Topic Manitoba
B.C. deploys crews to Manitoba to assist with several aggressive wildfires
May 27, 2021 by The Canadian PressVICTORIA – A crew of firefighters is heading to Manitoba to help with wildfires in that province. B.C.’s Forests Minister Katrine Conroy says 41 firefighters and two support staff were deployed on Wednesday. A statement from Conroy’s office says the…
COVID’s effect on Canadian auto and property rates
April 22, 2021 by Jason ContantEndorsements to auto policies as a result of changing driving habits from COVID-19 are resulting in average premium rate renewal decreases across most of the country, according to Applied Systems’ latest rating index report. Personal property rates, on the other…
Adjuster’s fine halved on appeal in a replacement cost dispute over a tractor
April 15, 2021 by David GambrillA Manitoba insurance adjuster has been fined for failing to carry out instructions from an insurer to inform a claimant about how to replace their tractor under the terms of the insurer’s Limited Waiver of Depreciation. The adjuster, Douglas Boyd…
Explain how AI leads to underwriting decisions, report urges
March 31, 2021 by Greg MeckbachInsurers who use big data and artificial intelligence to make underwriting decisions must be prepared to explain to clients and regulators exactly how they arrived at those decisions, an Insurance Institute of Canada researcher suggests. “A challenge in the application…
Brokerages snapped up coast-to-coast in latest M&A deals
March 3, 2021 by Jason ContantCanadian brokerage acquisitions continue coast-to-coast with the recent purchases of four brokerages in British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick. Navacord, B.C.-based brokerage Waypoint Insurance, Archway Insurance and Westland Insurance Group (which bought two brokerages) all made acquisition announcements at…
Public auto insurer to issue pandemic rebate cheques
February 26, 2021 by Jason ContantSaskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI) is the latest public auto insurer to announce customer rebates for drivers resulting from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Both Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC) announced rebates in January and…
How to avoid turning the mishandling of a claim into a six-figure bad faith award
February 3, 2021 by David GambrillA Manitoba court decision ordering the province’s public auto insurer to pay a bad faith award of $350,000 serves as a cautionary tale to the industry that bad faith awards for mishandling a claim can be made even after a…
Canadian auto and property insurance rates headed in opposite directions
February 1, 2021 by Jason ContantAverage personal auto premium rates in Canada decreased 2.6% in 2020 Q4 compared to the same period in 2019, but some provinces did see an increase, according to the latest results from Applied Systems’ premium rate index. On average, both…
Brokers negotiate major role in this province’s digital auto insurance distribution
January 14, 2021 by Greg MeckbachManitoba’s brokers will provide input on designing a system for online auto insurance in the province and will be involved in every digital transaction, says the provincial broker association. A recently-signed, five-year agreement between Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) and the…
Western broker: Don’t chop off the head of oil industry
December 9, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAlthough the impact of carbon emissions on climate is a major concern for carriers, western Canadian brokers are concerned about efforts to reduce Canada’s reliance on oil and gas. “Oil and gas is not going away any time soon, and…
Western Perspective
December 4, 2020 by Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorMeet Clint Smith, chief operating officer of Manitoba-based Andrew Agencies Ltd., which recently acquired several brokerages in Saskatchewan. Smith gave us his take on the challenges brokers face in Western Canada, the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the inside…
Two ways COVID-19 affected this large brokerage’s M&A strategy
November 20, 2020 by Jason ContantThe COVID-19 pandemic required one large Canadian brokerage to take a “very different approach” to mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity. COVID affected the M&A process in two significant ways, Jamie Lyons, president and chief operating officer with Westland Insurance Group…