Topic Alberta
How much property coverage capacity Canada’s oil sands has lost
June 15, 2021 by Greg MeckbachThe withdrawal of “hundreds of millions” of capacity for property risks related to Canada’s oil sands is creating a new challenge for brokers trying to place insurance for oil and gas clients, a broker executive reports. Some insurers have taken…
How to sell insurance to a solo entrepreneur in under a week
June 14, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA major pain point for gig-economy entrepreneurs is the traditional process of getting commercial coverage, a Vancouver insurtech CEO suggests. “It is tough being a solo entrepreneur, especially now,” said Jeff McCann, CEO Apollo Insurance Solutions Ltd. “These people are…
Look back, but not too far: Why some perils need a new approach
June 14, 2021 by Jason ContantThe insurance industry needs to look at the “more recent past” and take a shorter-term view of catastrophic perils to see their effects going forward, Swiss Re told Canadian Underwriter recently. “When we’re looking at recent events, including the 2020…
Auditor scolds Alberta over mine cleanup fund, how province handles polluted sites
June 11, 2021 by Bob Weber - THE CANADIAN PRESSEDMONTON – Alberta’s auditor general is criticizing the government for failing to fix problems pointed out six years ago in a program that’s supposed to guarantee coal and oilsands mines clean up after themselves. Doug Wylie says there’s so much…
M&A growth sets Navacord on course for $3 billion in premium
June 10, 2021 by Jason ContantNavacord Corp. has finalized a record number of brokerage acquisitions in one month, with four deals already closed across the country in June. The latest transactions represent a total of 18 new locations and over 430 employees. More deals are…
Exploding device at gender reveal party leads to wildfire in northern Alberta
June 10, 2021 by The Canadian PressFORT MCMURRAY, Alta. – A $600 fine has been issued after a gender reveal party led to a wildfire in Alberta. Travis Fairweather, a wildfire information officer, says the party was taking place about 10 kilometres west of Fort McMurray…
Hub makes back-to-back acquisitions of Canadian brokerages
June 4, 2021 by Jason ContantHub International has made its second brokerage acquisition in two days with the purchase of a family-owned firm in Nova Scotia. Hub announced on Friday that it had acquired Sackville, N.S.-based Salvatore Insurance Brokers Ltd., which provides commercial insurance to…
Three things brokers and tech giants have in common
May 31, 2021 by Greg MeckbachJust as Amazon does not make the products that it sells, brokerages don’t write coverage. But what you do have in common with Amazon is you provide consumer choice among the products you distribute, an Alberta insurtech CEO suggests. “When…
Abandoned oil and gas wells will be cleaned up despite backlog: Alberta regulator
May 31, 2021 by Bob Weber - THE CANADIAN PRESSEDMONTON – There’s lots of life in Alberta’s conventional oil industry and plenty of resources and political will to clean up the mess it leaves behind, says the head of the province’s energy regulator. “Will there be halcyon-days growth in…
Study finds abandoned oil and gas wells place unfair burden on landowners, taxpayers
May 20, 2021 by The Canadian PressCALGARY – The costs of Alberta’s growing stock of abandoned and inactive oil and gas wells are falling unfairly on landowners and taxpayers, says a report from the University of Calgary. “Landowners have been left behind,” said Braeden Larson of…
Why wildfire is moving into ‘peak peril’ range
May 14, 2021 by Jason ContantWildfire is now moving into the range of a “peak peril” type of risk, similar to earthquakes and hurricanes, Risk Management Solutions, Inc. (RMS) told Canadian Underwriter recently. Overall, in both Canada and the United States, wildfire risks are starting…
Inactive Alberta brokerage ordered to pay $6K for failing to remit client funds to MGA
May 14, 2021 by David GambrillAlberta-based NIB Insurance Group Ltd., now an inactive brokerage, has been ordered to pay $6,000 in civil penalties for failing to remit client premiums to an MGA, and for selling a policy to a client while it was no longer…