Canadian Underwriter

Segment
Risk Management

A gas station destroyed by the Bush Creek East wildfire in Squilax, B.C.
News ClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceRisk

B.C. to introduce new disaster management laws to address preparedness, mitigation

September 20, 2023 The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER – British Columbia’s emergency management minister said the province will be ready to introduce “in the coming weeks” new laws to govern responses to increasingly frequent natural disasters such as wildfires and flooding.   Bowinn Ma told a gathering at

Fire at a metal recycling yard in Saint John, N.B.
News ClaimsClaims CanadaCommercial LinesInsurance

New Brunswick premier vows comprehensive review after massive Port Saint John fire

September 19, 2023 The Canadian Press

SAINT JOHN, N.B. – A joint task force investigation into last week’s major fire at a scrapyard in Saint John, N.B., will consider whether the recycling plant should continue operating at the city’s port, says Premier Blaine Higgs. Higgs made

Removing an old fuel storage tank from a contaminated building site
News Climate ChangeInsurance

Why strong housing markets have builders tweaking their insurance

September 14, 2023 Philip Porado

Booming real estate markets in many Canadian cities have top-tier developers considering building sites they might previously have written off. “Here in Toronto, we know the city was heavily industrialized with old manufacturers that were there 100 years before going

Repairs being made to the Sumas River dike following flooding in November 2021
News CatastrophesClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Province aware of dike problems before destructive flooding in 2021, documents show

September 13, 2023 Brenna Owen - THE CANADIAN PRESS

Officials with the British Columbia government and the City of Merritt were aware of significant problems with dikes for several years before a series of atmospheric rivers flooded the community, documents released through a freedom of information request show. The

Forest fire at night in the Okanagan
News ClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

B.C. wildfires continue to burn through September

September 12, 2023 The Canadian Press

VANCOUVER – The latest evacuation order issued due to a wildfire in British Columbia covers a rural area north of Prince George in a region straddling the boundaries of two regional governments. The regional districts of Fraser-Fort George and Bulkley-Nechako

Clients that lock down their cybersecurity are favoured by insurers
News BrokersInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Which clients are cyber underwriters favouring?

September 11, 2023 David Gambrill

Recent loss ratio data suggests the hard market in cyber insurance has plateaued. In part, that’s due to underwriters being more discriminating about which risks they select for coverage. “Insurance companies have rightsized their books. They know which clients they

Injured person following an e-scooter accident
News ClaimsInsurance

How potholes lead to serious brain injuries for e-scooter riders

September 8, 2023 Brittany Sinclair, B.Sc., P.Eng. 30 Forensic Engineering

Editor’s note: This is the second of a two-part series on the biomechanics of rider falls from e-scooters. Part 1 appeared Aug. 25.   Road safety is directly linked to maintenance standards. In Ottawa, the city’s recommended maintenance quality standard

The McDougall Creek wildfire in West Kelowna, B.C.
News AdjustersClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceMarkets / CoveragesRestorationRisk

Feds predict parts of Canada could see wildfires through winter

September 7, 2023 The Canadian Press

OTTAWA – The latest federal government forecast says Canada’s already unprecedented 2023 wildfire season could continue late into the fall or winter.   Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says there is potential for increased wildland fire activity from eastern

Construction site with heavy machinery and trucks
News BrokersInsurance

How NFP’s updating construction and infrastructure operations

September 7, 2023 Philip Porado

Property and casualty broker NFP announced it will integrate its surety practice into its Construction & Infrastructure (C&I) group, which supports companies in the construction space. These changes impact operations worldwide, including Canada, NFP said. “Surety plays a vital role

Wind, sun and water energy
News CatastrophesClimate ChangeInsuranceRiskTechnology

Canada ‘trailing partners’ on securing vital utilities and services: internal memo

September 5, 2023 Jim Bronskill - THE CANADIAN PRESS

OTTAWA – A newly released federal memo concedes Canada is “trailing key international partners” who have updated their approaches to securing vital utilities and services from a growing array of risks. The Public Safety Canada memo says “new and rapidly

Illustration of a woman crunching numbers to find the best price for a customers insurance policy
News ClaimsInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

What carriers are offering auto customers seeking lower premiums

September 1, 2023 Philip Porado

Car thefts are way up in Canada and that’s got the attention of property and casualty (P&C) insurers. Thefts have risen particularly fast in the greater Toronto area, Montreal and some other parts of Quebec, noted Paul Gilbody, SVP operations

Vehicles being evacuated following N.W.T. wildfires
News ClaimsClaims CanadaInsuranceRisk

Fire activity expected to kick up in N.W.T., Mounties warn against re-entering

September 1, 2023 The Canadian Press

YELLOWKNIFE – Fire activity along a key Northwest Territories highway is expected to kick up in the coming days, while Mounties say they’ll stop a potentially large group from trying to re-enter when an evacuation order is still in effect.