Topic Commercial
Small businesses face rising risk of litigation from Canadians
April 9, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoCanadians are getting more litigious, and that means small business owners face a heightened risk of legal disputes, according to a recent survey by Zensurance. The majority (69.3%) of Canadian consumers say they’d sue a small business if they were…
How brokers can harvest insurance capacity for farmers
April 4, 2024 by Alyssa Di SabatinoOne key element of creating a farm-specific MGA was the need to introduce proprietary technologies. Brokers of late have expressed concerns about the proliferation of new portals, which many see as a burden. “The first thing is acknowledging it is…
How insurers verify truck fleet sizes before insuring them
April 3, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoCommercial truck fleets trying to get more favourable insurance rates by only reporting the trucks on the road, and not the ones on their lots, might find themselves outwitted by the industry’s scrutiny, sources tell Canadian Underwriter. But whether due…
How lithium-ion batteries threaten recycling facilities
April 3, 2024 by Philip PoradoIntroduction of lithium-ion batteries has introduced new hazards into the everyday lives of Canadians due to their ability to catch fire spontaneously – a phenomenon known as ‘thermal runaway.’ What began as concerns about fires started by cell phone and…
Why brokers are looking at personalized communication automation
April 2, 2024 by Jason ContantCanadian property and casualty insurance brokerages are gravitating towards personalized communication automation (PCA), an executive at brokerage automation company Pathway tells Canadian Underwriter. Nine years ago, only about 3% of insurance brokerages had adopted PCA into their operations, says Alek…
Canadian businesses are at risk of insolvency — here’s how insurance factors in
April 2, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoIn Canada, corporate insolvencies have noticeably increased year over year, but brokers can step in to assist their clients with cash flow management and risk mitigation solutions, one expert shares. Insolvencies, defined as a business’s inability to abide by their…
3 ways Canadian insurers can prepare for political risk
April 2, 2024 by David GambrillCanada is not immune to social divisions resulting in damage caused by political protests, and insurance companies can do three things to prepare for political risk, says a new report published by the Insurance Institute of Canada. First, insurance companies…
Desjardins president on why the direct writer expanded into the broker channel
March 28, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoDesjardins’ acquisition of The Insurance Company of Prince Edward Island (ICPEI) will enable the direct writer to diversify its distribution model and expand its national reach, Desjardins General Insurance Group president and chief operating officer Valerie Lavoie tells Canadian Underwriter. …
How to keep cyber criminals from capitalizing on company culture
March 26, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoHumans continue to be the weakest links when it comes to corporate cyber security, but companies looking to reduce phishing or ransomware attempts must first address their company culture, one expert tells Canadian Underwriter. Over the past two to…
Giant Tiger customer data compromised in incident with third-party vendor
March 26, 2024 by Tara Deschamps – The Canadian PressGiant Tiger Stores Ltd. says contact information for some of its customers was compromised in an “incident” linked to a third-party vendor it uses. Alison Scarlett, a spokesperson for the Ottawa-based discount retailer, would not name the vendor on Monday…
Can farm insurance coverage be delivered online?
March 25, 2024 by Alyssa Di SabatinoThe words ‘technology’ and ‘farm insurance’ aren’t always mentioned in the same breath. Historically, farm insurance providers do most of their business through offer and acceptance — sending either online or paper applications to clients. Underwriters and brokers then use…
B.C.’s plan for flood mapping and building back better
March 22, 2024 by Alyssa DiSabatinoA new report by the Government of British Columbia details its commitment to developing a provincially coordinated floodplain mapping program, and sheds light on how and where it intends to rebuild communities after a flood. More specifically, the report, From…