Topic Alberta
Maritime farmers ship hay to drought-stricken Prairies
August 18, 2021 by Amanda Stephenson - THE CANADIAN PRESSCALGARY – Farmers in the Maritimes are pitching in to help their drought-stricken Prairie counterparts facing a “devastating” situation. On his farm in the Annapolis valley north of Halifax on Tuesday, Tim Marsh was busy baling hay that will ship…
Grasshopper infestation affecting Prairie agriculture sector
August 11, 2021 by Brittany Hobson - THE CANADIAN PRESSA pattern of dry, hot weather across the Prairies over the past few years has resulted in a grasshopper infestation of epic proportions, with some experts saying the nuisance is negatively affecting every part of the agriculture industry. For several…
BrokerLink doubles size in Atlantic Canada, buys brokerages in Ontario and Alberta
August 9, 2021 by Jason ContantBrokerLink has doubled its presence in Atlantic Canada and is now one of the largest brokerages on the east coast following its acquisition of Archway Insurance and South Coast Insurance Agency Limited. BrokerLink, a subsidiary of Intact Financial Corporation, announced…
July hailstorm in Calgary caused $247 million in insured damage: CatIQ
August 6, 2021 by Canadian Underwriter StaffA massive hailstorm that hit Calgary on July 2 caused $247 million in insured damage, according to initial estimates from Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). Hail, rain and wind damage from the severe storm resulted in extensive flooding of…
Home insurance rates dropping but no reprieve for condo owners
July 28, 2021 by Jason ContantPersonal property premiums were a mixed bag in the first quarter of 2021, with insurance for condo owners continuing to rise, but home insurance rates trending down, according to a new report from LowestRates.ca released Tuesday. Year-over-year, home insurance premiums…
Why many brokers need to change their auto quoting process
July 28, 2021 by Greg MeckbachMany brokerages that use AutoPlus to obtain auto insurance quotes will likely have to change their processes over the next couple of months. AutoPlus’s vendor, CGI Group Inc., will start updating that online database product Aug. 13, says the Insurance…
Severe drought expected to cost Alberta $1 billion in insurance payouts
July 23, 2021 by Jason ContantCrop insurance payouts in Alberta will likely reach about $1 billion later this year due to hot, dry weather that is contributing to severe drought conditions, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Forestry said Thursday. “This year’s crop insurance claims will…
Why your clients may not have the high ground on overland flood risk
July 19, 2021 by Greg MeckbachMany homeowners opt not to buy overland flood coverage and this could leave them uninsured in the event of a severe rain storm. “Overland flooding is any water that comes into your house through the windows or door or anything…
Drought ravages crops and pastures across the Prairies
July 19, 2021 by Amanda Stephenson - THE CANADIAN PRESSCALGARY – Farmers are calling for emergency disaster relief as drought ravages crops and pastures across the Prairie provinces and beyond. Scorching temperatures and little to no rainfall have left crops in poor condition across wide swaths of Alberta, Saskatchewan…
Auto dealer penalized for use of insurer’s internet quoting system
July 16, 2021 by David GambrillAlberta’s broker regulator has issued an $8,000 civil penalty against an auto dealership, Avenue Motors Ltd., after an insurance company complained about alleged misuse of the insurer’s online quote generator by the dealership’s employees. The dealership holds a Restricted Corporate…
Westland buys two digital brokerages
July 8, 2021 by David GambrillWestland Insurance has acquired two digital brokerages in a move intended to expand its tech offerings to brokers, renters, and homeowners. In the first of two deals announced Thursday, Agile Underwriting Solutions, owned by Westland, has acquired managing general agency…
BrokerLink’s take on the surging demand for brokerage M&A
June 30, 2021 by Jason ContantEDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been corrected to show that BrokerLink has over $2 billion of written premiums. A previous version of this article icorrectly stated the Intact subsidiary had more than $2.5 billion in premium overall, about $700 of…