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New Brunswick union pushes for public insurance

February 21, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

The New Brunswick Union of Public and Private employees believes public auto insurance is one way to address the province’s budget woes. The union represents 8,500 workers in the public, private and manufacturing sectors. In a statement online, the union

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Frank Cowan Company launches program for health care organizations and professionals

February 21, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

Frank Cowan Company, a provider of Canadian municipal, health care, education and community service insurance solutions, has introduced a new insurance program for health care organizations and professionals called Health & Wellness. “We understand that a one-size-fits-all policy is of

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B.C. Coroner study draws links between seat belt use and fatal crashes

February 17, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

The B.C. Coroners Service has just completed a detailed study of fatal motor vehicle crashes in the Interior of the province, which shows a high proportion of those who died were not wearing seatbelts. “Although numerous studies by the RCMP

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ICBC should not have offered biometrics technology to help police ID Vancouver Stanley Cup rioters: B.C. privacy commissioner

February 17, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

B.C.’s privacy commissioner says the Insurance Corporation of B.C. (ICBC) should not have offered up its facial recognition technology last year to help police identify participants in the June 2011 Stanley Cup riots. “With respect to ICBC’s offer to assist

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Toronto, Niagara police lay 500 charges in connection with investigation of alleged chop shop operation

February 16, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

Toronto and Niagara Regional Police have laid more than 500 charges against five men in connection with an investigation of an alleged chop shop operation. The charges follow a joint forces investigation first launched in 2009 involving the Toronto Police

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Claims of inadequate signage against ministry of transportation fall outside of limitation period

February 14, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has denied a motion to have the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) added as a defendant in a case in which the defendant claims a highway had insufficient signage, resulting in an accident.

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Ontario court rules that 60-day mediation timeframe is firm, despite case backlogs

February 10, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

Despite a serious mediation case backlog in Ontario, claimants may nonetheless proceed with legal actions against insurers if mediations are not completed within 60 days of an application for mediation being filed with the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO),

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Limitation period for a third party indemnity action is the same as when plaintiff’s cause of action against the third party accrues: Nova Scotia court

February 9, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia has found the limitation period for a third party indemnity action in the province starts to run at the same time as a plaintiff’s cause of action against the proposed third party accrues.In doing

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Application of Ontario’s Minor Injury Guideline is “crazy right now”: AB lawyer

February 9, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

The application of Ontario’s new Minor Injury Guideline (MIG), which defines the scope of minor injuries sustained in vehicle collisions, is “crazy right now,” according to Kadey B.J. Schultz, partner with Hughes Amys LLP. In some instances, she said, the

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Judicial ruling concerning Ontario’s minor injury treatment protocol unlikely before 2014-15

February 9, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

A judicial ruling in Ontario on the Minor Injury Guideline (MIG), introduced by the province in 2010 and which defines the scope of a minor injury, likely won’t happen before 2014 or even 2015, according to Kadey B.J. Schultz, partner

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Mediation applications in Ontario should be sent to insurers, not just the regulator: lawyer

February 8, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

An application for mediation in Ontario does not have to be sent to an insurer, only the regulator, which is a problem with the system, according to Philippa Samworth, a partner with Dutton Brock LLP. Samworth spoke as a panel

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Insurers warned to prepare to help Ontario regulator clear mediation case backlogs

February 8, 2012 by Canadian Underwriter

Insurance companies had better prepare for the effects of the Ontario insurance regulator’s stated intent to clear a backlog of mediation cases.Eric Grossman, a founding partner of Zarek Taylor Grossman Hanrahan LLP, moderated a panel discussion about the case backlog