Topic Property
What the industry learned from a 20-year-old wildfire
January 11, 2024 by Jason ContantThe devastation of British Columbia’s Okanagan Mountain Park wildfire in 2003 was unlike anything Janna Smart had adjusted before. “It was full of raw emotion, chaos, destruction, and limited experience in handling a wildfire in a densely populated area. It…
NatCats taking their toll on Canadian property lines
January 8, 2024 by David GambrillAnother year, another $3 billion in NatCat insurance claims payouts. Canada’s property and casualty insurance industry paid out more than $3.1 billion last year in claims related to natural catastrophes, based on the latest numbers from Catastrophe and Indices Quantification…
Should insurers help customers build back better…or not at all?
January 4, 2024 by Philip PoradoIncreased severity and frequency of NatCats has Canada’s P&C insurance ecosystem seeking ways to add resilience to the claims process. This includes build back better initiatives to encourage adding things like hurricane straps or hail-resistant shingling to roof rebuilds to…
McDougall’s Drayden Insurance acquires Alberta brokerage
January 3, 2024 by Jason ContantAlberta brokerage Drayden Insurance has announced the acquisition of Darson Insurance Services in Stony Plain, Alta. Drayden Insurance is a division of Ontario brokerage McDougall Insurance, which itself is a subsidiary of Definity Financial Corporation. In October 2022, Definity increased…
2024 Executive Outlook |Mathias Sommer, Zurich Canada
December 28, 2023 by Canadian Underwriter StaffMathias Sommer, COO, Zurich Canada As we look ahead to 2024, leveraging data and digitalization will be critical in meeting rapidly evolving customer expectations. Today’s consumer wants a seamless, simple, digital-first experience and solutions helping them to understand and manage their…
2024 Executive Outlook |Anna McCrindell, Wawanesa Insurance
December 22, 2023 by Canadian Underwriter StaffAnna McCrindell, senior vice president, COO – East, Wawanesa Insurance This year challenged insurers and our broker partners. Inflation and macroeconomic pressures drove up costs, auto thefts reached new and troublesome levels, and climate change resulted in a devastating wildfire season…
Canada to pilot options for national emergency response agency in 2024
December 15, 2023 by Mia Rabson - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – A new national emergency response agency may consist of regional response teams that Ottawa can call into action when disaster strikes, Emergency Preparedness Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a recent interview. It is clear some kind of federal…
Do auto clients ask for trouble by hiking deductibles?
December 15, 2023 by Philip PoradoDuring the recent renewal cycle, many personal auto customers opted to increase their deductibles to reduce their annual premiums. Now, those decisions are leading customers who’ve been in accidents to delay pursuing claims because they don’t have enough cash on…
How restoration firms are growing in Canada
December 14, 2023 by Alyssa DiSabatinoWith natural disasters on the rise, restoration firms are responding to the growing need through expansions and acquisitions, according to recent announcements. Intact subsidiary On Side Restoration has acquired Superior Disaster Services Ltd., in a deal that closed Dec.…
How COVID-19’s wane could change commercial real estate coverage
December 13, 2023 by Philip PoradoReal estate pundits, including panellists at a Columbia University School of Business discussion early this year, are sounding the alarm about North America’s downtown cores. They’re predicting employees will shun return-to-office mandates, sparking tenancy death spirals for commercial lessors that…
Why most of your commercial clients are underinsured by at least 30%
December 12, 2023 by Jason ContantAccurate valuation and occupancy data points remain top challenges for commercial broker submissions, according to Greg McCutcheon, president of Canada’s largest property data provider, Opta Information Intelligence. In this inflationary environment, keeping up with valuations and ensuring commercial property brokers…
How Cat modelling can help your real estate clients
December 8, 2023 by David GambrillWith so many NatCats affecting the real estate property insurance sector, catastrophe (Cat) modelling is becoming a fixture for clients seeking coverage in a tightening market, a Hub International report states. “Catastrophe (CAT) modeling is…becoming essential in real estate resiliency,”…