Topic Licensing
Is it okay to use open banking data for underwriting?
August 10, 2021 by Greg MeckbachMutual insurers support a proposal to prohibit insurers in Canada from using banking data for underwriting, in an initial phase of open banking. However, one industry expert questions whether there is any harm in letting consenting consumers give their own…
Will Intact re-enter the B.C. auto market?
August 9, 2021 by Greg MeckbachIntact Insurance could re-enter the British Columbia auto market but only if the provincial government provides “options and convenience” to motorists, says Intact Financial Corp. CEO Charles Brindamour. It has been eight months since Intact announced it is leaving the…
Banking data should not be used for underwriting insurance: open banking committee
August 5, 2021 by Greg MeckbachOpen banking should not be used for underwriting insurance, a federally appointed committee said Wednesday. In its final report issued Aug. 4, the Advisory Committee on Open Banking recommended that the “initial phase” of open banking, in Canada, be up…
Here’s the timeline for converting RSA policies to Intact
July 30, 2021 by Greg MeckbachNova Scotia motorists with RSA insurance policies can renew through RSA until November 4, the province’s auto insurance regulator said in its July 28 ruling on Intact Insurance Company’s rate filing. On June 1, Intact Financial Corp. closed its acquisition…
Why this auto insurer will stop discount for autonomous emergency braking
July 27, 2021 by Greg MeckbachNova Scotia motorists who purchase autonomous emergency braking systems will no longer qualify for a discount with one insurer as of October. In Nova Scotia, Aviva General Insurance Company has a 15% discount, to bodily injury and accident benefits insurance…
Threat of adverse selection prompts auto carrier to start credit checks
July 13, 2021 by Greg MeckbachNova Scotia motorists who consent to a “soft” credit check from Economical Insurance will soon be eligible to get a discount on their auto premium, the province’s regulator announced Monday. The Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSURB) has already…
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…