Topic Licensing
How to go after online fake brokerages through the courts
July 8, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCanadian courts have the power to try and shut down unlicensed brokers’ Internet sites, though there does not seem to be a simple, sure-fire way to guarantee that Canadians won’t find a fake broker on the web. Teksavvy Solutions Inc.…
Insurer ups distracted driving from minor to major conviction
July 6, 2021 by Greg MeckbachNova Scotia motorists could be out of luck when they try to renew their auto insurance if they got caught more than once using a hand-held gizmo when they should be paying attention to the road. In a ruling posted…
Why this purported ‘brokerage’ website caught RIBO’s eye
May 30, 2021 by Greg MeckbachHidden Ace Brokerage, which purports to be “fighting high insurance rates” in the greater Toronto area, and says it “takes pride in delivering the quotes that insurance companies don’t want you to see,” is not authorized to place home or…
Inactive Alberta brokerage ordered to pay $6K for failing to remit client funds to MGA
May 14, 2021 by David GambrillAlberta-based NIB Insurance Group Ltd., now an inactive brokerage, has been ordered to pay $6,000 in civil penalties for failing to remit client premiums to an MGA, and for selling a policy to a client while it was no longer…
Want a level playing field between tech and insurance? How open banking might help
May 8, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOpen banking rules could help create a level playing field between technology companies and the insurance industry, speakers suggested at a recent virtual conference. Bringing in “consumer-directed finance” will help consumers benefit from a broader range of financial products and…
Where MGAs could find new capital as Lloyd’s limits capacity
May 8, 2021 by Greg MeckbachWith some commercial coverages becoming harder to place in the hard market, reinsurers are looking to distribute through managing general agents, Virtual Symposium B.C. attendees heard Thursday. “I had two meetings today with two separate reinsurers who are very interested…
Why insurers like Ontario’s plans to restrict tow trucks
April 29, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOntario tow truck operators will be prohibited from stopping within 200 metres of motor vehicle accidents unless they are specifically asked to do so by people involved in the collision. This is what will happen if Bill 282, the Moving…
Why insurance overseer won’t regulate MGAs or fintechs just yet
April 22, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOntario’s insurance regulator has no plans to regulate fintechs or managing general agents in the near term. “We sort of feel like we have enough on our plates,” said Tim Bzowey, executive vice president of auto/insurance products for the Financial…
Licensing exams now offered in a virtual format
February 9, 2021 by Jason ContantLicensing exams for Ontario’s brokers are now available in an online, virtually-proctored format, the result of a partnership between the Insurance Institute of Canada and Ontario’s broker regulator RIBO (Registered Insurance Brokers of Ontario). “This is welcome news to many…
Open banking in Canada could help insurers with credit scoring
January 20, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOpen banking could give insurers better data for credit scoring, suggests an official with the organization that handles clearing and settlement for banks in Canada. “I think we will see more accurate underwriting and more accurate credit scoring,” Andrew McFarlane,…
What’s missing from driverless vehicle rollout plan
January 19, 2021 by Greg MeckbachDriverless vehicles need to have some way of communicating with police, fire and ambulance responders, an auto manufacturers’ group said in a recent report. First responders have ways of handling situations they encounter in traffic but there are no “common…
RCCAQ reacts to Quebec curfew
January 18, 2021 by Greg MeckbachQuebec’s insurance brokers should not experience any major disruptions as a result of the province-wide evening curfew imposed a week ago, the chair of the Regroupement des cabinets de courtage d’assurance du Quebec (RCCAQ) predicts. The curfew took effect on…