Canadian Underwriter

Topic Personal Auto

Damage after a tornado in Barrie, Ont. in July 2021
News CatastrophesClaimsConstructionEnvironmentalOntarioPersonal AutoPersonal HomeProperty

Why Barrie’s 2021 tornado damage was “largely preventable”

May 4, 2022 by Jason Contant

More than 35 years after a deadly tornado in Barrie, Ont. – the site of another strong tornado last year – the industry is still looking for modernizations to the Ontario Building Code and tornado protection construction practices. “Since before

Man using cellphone while driving
News ClaimsCommercial AutoInsurersPersonal Auto

How work expectations are contributing to distracted driving

May 3, 2022 by Jason Contant

Work-related pressures may be contributing to distracted driving, but having a workplace policy in place appears to be an effective way to mitigate the risk, suggests a new survey from Travelers Canada. The 2022 Travelers Canada Distracted Driving Risk Survey

Concept of insurance man protecting car through an insurance policy examining
News Commercial AutoInsurersLegalPersonal Auto

What auto insurers think of Ontario’s reform proposals

May 2, 2022 by David Gambrill

Canada’s auto insurers are generally pleased with the Ontario government’s direction on auto reform, although many details have yet to be worked out. “Ontario drivers pay too much for car insurance, and this budget makes a bold commitment to improve a

Rainbow crosswalk art at an intersection in San Francisco
News Loss ControlPersonal Auto

Why insurers can appreciate asphalt art

April 29, 2022 by Jason Contant

Asphalt art is far from distracting for road users. In fact, it significantly reduces crashes and the rate of “conflict” between pedestrians and vehicles, according to a new study. A historical crash analysis compared a two-year span of crash data

Car, Travel, Road Trip, Savings, Piggy Bank
News InsurersOntarioPersonal Auto

How Ontario plans to reform auto insurance

April 29, 2022 by David Gambrill

Ontario’s 2022 budget has a short paragraph dedicated to “reducing the cost of auto insurance,” including creating more choice for consumers, cracking down on auto insurance fraud and “enhancing fairness,” which would include new guidance on territorial rating. Exactly how

Open coffee jar with ground coffee
News CommercialCommercial AutoEmerging RisksInsurersLoss TrendsMGAsOperationsPersonal AutoPersonal Home

Despite “aggressive growth goals,” insurers cautioned to keep their powder dry

April 25, 2022 by David Gambrill

Although the industry achieved a highwater mark financial result in 2021, industry executives are cautioning insurers to keep their powder dry and not reduce pricing drastically to grow market share. “I just look through the windscreen, all the things coming

winter and summer tires
News InsurersNova ScotiaPersonal Auto

Kilometres driven: TD’s non-UBI approach

April 20, 2022 by David Gambrill

While many insurers tout usage-based insurance as the most accurate way to rate kilometres driven, TD Insurance is offering a new twist on an old ratings variable. To offer consumers choice, and a more accurate assessment of their driving risk,

Medical mask on a car mirror
News AlbertaInsurersNew BrunswickNova ScotiaOntarioPersonal AutoQuebecTechnology

By how much UBI use increased during the pandemic

April 20, 2022 by Jason Contant

Canadian drivers appear to be gravitating toward usage-based insurance (UBI) as the COVID-19 pandemic stretches past its second year. Since 2019, there has been a 40% increase in the number of drivers opting into UBI when filing out a car

a silver cars front bumper has collided with a darker cars back bumper. Both cars have damage.
News AlbertaBrokersClaimsInsurersPersonal Auto

Auto insurance caught in a political cross-fire

April 20, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatino

Alberta’s insurance industry saw a claims ratio of 77% for auto in 2020. While this is an improvement from 2016’s claims ratio of 87%, it still poses challenges for the industry, one industry rep notes.   Despite signs the province’s

A storm is expected to drop 40-60 cm of snow.
News ClaimsEnvironmentalManitobaPersonal AutoSaskatchewan

Blizzard closes schools, shuts roads in parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan

April 14, 2022 by Steve Lambert - THE CANADIAN PRESS

WINNIPEG – Heavy snow and strong winds were combining in a spring blizzard expected to last three days across southern Manitoba and a section of southeastern Saskatchewan. Schools were closed in many areas, roads were shut down and most flights

Auto accident damage at intersection.
News AlbertaB.C.BrokersClaimsCommercial AutoInsurersLegalLiabilityLicensingLoss ControlLoss TrendsManitobaNew BrunswickNewfoundland & LabradorNova ScotiaNunavutNWTOntarioP.E.I.Personal AutoPropertyQuebecSaskatchewanYukon

A car crashes in Ontario: Why Canadian auto insurers pay attention

April 13, 2022 by Daniel Strigberger

People love to visit Ontario. Unfortunately, some of them get into car accidents. Why should a visitor’s auto insurer care about accidents in Ontario? Because when a non-resident is involved in an auto accident in the province, their insurers will

Papers headed with Tax Liability and glasses on a table
News Commercial AutoConstructionCyberLegalLoss ControlOperationsPersonal AutoPersonal HomeProperty

Does federal budget create new tax liability for P&C industry?

April 12, 2022 by Greg Meckbach

A federal budget proposal to forbid insurers from using a contractual service margin as a deductible reserve for tax purposes could impose a one-time tax liability on the industry. International Financial Reporting Standard 17 (IFRS 17) will “substantially change the