Topic Claims
Rising lumber, materials costs lead claims professionals to tweak their approach
May 16, 2022 by Philip PoradoWith the inflation rate at a 30-year high, specialists handling home reconstruction claims are making adjustments that reflect surging prices for construction components – including lumber, finishing materials and appliances. What started as supply chain problems, some of which were…
Kenora, Ont., residents told to watch for possible flooding amid rising water levels
May 16, 2022 by The Canadian PressA city in northwestern Ontario is monitoring water levels and telling residents to watch for the possibility of flooding. That comes after an evacuation order was issued by the City of Kenora on Friday that said hundreds of residents were…
Car owner vicariously liable for crash despite reporting her vehicle stolen
May 13, 2022 by David GambrillA car owner is vicariously liable for any damage or injury caused by the driver of their borrowed car, even if the owner places conditions on — or revokes — consent while the driver is still in possession of the…
Heavy flooding forces residents of Northwest Territories town from their homes
May 13, 2022 by The Canadian PressHAY RIVER, N.W.T. – About 3,500 residents have been ordered to evacuate a town in the Northwest Territories as volatile water levels never before experienced in some areas cause extensive flooding and damage. People in Hay River, on the south…
Where have all the good underwriters gone?
May 12, 2022 by Gloria CilliersFor years, insurers have poached commercial underwriters from one another amid M&A activity, an aging population and hard/soft markets. But that’s left the industry with less seasoned talent and slower investment in acquisition, training and retention. “Suddenly, more so than…
Appeal Court green-lights key feature of B.C.’s no-fault auto reform
May 12, 2022 by David GambrillA central pillar of the B.C. government’s auto insurance reform — that the province’s Civil Rules Tribunal (CRT) has exclusive jurisdiction to determine minor injuries below $50,000, and not the courts — has been found constitutional by the B.C. Appeal…
Emergency alerts remain: Floodwater on Metis settlement receding
May 12, 2022 by The Canadian PressPADDLE PRAIRIE METIS SETTLEMENT – The chief administrative officer of a Metis settlement in northwestern Alberta says its members are feeling scared as floodwater that was up to the knees a few days ago recedes, exposing the damage left behind.…
What auto insurers need to deny coverage based on alleged suicide attempt
May 11, 2022 by David GambrillEditor’s Note: This article has been corrected so that all incorrect references to Unica have been replaced with correct references to Optium. Canadian Underwriter apologizes for the error. If an insurer wishes to deny auto coverage to an injured…
Could the P&C industry have anticipated current supply chain issues?
May 9, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoPandemic-related supply chain interruptions have been contributing factors to rising commercial client exposures, and this outcome could have been anticipated, say panellists in a Canadian Underwriter webinar. “When you think about firms who have offshored, whether it be processing, or…
Are Canadian homeowners and renters overlooking flood risk?
May 9, 2022 by Jason ContantUnintentional damage during renovations — especially water damage — continues to be an overlooked risk for Canadian homeowners and renters, according to a recent study from Chubb. The Chubb 2021 Homeowners Risk Report: Trends in Home Renovations and Water Damage…
Unlicensed adjuster doesn’t fit the ‘expert’ exemption: Regulator
May 9, 2022 by David GambrillManitoba’s insurance regulator fined a former adjuster $500 and ordered him to pay partial investigation costs of $2,500 for acting as an adjustor without a licence and not, as the former adjuster claimed, as an ‘insurance expert’ helping claimants. Kenneth…
Manitoba government announces disaster aid relief as flood worries continue
May 9, 2022 by The Canadian PressWINNIPEG – The Manitoba government is offering financial aid for flood victims as wet weather threatens to raise rivers again. Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk says the province will activate a disaster financial assistance program that he expects will give out…