Topic P.E.I.
Small businesses grappling with Omicron, after two years of closures and restrictions
December 23, 2021 by Tara Deschamps - THE CANADIAN PRESSAs the December holidays neared, the Old Triangle alehouses across the Maritimes were bustling with Christmas parties and diners revelling in the festive season. But that energy vanished in recent days as the Omicron variant of COVID-19 raged across Canada…
Maritimes targeted for blast of torrential rain and powerful winds
November 22, 2021 by The Canadian PressHALIFAX – Much of the Maritime region is bracing for strong winds and heavy downpours that could dump up to 150 millimetres of rain in some areas by Wednesday. Total rainfall over the next 36 hours is expected to be…
How auto insurance rates are trending in Alberta, Ontario and Atlantic Canada
October 8, 2021 by Jason ContantAuto insurance rates plunged in Alberta and Ontario this spring, while rates stayed flat in Atlantic Canada, according to Q2 2021 results from LowestRates.ca’s latest Auto Insurance Price Index Report. In Alberta, rates decreased 11% quarter-over-quarter after a steep incline…
Why many brokers need to change their auto quoting process
July 28, 2021 by Greg MeckbachMany brokerages that use AutoPlus to obtain auto insurance quotes will likely have to change their processes over the next couple of months. AutoPlus’s vendor, CGI Group Inc., will start updating that online database product Aug. 13, says the Insurance…
New name in the works for Echelon’s former corporate owner
July 20, 2021 by Greg MeckbachEFH Holdings Inc., the Mississauga, Ont.-based corporate owner of Insurance Company of Prince Edward Island (ICPEI), is applying to change its name ICPEI Holdings Inc. EFH was known until December 2020 as Echelon Financial, which owned Canadian P&C insurer Echelon…
Former Aviva Canada VP now CEO of TD Insurance
July 7, 2021 by Greg MeckbachJames Russell, a former senior executive with The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company and Aviva Canada, is now leading The Toronto-Dominion Bank’s property and casualty insurers. Russell’s appointment results from a re-assignment of several TD senior managers. Russell has…
BrokerLink’s take on the surging demand for brokerage M&A
June 30, 2021 by Jason ContantEDITOR’S NOTE: This article has been corrected to show that BrokerLink has over $2 billion of written premiums. A previous version of this article icorrectly stated the Intact subsidiary had more than $2.5 billion in premium overall, about $700 of…
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…
Why auto rates are increasing despite fewer drivers on the road
March 6, 2021 by Jason ContantAverage auto insurance rates rose in Canada during the second half of 2020 despite the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns that led to fewer drivers on the road, a new report from LowestRates.ca found. The average auto insurance premium climbed by…
Why size matters to Western Financial Group
March 4, 2021 by Greg MeckbachSome brokers are entering into mergers or partnerships so they can more easily place hard-to-find coverage, according to one brokerage executive. “We just feel that some brokers who do not necessarily have our volume are struggling to find market support…
How Western Financial made its presence known in Atlantic Canada
March 1, 2021 by Greg MeckbachWestern Financial Group is taking a non-controlling interest in Saint John, N.B.-based Huestis Insurance Group. The exact terms of the deal, announced Feb. 23, were not disclosed, other than it will give the High River, Alta.-based Western Financial a “significant”…
Punishing winter storm belts East Coast with heavy snow and high winds
February 8, 2021 by The Canadian PressHALIFAX – Most of Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland are being pounded by heavy snow and high winds Monday, creating whiteout conditions in many areas. The storm moved into the Maritimes overnight heading west to east and is…