High building materials and labour costs still slowing home repairs
July 12, 2023 Philip PoradoWhile inflation’s pace has eased in Canada, it’s still expensive to put homeowners back into their properties after a fire, flood, wind or other event. That’s because lingering supply chain and labour-shortage issues are extending restoration timelines. And that’s increasing…
How the pandemic changed adjusting for the long haul
July 10, 2023 Philip PoradoCOVID-19 restrictions led adjusters to shift claims work to desktop teams. The change was driven by client reluctance to meet in-person and employees’ desire to reduce site work until the risks were better understood. But those changes can make some…
Why auto insurers are more likely to declare cars totalled
July 7, 2023 Philip PoradoIs that car worth repairing? Given ongoing supply chain disruption and high inflation rates, the answer for insurers may increasingly be ‘no.’ “We see significant increases in rental costs,” said Kumar Siva, senior vice president for third party administration services…
How trade agreements could change claims adjusting in Canada
June 20, 2023 Alyssa Di SabatinoWhen a NatCat occurs in Canada, it’s common for U.S. adjusters to be on the scene — sometimes before Canadian adjusters, who are bound by provincial licensing restrictions. And while processes for getting either country’s adjusters on the scene are…
How automation’s shifting on-site claims work to bigger losses
February 23, 2023 Philip PoradoCOVID-19 accelerated development of process efficiencies for insurance adjusters. Pre-pandemic, data-gathering and communications systems began shifting many claims to desk teams, creating efficiencies for adjusters by reserving site visits for complex cases. “What COVID did was expedite some of that…
How adjusters can benefit from putting consumers in control of their claims
January 19, 2023 Jason ContantWhen severe weather events take place, not everything can be fixed overnight. There are only so many contractors and thousands of homes will likely need repairs ranging from major to minor. “It comes down to triaging and putting the insured…
How much will Fiona cost Canadian P&C insurers?
September 27, 2022 by Jason ContantPost-tropical storm Fiona could cost the Canadian property and casualty insurance industry between $300 million and $700 million, ratings agency DBRS Morningstar said in a commentary Tuesday. “Fiona will likely be one of the largest catastrophic events in history for…
COVID-19 sparks debate about U.S. adjuster use in Calgary
July 3, 2020 by David GambrillCOVID-19 appears to be kindling proud sentiments about employing Canadian adjusters, after social media posts triggered an age-old debate about using U.S. adjusters to handle catastrophe claims in Canada. Twitter was abuzz with comments after Global News posted a piece…
What the judge said when a trial lawyer accused an insurer of “playing hardball” with his elderly client
December 31, 2019 by David GambrillAn elderly resident who lost her slip-and-fall claim against a retirement home does not have to pay the legal costs of the home’s insurance company because the insurer’s legal strategy was “at risk of allegations of playing hardball,” the Ontario…
Lussier Dale Parizeau continues M&A activity
June 18, 2019 by Jason ContantQuebec’s largest brokerage, Lussier Dale Parizeau, has merged with financial services firm Genius Financial Group. André Lussier, president of Lussier Dale Parizeau, announced the merger along with the four partners of Genius Financial Group: Jean-Pierre Gauvreau, Serge Gravel, Éric Émond…
Why this vehicle accident defendant tried to quash $850,000 settlement
June 14, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAdjusters handling auto liability claims shouldn’t be too quick to settle and take what the plaintiff’s lawyer is saying with a grain of salt. These are among the takeaways from Thursday’s Supreme Court of Canada decision in Fleury v. Paulus.…
CU Total Loss Series: Bending Time
June 13, 2019 David Gambrill, Editor-in-ChiefTotal Loss Series, Part 3: Solutions Imagine Canada’s auto insurance industry saving millions of dollars each year in total loss costs and passing that along to Canadian drivers in the form of premium decreases. And all by simply reducing total…