News
Metro Vancouver enduring first major snow storm
January 10, 2020 by The Canadian PressVANCOUVER – Metro Vancouver is enduring its first major snow storm of the winter as snowfall warnings cover the entire inner south coast and eastern Vancouver Island, while many other parts of British Columbia also face nasty conditions. Snow reached…
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…
Where did that slip and fall liability reform bill land?
January 9, 2020 by Greg MeckbachWill the Ontario government get around to reforming liability for slips and falls on ice before the winter ends? Bill 118, which passed second reading June 6, is intended to make it easier for clients to defend themselves against lawsuits…
The story behind NFP’s foray into the Canadian P&C space
January 9, 2020 by Jason ContantNFP Corp. has been busy in the approximately two years since the U.S.-based brokerage acquired Dalton Timmis Insurance Group in 2017, its first Canadian P&C acquisition. Since that time, it has acquired a number of Canadian brokerages, including Mass Insurance…
How catastrophes affected Intact’s Q4 numbers
January 9, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIntact Financial Corp. is pegging its catastrophe claims at $115 million for the fourth quarter of 2019 alone, more than double the figure for the same period in 2018. Intact released its $115 million estimated catastrophe loss Tuesday. The company…
Natural disaster bills continue to climb: Public Safety Canada
January 9, 2020 by Mia Rabson - THE CANADIAN PRESSOttawa’s bills for dealing with natural disasters neared half a billion dollars in two of the last three years amid a warning to Canadians that this country was one of the worst affected by climate change in 2018. Data from…
Why this town is not liable for electric shock hazard at sports field
January 8, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAn Ontario municipality was recently found not liable for an electrical hazard created when a light pole at a sports field was struck by lightning, allowing the light to continue functioning while letting current leak into the ground near the…
What risk managers can learn from Supreme Court ruling in favour of Canada Post
January 8, 2020 by Greg MeckbachHow should risk managers handle situations where their workers could encounter hazards off site? A recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling in favour of Canada Post could provide some guidance, a lawyer suggested Tuesday to Canadian Underwriter. “It is now…
Why Canada is the model for global risk management
January 8, 2020 by Adam MalikRIMS Canada got a pat on the back recently, as the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) looks to fortify its ranks around the world, according to the group’s 2020 president. Laura Langone spoke with Canadian Underwriter in her first…
The latest brokerage to join the parade of M&A in 2020
January 8, 2020 by Jason ContantAnother day, another acquisition. McDougall Insurance and Financial has merged with Provenance Insurance Services Ltd., which operates as Knox Hutchison Insurance Services (North Bay), Municipal Insurance Services (North Bay) and Dynamic Insurance Brokers (Sudbury). Provenance will join with McDougall to…
Is climate change driving up the risk of wildfires in Canada?
January 8, 2020 by Mia Rabson - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – Canadian wildfire experts say Canada is very vulnerable to the kind of devastating wildfires ravaging Australia right now. More than 12.5 million acres (about 5.1 million hectares) of bushland have burned in Australia since October and prime forest-fire…
Canadian brokerage M&A explodes out of the gate in 2020
January 7, 2020 by Jason Contant“The market for P&C brokerages and books of business is strong and will likely continue to be robust in the foreseeable future,” Mike Berris, partner and practice group leader with Smythe Advisory, predicted last August in the firm’s Property &…