Topic Claims Canada Archive
Six reasons why commercial prices will probably continue rising
January 25, 2021 by Greg MeckbachDon’t expect a soft market for your commercial clients any time soon, executives with The Travelers Companies Inc. warn. Rates on renewal for business insurance were up 8.4% while rates in bond and specialty insurance increased by 12%, Travelers said…
This new type of class-action tort grew from genetically modified corn seed
January 22, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA proposed class-action lawsuit based on the novel tort of “premature commercialization” is going ahead in Ontario. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Dec. 10 it will not hear an appeal from Syngenta Canada Inc., which is facing a proposed…
How British Supreme Court COVID business interruption ruling could be imported into Canada
January 22, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA landmark British court ruling against insurers over business interruption coverage could be good news for restaurants or retailers who had to severely limit their operations during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom ruled largely in…
Why this small claims tribunal changed an auto insurer’s liability finding
January 21, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA British Columbia driver who was found 50% at fault for a collision by the province’s monopoly auto insurer has partly won a small claim against the other driver. Hartmut Wolfram and Yunsun Kim collided with one another in Burnaby…
This kind of homeowner’s liability claim has real teeth
January 21, 2021 by Greg MeckbachWhen a dog bites man, the wounds could be deep and wide for homeowners. “Pet bites top the list for home insurance liability claims,” reports Dorchester Insurance Brokers Ltd., based near London in the community of Dorchester, Ont. “Dog bites…
What can go wrong when do-it-yourself clients try to replace home water heaters
January 19, 2021 by Greg MeckbachSome homeowner clients could get in trouble if they try to replace water heaters themselves, by following do-it-yourself handyman advice they find somewhere on the Internet. Many home insurance policies specifically require that water heater installation be done by a…
What’s missing from driverless vehicle rollout plan
January 19, 2021 by Greg MeckbachDriverless vehicles need to have some way of communicating with police, fire and ambulance responders, an auto manufacturers’ group said in a recent report. First responders have ways of handling situations they encounter in traffic but there are no “common…
RCCAQ reacts to Quebec curfew
January 18, 2021 by Greg MeckbachQuebec’s insurance brokers should not experience any major disruptions as a result of the province-wide evening curfew imposed a week ago, the chair of the Regroupement des cabinets de courtage d’assurance du Quebec (RCCAQ) predicts. The curfew took effect on…
How social media can be a cyber attack vector
January 15, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCyber criminals are increasingly targeting workers through applications such as LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter, McAfee LLC warned in a report released Wednesday. Traditionally, cyber criminals have relied heavily on phishing as a way to target individual employees, McAfee chief…
How ‘take-home COVID’ can impact employers’ liability
January 13, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCOVID-19 can cause a commercial general liability claim if a commercial client is sued by the family member of a worker who has caught the disease at work and then infected family members, insurance law experts suggest. “Take-home COVID” is…
How COVID-19 vaccine side effects impact liability risk
January 12, 2021 by Greg MeckbachSome people could suffer side effects from a COVID-19 immunization, but the vaccine manufacturers have a number of protections that minimize their liability risk, Canadian lawyers suggest. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was quoted last week by The Canadian Press as…
Three ways of reducing your client’s risk of false slip-and-fall claims
January 11, 2021 by Greg MeckbachInstalling video systems, keeping an eye out for obstructions on the property and asking claimants for all names they have used in the past are among the techniques your clients can use to protect themselves from fraudulent slip-and-fall claims. Slip…