Topic Legal
What happened after a broker quit without proper notice
February 5, 2024 by David GambrillA B.C. broker who quit without giving proper notice under his employment contract doesn’t owe his former brokerage any money for damages, because the brokerage couldn’t prove any lost income due to the resignation, the B.C. Civil Resolution Tribunal has…
Who’s on the hook if e-scooter riders hurt pedestrians?
February 2, 2024 by Philip PoradoMany consumers facing sharply rising prices for automobiles, gasoline, and auto insurance are looking to save a buck by switching from four wheels to two. Electric standup scooters powered by small motors have become popular with people looking to get…
Why the court denied an auto insurer’s ‘shockingly intrusive’ motion
January 30, 2024 by David GambrillEditor’s Note: The Ontario Superior Court decision incorrectly identified the auto insurer in this case as Echelon Insurance. Echelon has contacted Canadian Underwriter to confirm it has reached out to the court to correct the public record and it did…
Regulator revokes healthcare provider licence for insurance fraud
January 29, 2024 by Jason ContantOntario’s financial services regulator has revoked the healthcare service provider licence of a Markham clinic and imposed administrative penalties against the clinic and two individuals in connection with fraudulent billing practices. The Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) revoked…
Editorial | Public order laws and auto insurance don’t mix
January 29, 2024 by David GambrillAnyone seeking clarity on how the federal government’s Emergencies Act was supposed to apply to auto insurance cancellations won’t find it in the Federal Court of Canada’s latest ruling. The Federal Court of Canada last Tuesday found the federal government’s…
How accident claims hit rideshare drivers’ personal auto policies
January 26, 2024 by Philip PoradoThere seems to be a disconnect between drivers and their insurers about the ability to access personal auto coverage when driving for food delivery or rideshare companies like Uber, Lyft and others. While there’s no hard data to quantify a…
Feds heed auto insurers’ call for auto theft summit
January 24, 2024 by David GambrillCanada’s federal government has answered the call by the nation’s auto insurers to promote a whole-of-society solution to a mounting auto theft crisis. A National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft will take place in Ottawa on Feb. 8, 2024, Public…
Decade after fatal fire, some Quebec seniors’ residences unable to install sprinklers
January 22, 2024 by Pierre Saint-Arnaud – The Canadian PressMONTREAL – Ten years after 32 people died in a fire that ripped through a residential complex for seniors in rural Quebec, around a quarter of all private seniors’ residences in the province are still struggling to comply with a…
Why a court upheld a $175K personal injury award against Ontario Place
January 18, 2024 by David GambrillOntario’s Court of Appeal has upheld a $175,000 damage award against Ontario Place in Toronto, finding that Ontario Place had blocked people’s access to the main exit and failed to erect barriers that would have prevented people from leaving the…
How brokerage mergers could create tax benefits
January 15, 2024 by Philip PoradoTax filing season is on the horizon, which means it’s time for Canadian brokerages and insurance companies to consider how they’ll treat GST, HST or QST payments, Yakoob Vayani, a partner at KPMG in Canada in Indirect Tax, Advisory, told…
Is sports liability case headed to Canada’s top court?
January 11, 2024 by David GambrillA “dangerous” sporting play causing injury to another player — even if the move was permitted within the rules of play — can give rise to sports negligence liability, the B.C. Court of Appeal has affirmed. The decision points to…
Temporary pink slips that went uncovered: What the court said
January 10, 2024 by David GambrillAlberta’s Court of the King’s Bench has ordered the Insurance Council of Alberta’s appeal panel to re-consider a matter involving allegations that a broker issued temporary auto insurance pink slips for which there was no insurance coverage. Retired broker Anthony…