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Open roads: Driving “fast and furious” during the pandemic

May 11, 2020 by Adam Malik

Ontario Provincial Police caught two different drivers this past weekend going more than twice the speed limit on highways, part of a growing trend of dangerous driving on the open roads during the pandemic — and insurers are taking notice.

News ClaimsClaims CanadaEngineeringInsuranceLegal

Aviva loses battle in faulty workmanship exclusion dispute

May 5, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

The application of faulty workmanship exclusions continues to be a subject of disagreement among judges, a Court of Appeal of Alberta ruling from last week shows. The Court of Appeal of Alberta recently found that if a construction contractor causes

News ClaimsEmploymentInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

How Aviva is responding to dentists’ COVID-19 claims

April 2, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Aviva Canada is promising guidance to dentists who want to submit claims arising from provincial government orders shutting down non-essential services. Aviva writes TripleGuard, a property and casualty insurance product for dentists provided by CDSPI, originally known as Canadian Dental

News InsuranceLegislation / Regulation

Aviva to start using credit info as auto rating factor in this province

February 13, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Aviva Insurance Company of Canada and Traders General Insurance Company have permission to use consumers’ credit information as an auto rating factor, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board announced Monday. Insurers are specifically prohibited from using credit information as

News InsuranceLegal

Home warranty provider loses argument that Aviva product is not insurance

December 18, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

Brokers who provide home warranty assuming it is not an insurance product could be mistaken if they try to argue this in court – especially if the warranty is written by a regulated insurer. National Home Warranty Group told the

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Shopping online at work? Why your bosses might care

November 28, 2019 by Adam Malik

There’s a good chance you’ll be tempted to put work aside and look for deals with Black Friday sales online. If you’re using your work device, your employer will likely look the other way. But that doesn’t mean they don’t

News InsuranceLegal

Judges & insurers disagree: Who really rented this truck?

September 13, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

A 2018 Ontario court ruling in favour of Wawanesa, arising from a collision involving a truck rented to deliver furniture, has been overturned on appeal. On Oct. 29, 2010, Hy Kiet Liu was in a vehicle that was rear-ended by

News BrokersInsurance

One reason why there’s little relief in sight for auto rates

August 21, 2019 by Adam Malik

Vehicle technology is designed to reduce crashes – or at least, the severity – but insurance brokers shouldn’t expect to be able to offer their clients any relief when it comes to their premiums. That’s because all the technology going

News ClaimsInsuranceTechnology

The one technology the industry can’t wait to see grow

August 19, 2019 by Adam Malik

There’s one automotive technology that has industry experts excited because it’s playing an increasingly key role in reducing crashes and increasing driver safety: autonomous emergency braking (AEB). But it will take some time before significant results are seen. AEB is

News Insurance

How hitting a bicycle can lead to six-figure liability claim

July 18, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

An Ontario auto insurer is out more than $500,000 after a motorist hit a cyclist, causing soft-tissue injuries. In St. Marthe v. O’Connor, released this past Monday, Ontario Superior Court Justice Patrick Hurley awarded Peter St. Marthe $380,000 (including sales

News ClaimsCommercial LinesInsuranceLegal

Aviva loses $7-million coverage dispute over sexual abuse liability

May 23, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

Canada’s top court said today it will not hear an appeal from Aviva Canada of a ruling in favour of a New Brunswick church diocese. L’Évêque catholique romain de Bathurst, a diocese that oversees Roman Catholic parishes in the northeastern

News Insurance

How sales commissions can result in disputes over vacation pay

April 24, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

If you employ commissioned sales people, how are you calculating their vacation pay? Calculating employees’ vacation pay can be an issue for any company whose sales staff earn both a base salary and commission, Toronto employment lawyer Andrew Monkhouse, managing