had an adverse impact on the quarter ending Sept. 30. The Co-operators General Insurance…
Why the Co-operators won this appeal over homeowner claim
October 29, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIf a client learns something new about insurance law four years after their claim is denied, it’s probably too late to sue the insurer for breach of contract. In a decision released this past Tuesday, the Court of Appeal of…
Barrie tornado will cost more than originally estimated
October 28, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA bad storm system this past July will probably cost the industry about $100 million. On July 15, several tornadoes touched down in central Ontario. One caused irreparable damage to dozens of homes in Barrie, about 100 kilometres north of…
Hurricane Larry will probably cost the industry this much
October 27, 2021 by Greg MeckbachInsurers will probably pay out $25 million towards claims from Hurricane Larry. That is the initial estimate from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ), the Insurance Bureau of Canada said Wednesday in a press release. Hurricane Larry made landfall on…
Why this city owes duty of care in $1 million personal injury lawsuit
October 21, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA Supreme Court of Canada ruling released Thursday means a British Columbia municipality is facing a new trial, in a $1-million lawsuit, filed by a woman who was seriously injured after parking her car after a snowstorm. In City of…
Ontario auto claim reduces employment insurance sickness benefits: federal judge
October 20, 2021 by Greg MeckbachAn Ontario auto claimant is facing a reduction in federal employment insurance (EI) benefits because she was getting income replacement benefits with her auto insurer. In 2019, Antonina Sennikova was involved in a motor vehicle accident that prevented her from…
How coffee whitener and aluminum dust can pose a fire risk
October 19, 2021 by Greg MeckbachClients could be surprised at the fire and explosion risk to which they are exposed if they are in the 3D printing business or produce dust of any kind. “It is easier to name the dusts that are not explosible…
Supreme Court to consider disclosure of cockpit voice recordings in aviation accident lawsuits
October 15, 2021 by Greg MeckbachThe Supreme Court of Canada will hear arguments, from federal aviation accident investigators, that cockpit voice recordings should not be made available to personal injury plaintiffs who are trying to sue an airline over an accident in Halifax. On March…
Why the Supreme Court of Canada validated this limitation-of-liability clause
October 15, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA software consulting firm that was sued in Quebec for $6.25 million can rely on a limitation of liability clause in its consulting and integration contract, the Supreme Court of Canada ruled in a decision released Friday. In 6362222 Canada…
Ontario auto claimants seek leave to appeal HST dispute to Supreme Court
October 13, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA dispute over the handling of sales tax in Ontario auto accident benefits claims could reach the Supreme Court of Canada. In 2018, several auto clients filed lawsuits in Ontario against accident benefits insurers. Plaintiffs allege those carriers either included…
What to tell commercial clients about the Delta variant
October 10, 2021 by Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorA new strain of COVID-19 is making it harder for the economy to return to normal. Brokers and employment lawyers weigh in.
