Topic Personal Auto
How bad Canada’s auto loss ratios are getting
September 11, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe Canadian industry’s loss ratio in auto liability has deteriorated for the fourth year in a row, A.M. Best Company Inc. has reported. Meanwhile, the loss ratio in “auto personal accident” deteriorated nearly 10 points. It increased from 70.4% in…
Supreme Court of Canada paves way for insurers’ medical examiner’s lawsuit
September 10, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA $15-million defamation lawsuit by an insurers’ medical examiner against an Ontario-based personal injury lawyer is going to trial, the Supreme Court of Canada announced in a divided ruling released Thursday. Dr. Howard Platnick “deserves to have his day in…
Brokerage M&A activity surges amid pandemic
September 3, 2020 by Jason ContantBrokerage consolidation has exploded, with at least six acquisitions announced across Canada in the past week. Most recently, large brokerage Westland Insurance Group announced Wednesday the closing of four deals, adding new retail offices in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba.…
Aviva’s sting operation lawsuit against collision repairer clears first hurdle in court
September 2, 2020 by David GambrillA collision repair centre in the Greater Toronto Area has lost its court bid to dismiss Aviva Canada’s $330,000 civil lawsuit against it. The case arose from Aviva’s highly-publicized 2017 investigation into the auto collision industry, based on suspicion of…
Behind the scenes of Hub’s latest Canadian acquisition
September 2, 2020 by Jason ContantHub announced the acquisition of Grande Prairie, Alta.-based Elevate Insurance Brokers Wednesday. Elevate is a locally-owned, independent full-service brokerage that provides home, auto, recreational vehicle and business insurance. Elevate Insurance president Pierce Krol and partner Otilja Majewski will join Hub…
Auto insurer sees severe accidents spike on pandemic’s open roads
September 1, 2020 by Jason ContantThis year so far is on track to be the worst year in a decade for serious/catastrophic injuries, government auto insurer Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) reported Friday. While traffic volumes still remain relatively low due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many…
This car is orange. Do your clients know it won’t necessarily cost any extra to insure it?
September 1, 2020 by David GambrillDriving in the passing lane of the highway, your client sees in her rearview mirror an antenna pull up behind her. A horn blares. She pulls into the right lane, and an orange Lamborghini Aventador moves ahead, leaving her behind…
Court rules against The Co-operators in hit-and-run scooter accident
August 27, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAn Ontario court has ruled against an insurer’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit in which an argument was made that the woman on the receiving end of a hit-and-run could have reasonably done more to get the driver’s information. In…
Survivor recalls deadly Manitoba tornado hitting Jeep
August 24, 2020 by The Canadian PressVIRDEN, Man. – James Blacksmith closes his eyes and goes back to the moment he saw a pine tree viciously uprooted from the earth and topple onto his Jeep’s roof. Within seconds, the windows burst from the force of a…
Economical to take over commercial ridesharing insurance coverage from Intact
August 21, 2020 by Jason ContantEconomical Insurance will replace Intact Insurance as the commercial auto insurer for Uber in four Canadian provinces effective Sept. 1. Waterloo, Ont.-based Economical announced Tuesday in a press release the “new and significant relationship with Uber in Canada, designed to…
What Intact is telling competitors who distribute through BrokerLink
August 17, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIntact CEO Charles Brindamour is assuring his competitors that they are not at a competitive disadvantage with Intact should they distribute their insurance through Intact Financial Corp.’s BrokerLink brokerage unit. “Our strategy is not to get the brokerage business to…
Top court to consider release that excludes ‘claims of any kind or nature whatsoever’
August 14, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe legal status of a release that excludes a personal injury claimant from pursuing further claims arising out of the incident “of any kind or nature whatsoever” against the City of Corner Brook, Nfld., is headed to the Supreme Court…