Topic Liability
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…
Why your clients may be exposed to more climate change claims
January 4, 2024 by David GambrillYour business clients may face increased exposure to climate change liability claims, based on a recent decision by the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA). “With strong language, the Federal Court of Appeal affirmed the ‘existential challenge’ posed by climate change…
The down low on D&O risk in 2024
December 18, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoClients will benefit from competitive market pricing for directors and officers (D&O) insurance in 2024, but can expect underwriting discipline to return, says Allianz Commercial’s D&O insurance report. Of particular concern is inadequate responses by company directors and officers to…
Transport Canada says Tesla recall will affect roughly 193,000 cars in Canada
December 14, 2023 by The Canadian PressOTTAWA – Tesla’s recall over its autopilot function will affect about 193,000 vehicles in Canada. Transport Canada says Tesla will provide an over-the-air software update to fix the advanced driver assistance features. Transport Canada says the recall will be added…
How new vehicle tech is changing the auto theft equation
December 11, 2023 by Philip PoradoThere’s a small upside to Canada’s current auto theft wave, industry sources have told Canadian Underwriter. Thieves’ adoption of technologies that can capture vehicle key fob signals means criminals no longer need to resort to violent methods like carjacking to…
Why the hospitality hard market won’t end in 2024
December 6, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoPersistent labour shortages, forecasted lower levels of travel, elevated inflation and rising property insurance rates will threaten the hospitality industry’s profitability in 2024, Hub International predicts in its 2024 Outlook series. Yet, with prolonged periods of government mandated shutdowns, low…
What a buyers’ market means for brokerage M&A
December 1, 2023 by David GambrillHow can consolidators afford to buy brokerages when interest rates on bank loans to finance deals have steeply increased? Firms that are actively engaged in brokerage buying and selling told CU they have become more selective. “We are getting a…
These red flags may waive a brokerage buyer off a deal
November 24, 2023 by David GambrillRising interest rates are changing the brokerage M&A environment and giving sellers a shorter timeline to produce the projected earnings. And chances are, if they haven’t produced reliable returns already, the buyers may balk on a purchase, said Yan Charbonneau,…
Auto insurance: How you can live with someone but not be in a “household”
November 22, 2023 by David GambrillA passenger seriously injured in an auto collision caused by an uninsured driver is not considered an “insured” under her father’s or boyfriend’s auto policies, even though she was living with them at the time of the crash, B.C.’s Court…
Whose insurer pays when e-scooter drivers crash?
November 17, 2023 by Philip PoradoNews reports about drivers of stand-up e-scooters injuring pedestrians in several Canadian cities are raising questions about insurance coverage for the vehicles — and how injured pedestrians might recover damages. But what about the e-scooter drivers themselves? Can they recover…
Why AI is keeping P&C regulators up at night
October 31, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoIncreasingly concerned about biased uses of artificial intelligence, industry regulators are questioning insurers’ ability to explain why they’ve used certain data in their models or how the AI came to its conclusions, experts told the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s Regulatory…
How to build environments that reduce staircase injuries
October 31, 2023 by By Dr. Andrew Huntley and Claire Miller, 30 Forensic EngineeringAs research drives new ways to build staircases that can prevent slip-and-falls, Canada’s building codes should be updated accordingly to reflect the safer designs. The importance of code updates is illustrated by falls on stairs, which in Ontario alone led…