Topic Loss Trends
Watch out for litigation funding in Canada, industry execs warn
October 2, 2020 by Adam MalikA leader in the Canadian P&C industry is sounding the alarm about the rise of litigation funding in Canada. Litigation funding is an arrangement in which a third-party company — not the plaintiff’s law firm — agrees to fund all…
How insurers are shifting investment strategies amid the pandemic
September 30, 2020 by Greg MeckbachChanging the mix of real estate portfolios, selling international exposures and considering increasing insurance prices are among the measures Canadian insurers are taking to compensate for the impact of COVID-19 on investment results. Intact Financial Corp.’s investment portfolio turns over…
‘Much clearer picture’ of how Ottawa will address flood risk coming soon
September 29, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA special pool, in which high-risk properties would have caps or subsidies on premiums for flood insurance, remains a possibility in Canada, and the industry should have a much better idea this fall of what the government plans to do,…
Intact warns of indirect economic impact from COVID
September 29, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is one of the biggest risks facing Canadian insurers, executives told a recent investors’ conference. “What can happen to us is what we call indirect losses,” Intact Financial Corp. CFO Louis Marcotte said…
How long will it take to get out of this hard market?
September 28, 2020 by Adam MalikAfter setting aside as to whether or not we’re in a hard market, industry consultant Phil Cook said he expects the hard market to last into 2022. Cook, who is also chairman of Omega Insurance Holdings, typically gives his Industry…
The good news and bad news about Ontario auto
September 24, 2020 by Greg MeckbachOntario auto insurance rates were 3.7% lower in the second quarter of 2020, than in the same period in 2019, but were still higher than in the three months ending March 30, 2020, data released Tuesday by LowestRates.ca suggests. “COVID…
How Canadian courts could be influenced by U.K. business interruption test case
September 23, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA recent British court ruling could be good news for Canadian clients who bought insurance covering business interruption from an occurrence of a notifiable disease within a specified distance of their premises, and who had to close due to the…
What happens in Alberta when auto insurers are not comfortable with their profitability
September 23, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe Alberta auto insurance industry is still suffering “hangover” from a 5% cap on rate increases that was abolished more than a year ago, with many insurers not looking for new business, suggests the co-founder of LowestRates.ca. Data released Tuesday…
Why restructuring firms are looking at their clients’ business interruption insurance
September 22, 2020 by Greg MeckbachSome clients who are in financial trouble because they had to close during the early days of the pandemic are having their business interruption insurance policies reviewed by consulting firms. With COVID-19, many businesses have reached out to BDO for…
How Northbridge is advising clients to prepare for second COVID-19 wave
September 18, 2020 by Greg MeckbachOne key component of preparing for the anticipated second wave of COVID-19 cases in Canada is for businesses to assess how they responded to the first wave of the disease, Northbridge Insurance is telling its commercial clients. “Many businesses that…
What’s unique to this hardened real estate insurance market
September 17, 2020 by Adam MalikAt the same time insurers have a reduced appetite to take on real estate risks, real estate developers during a pandemic-induced economic recession have an aversion to investing a lot of money into risk-reduction measures. These twin dynamics are a…
North American stock markets climb on continuing positive outlook for economy
September 17, 2020 by The Canadian Press - Ross MarowitsTORONTO – North American stock markets climbed amid positive signals in Canada and elsewhere about the strength of a post-pandemic rebound. The good mood started with Chinese retail sales numbers moving back into positive terrain compared with a year earlier.…