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Ins and outs of travel insurance amid coronavirus outbreak

February 11, 2020 by The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER – Travellers nervous about globe-trotting during the novel coronavirus outbreak may be eligible to receive a refund for cancelling their travels, say insurance experts, but it depends on the destination, their insurance policy and other factors. “I think in

News CatastrophesClaimsClaims Canada Archive

Advice to Canadian industry from former U.S. government flood insurance CEO

February 10, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

A former head of the United States National Flood Insurance Program has some frank advice for Canadian insurance professionals concerned about the lack of affordable overland flood coverage insurance for high-risk properties. “Look at what they have done south of

Feature Claims Canada ArchiveCommercialLiabilityRisk ManagersSupply Chain

Overseas working conditions: Is your client on the hook?

February 8, 2020 by Greg Meckbach, Associate Editor

Corporate clients who get their goods from jurisdictions with inadequate protection for workers’ rights could end up being named as defendants

News AdjustersClaims

Is this the next big emerging property claims threat?

February 7, 2020 by Adam Malik

Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) materials are everywhere – and they could be the next big threat to property claims exposure, warned one expert. Lori Festarini, vice president of environmental services at Stantec, spoke about the risks around PFAS at the recent Ontario

News ClaimsClaims Canada ArchiveLegal

Appeal court overturns controversial ruling on auto coverage arising from overseas accident

February 7, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

A controversial 2019 court ruling — in which the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench found that a client struck by a motorcycle in the Philippines is covered by Alberta’s family protection endorsement — has been reversed on appeal. “The SEF

News Claims

Schools shuttered, flights cancelled as heavy snow lashes Quebec

February 7, 2020 by The Canadian Press

MONTREAL – Schools across much of southern Quebec are shuttered today as a snowstorm bears down on the province. In the Montreal area, between 30 and 50 centimetres of snow are expected to fall by Friday night. Many school boards

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What underwriters can learn from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

February 6, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Hail is a major driver of insured property damage in Canada, but testing resilience of roofing material by dropping steel balls on it has limited value, a CatIQ Connect speaker suggested Wednesday. Roy Wright, president and CEO of the Insurance

News CatastrophesClaimsClaims Canada Archive

What the regulator found when asking if fire following earthquake is covered in Quebec

February 5, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Most Quebec homeowners are covered for fire following earthquake, according to a survey by the province’s regulator, which canvassed about 90% of insurers doing business in Quebec. The results of the Quebec Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) survey indicate that

News CatastrophesClaimsRisk Managers

This is how much severe weather claims could cost in 10 years

February 3, 2020 by Jason Contant

Large losses will become larger, and the average annual severe weather claims paid by insurers in Canada could more than double over the next 10 years, according to a new report from the Insurance Institute of Canada. Since 2013, severe

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Does ‘material change in risk’ clause need better clarity?

February 3, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Despite Wawanesa’s recent legal victory in a coverage dispute in British Columbia, judges in that province appear to be struggling to interpret the statutory condition on material change in risk. Five years ago, Bob and Linda Schellenberg’s property in Chilliwack

News Claims

Storm sweeps through southern B.C., prompting flooding and landslides

February 3, 2020 by The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER – Several British Columbia communities are cleaning up and digging out after a storm swept over the southern part of the province on Friday, prompting flooding and landslides. Local states of emergency were declared in the Cowichan Valley on

News AdjustersClaims

What makes #MeToo claims so tricky to handle

January 31, 2020 by Adam Malik

The #MeToo movement has sparked a sharp increase in the number of victims coming forward. As a result, organizations are finding themselves caught up in insurance claims. For claims managers and adjusters, according to experts, that means handling the matter