Keyword
Auto
How COVID-19 is probably affecting your auto claimants
April 3, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe precautions underway to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk appear to be having a direct impact on auto accident benefits claimants – and not in a good way. “We have people who are seriously and catastrophically injured who are in their…
Why it’s nearly impossible to figure out how profitable Ontario auto is
March 13, 2020 by Greg MeckbachYour Ontario auto clients have probably read media reports claiming they have been “over-paying” for years, but at the same time your markets are probably telling you they either lose money or barely break even on the product. So how…
Sound and Fury
March 7, 2020 David Gambrill, Editor in ChiefWho will decide the epic battle going on in B.C. over public v. private auto?
Does home insurance cover road rage?
March 2, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIf a client is sued for alleged road rage in Ontario, is coverage for the legal defence the responsibility of the home insurer, auto insurer or both? This question could go to the Supreme Court of Canada if it agrees…
End of road for vehicle occupant sued for negligent parenting
February 18, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA defendant in a negligent parenting lawsuit cannot make a liability claim under the auto policy of the vehicle in which he and his daughter were riding as passengers. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Feb. 13 it will not…
What’s really behind Ontario auto rate increases
February 11, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAuto rates continue to climb in Ontario but the increase in frequency and severity of claims plays a big role, Insurance Bureau of Canada suggests. None of the 21 Ontario auto insurers who filed for rate changes during the last…
Appeal court overturns controversial ruling on auto coverage arising from overseas accident
February 7, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA controversial 2019 court ruling — in which the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench found that a client struck by a motorcycle in the Philippines is covered by Alberta’s family protection endorsement — has been reversed on appeal. “The SEF…
Roadside licence suspensions for impaired drivers faces court challenge
January 15, 2020 by Greg MeckbachThe British Columbia law intended to immediately get impaired drivers off the road could be headed – yet again – to the Supreme Court of Canada. Canada’s top court announced Jan. 10 that Larry Edward Lemieux has applied for leave…
Could auto liability cover negligent parenting lawsuit?
January 13, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIf you allow your child to ride in a vehicle allegedly driven by an impaired driver, and your child sues you for negligent parenting, does the vehicle liability policy cover you? Not as it stands. But the question could be…
Why Sonnet asked for a 50% auto rate increase in Nova Scotia in 2020
January 10, 2020 by Greg MeckbachOnline direct writer Sonnet has been under-charging auto clients in Nova Scotia who have fewer than 20 years’ experience or less, but that is about to change. As a result of rate changes approved Thursday, the premium increase will be…
Did the threshold for special awards against insurers just sink lower?
January 9, 2020 by David GambrillA recent decision of the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT) concerning an ice fishing accident in Ontario shows that insurers cannot simply rely on the opinions of medical assessors when determining a claimant’s needs, according to one insurance defence lawyer. In…
Why phone evidence fell short in this triple-collision fraud lawsuit
January 7, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAn insurer suspicious about a vehicle accident obtains evidence that the occupants of the different vehicles were talking by phone to one another. But without knowing exactly who was talking and what the vehicle occupants were talking about, this type…