Post-Dorian claims adjustment: has the industry resolved its capacity issues?
September 10, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMore than 100,000 Atlantic Canada homes and businesses were still without power three days after Dorian hit Nova Scotia, but the latest hurricane to hit Canada’s east coast should be easier for the industry to handle than the May 4…
Where Intact will stop insuring dune buggies and some snowmobiles
September 9, 2019 by Greg MeckbachClients with dune buggies or with snowmobiles that carry more than two people will no longer be able to get those vehicles insured by Intact starting next year in Nova Scotia. Intact considers dune buggies as “too risky,” wrote Jennifer…
The impact of Dorian on Canada’s P&C industry
September 9, 2019 by Greg MeckbachHurricane Dorian is definitely a catastrophe-level event for Canadian insurers, probably with huge business interruption losses and possibly bigger than 2016’s Hurricane Matthew, industry experts said Monday. “Business interruption is going to be huge on the commercial book of business,”…
Subrogated claim confirms obligations of homeowners using heating oil
September 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf your client’s home is heated by oil supplied from an outdoor tank, do they need to conduct annual maintenance? This question came up in a recent subrogated home insurance claim. A Court of Appeal for Ontario ruling released this…
Cybercriminals manipulate their way into company computers
September 6, 2019 by Joyce M. Rosenberg - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSNEW YORK – The cybercriminal who steals information or money from a small business is probably a master of deception and manipulation as well as a techno-expert. When Nancy Butler got a call from someone claiming to be from her…
Dorian tracking to pack hurricane-force winds when it hits Atlantic Canada
September 5, 2019 by Jason ContantHurricane Dorian will likely pass over Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island with hurricane force winds, before developing into a post-tropical storm over Newfoundland and Labrador, according to the latest projections from the Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC). A tropical cyclone…
Don’t be a dumb waiter
September 5, 2019 by Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorIf your organization is involved in any way with serving alcohol, your risk management strategy may need a sober second thought. How to be free and clear of liability
Now that Alberta’s cap is gone, what next?
September 4, 2019 by Greg MeckbachGiving Alberta’s auto insurance regulator discretion in allowing rate increases of over 5% is good news for the industry, but more needs to be done to address claims costs, the Insurance Bureau of Canada warns. In 2017, the province’s regulator…
Tesla Autopilot let driver rely too much on automation: Investigator
September 4, 2019 by Tom Krisher - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSDETROIT – A government investigation has found that a design flaw in Tesla’s Autopilot semi-autonomous driving system and driver inattention combined to cause a Model S electric car to slam into a firetruck parked along a California freeway. The National…
How an engineer failed to spot a major basement water problem
September 3, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThree months after Edward Kent and Teresa Tomsky bought their Edmonton home, they noticed a musty smell in their basement. It turns out a foundation crack, which they were led to believe was minor, was actually quite serious. The foundation…
Flash flooding risk in Maritimes as Storm Erin arrives
August 29, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSHALIFAX – Heavy rain was reported Thursday in parts of the Maritimes as Erin, now a post-tropical weather system, advanced toward the region. Environment Canada issued rainfall warnings for southeastern New Brunswick, parts of western and northern Nova Scotia and…
How Oklahoma opioid ruling could affect Canadian drug liability claims
August 28, 2019 by Laura Kane THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – An Oklahoma court ruling that found Johnson & Johnson helped fuel the state’s opioid crisis and ordered the company to pay US$572 million could persuade drug manufacturers to settle a similar lawsuit in British Columbia, legal experts say.…
