Topic Legal
Ontario Court of Appeal upholds environmental cleanup order against City of Kawartha Lakes
May 14, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Ontario Court of Appeal last week upheld an environmental cleanup order made by provincial officials against a city in 2009 resulting from a spill of furnace oil from a residence whose owners had reached the limits of their insurance…
Ontario appeal court upholds ruling on injured child’s coverage in parent’s uninsured vehicle
May 13, 2013 by Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorThe Ontario Court of Appeal last week ruled against Economical Insurance in finding that a woman injured 20 years ago as a child in an uninsured vehicle owned by and driven by her father is entitled to benefit from her…
Defined policies key when using social media in investigations: police constable
May 13, 2013 by Laura Kupcis, Editor, Claims CanadaIt is imperative that a company has a social media policy to reference when conducting investigations, stresses Constable Richard Gadreau, social media officer with the Niagara Regional Police Service. More than one-third of insurance companies who use social media in…
Ontario Tories schedule auto insurance round table in Brampton
May 10, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Ontario Progressive Conservative Party plans to hold a round table on auto insurance May 13 in Brampton, with the intent of discussing the party’s proposals to reform policy. When the minority Liberal government released its budget May 2, it…
Manitoba government proposes stricter seatbelt requirements
May 10, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Manitoba government has proposed amendments to the province’s Highway Traffic Act that would require stricter seatbelt use. Under the proposed amendments, each passenger in a vehicle would be required to occupy a seat and use the seatbelt provided. Passengers…
Ontario court rules against City of Hamilton for refusing to participate in mediation over auto accident injury claim
May 9, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Ontario Court of Appeal ruled Tuesday against the City of Hamilton over its refusal to participate in mediation for an auto injury claim. The appeal court overturned one of the findings of a decision by the Ontario Superior Court…
Cell phone use in fatal crashes often unreported, U.S. study says
May 8, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterMany fatal auto collisions in the United States involve cell phone use, but many of those aren’t included in a national database as crashes involving cell phones, according to a new research report from the National Safety Council (NSC). For…
Specialty insurance company says municipal liability reforms needed to avoid crisis
May 6, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterCosts in the municipal liability insurance market in Ontario have been escalating substantially over the past few years, and reforms are needed now to avoid an insurance crisis, Frank Cowan Company says. The Princeton, Ont.-based specialty insurance company, which offers…
Industry response to Ontario budget mainly positive, while political opposition remains
May 2, 2013 by Harmeet Singh, Online EditorIndustry response to the Ontario government’s budget, tabled Thursday, was mainly positive, with the Insurance Bureau of Canada welcoming the potential fraud tackling measures and other reforms, but opposition response has signalled that changes may not come quickly. Don Forgeron,…
D&O claims related to corporate acquisitions cause ‘material losses’ for insurers: Fitch
May 2, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterPremiums for directors and officers liability insurance grew last year, but carriers have been hit by claims related to claims related to mergers and acquisitions, according to a Fitch Ratings Inc. report, Director & Officers Liability Insurance: Market Update 2013.…
Ontario court rules farmer driving uninsured ATV on road not foreclosed from claiming income replacement
April 29, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterA recent court ruling against a Perth, Ont. mutual insurance firm has made at least one insurance lawyer nervous. Last Wednesday, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled that Arthur Matheson and his family are not barred from making a…
Court rules in favour of RSA and broker after liability client demands payment for defence costs
April 29, 2013 by Canadian UnderwriterAn Ontario court ruled last week in favour of the Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance Company of Canada and Jones Brown Insurance Brokers & Consultants over a liability policy with an organization that spent more than $100,000 defending itself from…