If parents permit an adult child to use their all-terrain vehicle (ATV), and the son or daughter then negligently turns over control of that ATV to an inexperienced driver who gets seriously injured in a crash, the parents can be…
Canada’s top court has kicked an auto accident benefits dispute back to the Ontario Licence Appeal Tribunal, effectively confirming courts have discretion to review decisions from the LAT, even if claimants only have a limited right to appeal LAT decisions.…
A golfer who doesn’t shout “fore” before his golf ball damages a nearby homeowner’s car isn’t necessarily liable to pay the auto owner’s insurance deductible. That’s because even if the golfer had issued the warning, the parked car couldn’t get…
A B.C. broker who quit without giving proper notice under his employment contract doesn’t owe his former brokerage any money for damages, because the brokerage couldn’t prove any lost income due to the resignation, the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal has…
Editor’s Note: The Ontario Superior Court decision incorrectly identified the auto insurer in this case as Echelon Insurance. Echelon has contacted Canadian Underwriter to confirm it has reached out to the court to correct the public record and it did…
Ontario’s Court of Appeal has upheld a $175,000 damage award against Ontario Place in Toronto, finding that Ontario Place had blocked people’s access to the main exit and failed to erect barriers that would have prevented people from leaving the…
If an auto insurer wants to prove an insured “intentionally” failed to inform it of a move, the insurer should be prepared to provide detailed logs, transcripts or recordings of the conversations the claimant had with the broker, Ontario’s Licence…
An Alberta car dealership selling equipment warranties but not submitting the premiums to the insurer has been fined $85,000 by the province’s insurance regulator. Alberta Insurance Council [AIC] noted in its November 2023 decision that Penhold Car Farmers sold 17…
A Nova Scotia court awarded more than $225,000 against a home insurer after its telephone agent placed coverage for a couple’s newly purchased house, when in fact it was unclear if the property was vacant, thus triggering a policy exclusion…
Underwriters must pay close attention to the policy wording they use in their exceptions to exclusions, lest insurers find themselves on the hook for covering losses with two or more suspected causes. That’s a key takeaway from Brock Stock Farm…
Canadian Underwriter published an article on Sept. 19, 2023, entitled “Court draws distinction between a brokerage and a consultant.” The article deals with an important decision of Ontario Superior Court Justice Edward Morgan released on July 25, 2023. The matter…
When two dog owners pass each other while walking their dogs, it is common to hear one ask of the other’s dog, “Friendly?” Perhaps that’s what personal lines home insurance brokers should be asking their dog-owning clients, since lawsuits against…