NIAC Introduces Nuclear Insurance Pool Participation By International Pools As A Scalable, Sustainable Made In Canada Solution For Increased Liability Limits

TORONTO, ON  – Nuclear Insurance Association of Canada (NIAC) General Manager Colleen DeMerchant announced global access to the domestic Canadian nuclear insurance pool by other international nuclear pools, through an arrangement with Nuclear Risk Insurers (NRI). 

Under a new co-operative agreement with NRI, NIAC is able to leverage their ‘Made in Canada’ expertise while providing access to other international nuclear insurance pools to increase capacity in order to meet Bill C-22’s $650 million and rising liability limit for nuclear operators.

Canada’s nuclear insurance pool allows Canadian insurers to share the risks of insuring nuclear operators in Canada so that no single insurer is unable to settle claims or is financially ruined by them. From the outset the peril associated with nuclear reactor incidents has been recognized as significant and unpredictable. The damages caused by a major event may be immense, as was the case at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant after the 2011 Thoku earthquake and tsunami. For these reasons, high quality insurance with very large settlement capabilities is required by Canadian and international regulators.

Nuclear insurance pools like NIAC’s provide assurance of the high quality insurance required by Canadian operators, which in turn provides peace of mind to the Canadian public. A well-administered pool permits timely and fair claims settlement for all affected parties, in the unlikely event of a catastrophic loss.

NIAC’s involvement with the Canadian and international pooling system is not limited to managing insurance coverage and providing policy guidelines. NIAC provides risk improvement intelligence by conducting comprehensive loss control surveys for the CANDU fleet.  It has developed a specialized knowledge base and a unique skill set; understanding the Canadian regulatory requirements for the nuclear industry and the property/casualty industry.  “We bring the complex world of nuclear to the complex world of insurance.” Explains Wendy Hayden, NIAC Manager, Underwriting & Operations. “With our deep knowledge of both worlds, we can effectively navigate the most complicated issues on behalf of our stakeholders to provide them with peace of mind.”

NIAC acts as Canada’s expert liaison between multiple nuclear stakeholders. Pursuing best practices for Canadian operators and insurers on behalf of all Canadians, NIAC navigates the complexities of both safe nuclear operations and adequate nuclear insurance. With over 50 years of operation NIAC’s effectiveness and value are proven.

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