Topic Claims Professionals
Three found dead after downtown motel fire in Prince George, B.C
July 9, 2020 by THE CANADIAN PRESSPRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – The RCMP say the bodies of three people have been found at the scene of a motel fire in downtown Prince George, B.C. Cpl. Craig Douglass says emergency services were called to the Econo Lodge City…
The Aviva contagious disease policy wording at issue in class action BI coverage dispute
July 8, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe question of whether non-essential businesses that closed during the pandemic are entitled to claim insurance – specifically, for cover arising as a direct result of an outbreak of contagious or infectious disease within 25 kilometres that is required by…
Where Calgary’s $1.2-billion hailstorm ranks among Canada’s largest insured disasters
July 8, 2020 by David GambrillThe June 13 Alberta storm that hit Calgary, Airdrie, Rocky View County is now officially the worst hailstorm in Canadian history, causing almost $1.2 billion in insured damages, according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ). And on the all-time…
Ontario premier’s stance on liability protection from pandemic
July 8, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIt is not clear yet whether the Ontario government will grant any protection for liability arising from COVID-19, but the province will not protect “bad actors” in the long-term care or nursing home sector, a spokesperson for Premier Doug Ford…
More class actions headed to court over pandemic business interruption
July 7, 2020 by Greg MeckbachClass actions asserting pandemic BI insurance coverage are starting to mount in the ‘In’ baskets of Canada’s insurance defence bar. Most recently, Koskie Minsky announced July 6 that it will be one of two firms (the other being Merchant Law)…
Lac Megantic marks seventh anniversary of 2013 rail disaster with memorial site
July 6, 2020 by Stephanie Marin – THE CANADIAN PRESSSeven years after a rail disaster decimated its downtown, Lac-Megantic sought Monday to honour both its past and future by inaugurating a long-planned memorial space at the site at the heart of the tragedy. On July 6, 2013, a runaway…
How liability for deductibles on strata claims is changing in B.C.
July 3, 2020 by Greg MeckbachStrata unit owners might see a reduction in liability risk for common-area damage if a recently-tabled bill is passed in British Columbia. “Right now, if a water pipe bursts in a bathroom due to manufacturer error and leaks beyond common…
COVID-19 sparks debate about U.S. adjuster use in Calgary
July 3, 2020 by David GambrillCOVID-19 appears to be kindling proud sentiments about employing Canadian adjusters, after social media posts triggered an age-old debate about using U.S. adjusters to handle catastrophe claims in Canada. Twitter was abuzz with comments after Global News posted a piece…
Flood warnings issued as B.C.’s major rivers surge, rainfall continues
July 3, 2020 by Amy Smart - THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – Heavy rainfall has caused rivers to surge across much of British Columbia, washing out roads and putting many communities on alert. The River Forecast Centre has issued flood warnings, its highest alert, for the areas around the upper…
What was abnormal about June Calgary hail storm
July 2, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAlberta’s hailstorm in mid-June was so severe that some homes suffered interior damage as a result, an independent adjusting firm reports. “We have seen skylights completely blown out to the point that the hail that impacted that skylight also impacted…
How a property owner can be liable when a motorcycle hits a wayward donkey
July 2, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA Supreme Court of Canada decision released Thursday means a construction materials supplier is partly liable for injuries suffered by a motorcyclist who collided with a donkey that escaped from a rural property. In 2009, Amir Youssef was riding his…
Dam threatened by water levels in rural Manitoba, some residents evacuate
July 2, 2020 by THE CANADIAN PRESSRIVERS, Man. – A rural Manitoba mayor says some people and livestock have been evacuated from his community because high water levels are threatening a dam. Rural Municipality of Riverdale Mayor Todd Gill says 38 households in the Little Saskatchewan…