Topic B.C.
Westland expands entertainment team with latest acquisition
March 6, 2023 by Jason ContantWestland Insurance has added to its entertainment team with the acquisition of Vancouver-based music insurance brokerage Shephard Ashmore Insurance Inc. The music insurance brokerage for more than 40 years pioneered music insurance programs for independent artists in the late 1970s,…
How this tech is speeding up the property restoration claims process
March 2, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoOne B.C-based startup is mobilizing the often tedious property restoration management process for adjusters and contractors through a smartphone app. RocketPlan founder and CEO Joe Tolzmann experienced the inefficiency of the restoration claims process first-hand during his time in the…
Federal disaster aid program being overhauled to include climate adaptation
February 27, 2023 by Mia Rabson - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – Canada’s overworked disaster assistance program is being overhauled so that future projects would only be eligible for aid if they take into account the need to adapt to climate change. Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair, who was in…
Why smaller brokerages have an edge in the talent war
February 27, 2023 by Jason ContantSmaller brokerages have a competitive advantage in some instances when it comes to retaining talent as they potentially have more flexibility than their larger counterparts, a recruitment firm executive told Canadian Underwriter. Smaller brokerages can sometimes offer employees greater access…
Frigid conditions should lift in B.C., but incoming system to bring heavy snow
February 24, 2023 by The Canadian PressVANCOUVER – Extreme cold, Arctic outflow or snowfall warnings cover most of northern and central British Columbia as an icy and powerful storm sweeps over the province. Environment Canada says the accompanying wind chill has made conditions in those areas…
Window for action on national flood insurance program is now, IBC says
February 24, 2023 by Jason ContantInsurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is applauding the federal government’s latest disaster assistance for flood recovery costs associated with British Columbia’s costliest severe weather event, but is stressing the urgent need for action on a national flood insurance program. The…
B.C. adds $180 million to help communities prepare for natural disasters
February 22, 2023 by Dirk Meissner - THE CANADIAN PRESSVICTORIA – Premier David Eby says he’s introducing more supports to better prepare British Columbia communities for natural disasters related to climate change before they happen. “The last few years have taught us a hard lesson about the impacts of…
Is there a better coverage solution for flood plain residents?
February 14, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWhen insurers recommend consumers pack up and move from their flood-prone homes, it’s easier said than done. That’s why the industry needs to come up with better resilience solutions and more efficient claims response to protect the customers most impacted…
How telematics may help Alberta truckers’ rates
February 9, 2023 by Philip PoradoWith an eye toward improving driving habits, Facility Association (FA) announced the launch of a telematics program for truck drivers in Alberta, effective May 1, 2023. It said the program’s objective is to help drivers and operators correct poor driving…
Why atmospheric rivers, derechos and bomb cyclones are on insurers’ radar
February 9, 2023 by Jason ContantWild and wacky weather events like atmospheric rivers, derechos and bomb cyclones may seem new because of recent media coverage, but they’ve been known and named phenomena for quite some time in the history of meteorology and atmospheric science, speakers…
Charges laid in fatal 2021 tug boat sinking off B.C. coast
February 9, 2023 by The Canadian PressPRINCE RUPERT, B.C. – Charges have now been laid against a tug and barge company and one of its senior officials two years after a tug sank off British Columbia’s coast south of Kitimat, killing the captain and one crew…
How an insurer’s report on a condo ceiling leak won the day
February 8, 2023 by Philip PoradoRepairs outlined in an insurance company’s assessment of damages at a British Columbia condo must be made by the strata, said a decision from the province’s Civil Resolution Tribunal (CRT). Applicants in Rolfe v. The Owners, Strata Plan EPS3064 claimed the…