What’s New: In Brief (August 19, 2009)

Philip Howell has been appointed the CEO and superintendent of financial services for the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO).
FSCO regulates the province’s insurance industry.
Howell most recently served as the deputy minister of economic development for the Ontario government. He also held posts with the province’s Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Finance.
Howell succeeds Bob Christie, who served as FSCO’s CEO and superintendent since 2005.

Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) has established a special hail claim centre in response to an increase in hail-related damage claims.
After a hailstorm tore through southern Manitoba in mid-August 2009, MPI received more than 5,000 claims as a result, an MPI release says.
The centre, located at 1981 Plessiss Rd. in Winnipeg, is dedicated to ‘hail-only’ estimating appointments. It will be capable of handling 250 appointments daily.
A special hail centre was opened in Dauphin in August 2007, after a catastrophic storm ripped through that community and 12 surrounding communities.
In total, the 2007 storm resulted in 14,029 hail claims being opened. More than 5,000 vehicles were written off and $52-million total losses were incurred.