Lake levels continue to rise near Bracebridge: mayor
April 25, 2019 THE CANADIAN PRESSBRACEBRIDGE, Ont. – The mayor of a small town in central Ontario’s cottage country says water levels in two nearby lakes have now exceeded those last seen during devastating flooding in 2013, and the weather forecast is “not promising.” Bracebridge…
Why insurers are not calling it a hard market
April 5, 2019 by Greg MeckbachYour clients may be paying higher rates but hard market may not be the right way to describe it, speakers suggested at a recent insurance conference. “I don’t personally know if I would call it a hard market yet. What…
How Canada’s electric vehicle infrastructure is improving
April 4, 2019 Ian Bickis - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – The electric vehicle road trip is becoming a practical reality as an increasing number of players work to close gaps in Canada’s fast-charger networks and ease fears of getting stranded along the way. New entrants like Petro-Canada and…
Could Canada cut interest rates?
April 2, 2019 Andy Blatchford - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – Bank of Canada governor Stephen Poloz says the economy needs a longer lift from stimulative interest rates to overcome domestic and global economic hurdles, though he predicts the country’s recent economic weakness will only be temporary. Poloz, speaking…
What’s holding back Lloyd’s price increases
March 28, 2019 by Greg MeckbachProperty risk could get harder to place in the Lloyd’s market this year. “Difficult decisions regarding existing accounts, or indeed the appropriateness of new accounts, will continue to have to be made during 2019,” the Corporation of Lloyd’s said of…
How sports hazing and abuse affects insurers
March 26, 2019 by Jason ContantThere seems to be no shortage of hazing and abuse incidents in the news lately. Earlier this month, a Miami University student was allegedly hit “with a paddle with spikes and grooves,” forced to drink large amounts of alcohol and…
How BC Hydro fares in managing its cyber security risk
March 20, 2019 by Jason ContantBritish Columbia’s electric utility is managing its cyber security risk for system components that must conform to mandatory reliability standards, but not for components to which the standards do not apply, the province’s auditor general has found. “We concluded that…
Manitoba flooding could be worse than 2009
March 19, 2019 Steve Lambert THE CANADIAN PRESSWINNIPEG – Heavy snowfall in the United States has raised the threat of flooding in Manitoba’s Red River Valley this spring. The Manitoba government says conditions have worsened since its first flood outlook last month. The province says, with average…
How the Big 5 banks insure their directors’ liability
March 18, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCanada’s five biggest banks are paying nearly $8 million a year collectively in premiums, for billions in directors’ and officers’ liability insurance with no deductibles, recent security filings show. The total coverage limit and the circumstances under which those policies…
Maurice Tulloch appointed CEO of Aviva plc
March 4, 2019 by Jason ContantMaurice Tulloch, the former president and CEO of Aviva Canada from 2009-13, has been appointed CEO of the London, U.K.-based Aviva plc, effective Monday. Tulloch joined Aviva in 1992 and was appointed to the board of Aviva plc in June…
One politician’s idea for reducing the severity of school bus crashes
March 1, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSeatbelts with shoulder harnesses should be mandatory on all school buses, an opposition member of Ontario’s provincial parliament told Canadian Underwriter Friday. “We should have the use of three-point seat belts on school buses to prevent injury and even death,”…
What the commercial underwriter of the future might look like
February 22, 2019 by Jason ContantCommercial underwriting in the future may expand to encourage more cross-functional and hybrid responsibilities, potentially with engineering, claims, finance or operations, according to a new report from McKinsey & Company’s insurance practice. “To attract younger talent, companies need to recognize…