Why new risks plague the hospitality sector post COVID-19
November 8, 2022 Alyssa Di SabatinoPeople can eat in restaurants across Canada without wearing a mask or providing proof of vaccination, a sign the risks initially associated with the spread of COVID-19 have lessened. But, with public health restrictions largely lifted, restaurant and bar owners…
Are businesses covered for damage caused by the Freedom Convoy?
February 7, 2022 by Alyssa DiSabatinoMore than a week after the “freedom convoy” rolled into Ottawa, some in the P&C industry are discussing whether or not business interruption claims due to civil disobedience are insured risks. Ottawa’s downtown centre has been paralyzed with vehicles…
Ontario court certifies class-action against insurers related to COVID-19
September 1, 2021 The Canadian PressTORONTO – Ontario’s Superior Court of Justice has certified a class-action lawsuit against fourteen insurance companies that denied business interruption claims related to COVID-19. The class action, launched by several small businesses including a suit store, a smoothie shop and…
Intact’s take on UK business interruption test case
March 9, 2021 by Greg MeckbachA recent British court ruling on business interruption does not change the economics of Intact Financial Corp.’s agreement to acquire a large part of London-based RSA, a senior Intact official confirmed Tuesday. In 2020, the Financial Conduct Authority brought eight…
One big lesson from pandemic business interruption coverage disputes
February 2, 2021 by Greg MeckbachThe industry could do a better job of explaining to commercial clients exactly what business interruption insurance actually covers, A.M. Best Company Inc. suggests in a report released Monday. “Disputes over BI cover are unfavourable for the reputation of affected…
Six reasons why commercial prices will probably continue rising
January 25, 2021 by Greg MeckbachDon’t expect a soft market for your commercial clients any time soon, executives with The Travelers Companies Inc. warn. Rates on renewal for business insurance were up 8.4% while rates in bond and specialty insurance increased by 12%, Travelers said…
Impeding, hindering or preventing: Do these mean the same thing in business interruption insurance?
January 6, 2021 by Greg MeckbachSay your client has a policy covering business interruption if the government prevents access to the premises. A pandemic breaks out. Say that client is not completely prohibited from conducting business, but is still losing sales because the government is…
The difference between pandemic BI coverage and pushing a bus off a cliff
January 5, 2021 by Greg MeckbachCommercial clients who bought insurance covering a disease outbreak within 25 miles of their premises did not buy coverage for business interruption from a pandemic on a national scale, insurance company lawyers are telling the United Kingdom Supreme Court. Worldwide,…
Britain’s regulator challenges ruling in favour of insurers over pandemic BI coverage
January 4, 2021 by Greg MeckbachThe appearance of the word “event” in a “disease radius” clause in business interruption insurance contract could be instrumental in determining whether the client is covered during a pandemic. In a ruling released Sept. 15, the High Court of England…
Why brokers are going to get sued over pandemic business interruption claims
October 21, 2020 by Greg MeckbachSome brokers are going to get sued by clients whose COVID-19 business interruption claims were denied, a keynote speaker warned Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario (IBAO) members Wednesday. “The main area of claim will be failure to advise of potential…
What business interruption coverage appeal to U.K. Supreme Court could look like
October 6, 2020 by Greg MeckbachBritish insurers are not taking yes for an answer from the High Court of England and Wales, which recently ruled that insuring business interruption “following” a notifiable disease, within a certain distance of the client, does in fact mean that…
How business interruption verdict impacts trends clauses
September 30, 2020 by Greg MeckbachIf your clients are looking for business interruption coverage arising from the pandemic, a key question is whether there is a “trends clause” in their policy. “In policies with trends clauses, the calculation of loss of business income must take…