Topic B.C.
Wildfire devastates community of Monte Lake in B.C.’s southern Interior
August 6, 2021 by The Canadian PressMONTE LAKE, B.C. – Another British Columbia community has been devastated by a raging wildfire and more could be at risk from a blaze in the southern Interior between Kamloops and Vernon. Ken Gillis, chairman of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District,…
The claims impact of the B.C. wildfires
August 5, 2021 by Jason ContantWildfires raging across British Columbia have resulted in a lot of additional living expenses (ALE) claims, a property restoration firm told Canadian Underwriter Wednesday. “There’s just a lot of increases on the ALE [claims],” Shane Swinson, senior vice president, insurance…
Why this towing company is on the hook for $2,000 in damages
August 3, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIf your client dings another vehicle and informally offers $500 to the driver of the other vehicle, this does not limit your client’s liability to $500. This is one lesson from a British Columbia civil resolution tribunal ruling released last…
Doctors, lawyers want B.C. to track injuries after record heat wave
August 3, 2021 by Camille Bains - THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – Two groups focused on environmental issues are calling on the British Columbia government to come up with a plan to track “heat dome injuries” following record-setting temperatures that are also linked with 570 deaths in the province over…
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…
Cyclist loses bid to summon the Queen to court in auto insurance case
July 23, 2021 by David GambrillA B.C. cyclist injured in a car collision has lost his bid to demand an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in an effort to make his case against the province’s public auto insurer. In addition to seeking an…
Pile of snow pulled passenger plane off runway in British Columbia: safety board
July 23, 2021 by The Canadian PressRICHMOND, B.C. – Safety changes have been made after a WestJet Encore passenger plane went off a snow-covered runway in Terrace, B.C., last year. The Transportation Safety Board says in a report that the De Havilland aircraft was landing with…
Why your clients should do an inspection before buying a home
July 21, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA couple who discovered a leaking bathtub after moving into their new home cannot get compensation from the sellers. A “reasonable inspection” would have revealed a water problem before Tyler and Keva Luscombe bought their home in 2020, the British…
Hundreds more ordered out of their homes in B.C. by threatening wildfires
July 21, 2021 by The Canadian PressHundreds more British Columbians have joined the thousands already forced from their homes by wildfires as several local governments ordered residents to get out Tuesday night ahead of nearby blazes. The Regional District of Kootenay Boundary declared a local state…
The legal pitfalls of online and over-the-phone insurance applications
July 20, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA property insurer can be stuck paying out on a claim even though the client made a “material omission” on their insurance application, but the industry can mitigate this risk by being especially careful when taking applications over the phone…
How courts have lowered the bar for bad faith claims against insurers
July 15, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA court finding of bad faith can damage a carrier’s reputation and harm its broker relationships, an industry lawyer warned Tuesday. Of particular concern to carriers these days is the fact that the courts are lowering the bar for a…