Topic Personal Home
First the industry mandated fire detectors. Now should it require water detectors?
October 27, 2020 by Adam MalikAn abundance of technology is available to prevent water damage in condo buildings, but panellists of a recent Canadian Underwriter webinar questioned why it’s not being mandated or put to use as condo claims continue to increase. Existing technology such…
Appeal court spells out difference between an ‘omission’ and a ‘misrepresentation’ on an insurance form
October 8, 2020 by David GambrillB.C.’s Court of Appeal overturned a decision Wednesday against BCAA Insurance Corporation in a case that turned on the crucial difference between an “omission” and a “misrepresentation” in a home insurance application. Ultimately, the B.C. Court of Appeal ordered a…
Intact’s plan to help you advise your client on disaster resilience
October 2, 2020 by Greg MeckbachBy the end of this year, Intact Financial Corp. is hoping that a research centre it funds will have trained more than 140,000 brokers, home inspectors, realtors, and other professionals on how to make properties resilient to extreme weather, CEO…
‘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,…
How much these four Alberta cats cost insurers in 2020
September 10, 2020 by Greg MeckbachFour Alberta catastrophes this year have cost insurers a grand total of about $2 billion, the Insurance Bureau of Canada confirmed this week. A hailstorm June 13, affecting mainly northeast Calgary, topped the list as it caused about $1.2 billion…
Industry needs ‘to find a solution’ to this claims adjusting problem
September 9, 2020 by Greg MeckbachSomething needs to be done to make it easier to let Canadian claims adjusters work outside their home province in the event of a disaster, speakers suggested on a recent webinar. “It’s generally understood that it’s easier to bring U.S.…
Why these home buyers won a $100,000 lawsuit
September 8, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA recent Ontario court ruling arising from a major structural defect in a cottage country home shows why a homeowner should get the vendor to complete a seller property information sheet (SPIS) before agreeing to a purchase. “The law can…
How A.M. Best predicts pandemic could affect the Canadian P&C industry
September 8, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAn increase of residential cooking fires and business closures arising from the pandemic are among the trends affecting the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry on the radar of A.M. Best Company Inc. Overall, personal property losses are lower so…
How brokers can help mitigate risk when clients build in risky areas
September 4, 2020 by Adam MalikCost management needs to become a top priority if the property and casualty insurance industry wants to slow down the rise in premiums for the real estate sector. And to do that, an expert explained, both industries — insurance and…
More than one way to define a Cat
September 3, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIf you disagree with a co-worker on exactly what a catastrophe is, both of you could be right. There is no single standard definition of a “Cat,” with the industry’s loss costs — and even media coverage — among the…
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.…
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…