Canadian Underwriter


News InsuranceLegislation / Regulation

Tow referral fee rules ‘hard to monitor and enforce,’ insurer warns

August 23, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

Auto insurance providers should remind motorists that in the event of an accident, it is usually the driver – not the tow truck operator – who decides where the car gets towed. Motorists often don’t know what rights they have

News InsuranceLegal

Auto fraud getting worse, insurer says

August 21, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

Manitoba Public Insurance Corporation (MPI) is reporting an increase in auto insurance fraud, including false claims for income replacement benefits. “Disturbingly, the corporation’s special investigation unit is seeing an increase in fraudulent activity,” the province’s public auto insurer reported Friday.

News InsuranceLegal

Court orders parent to produce underwriting file to prove she denied permission for her child to drive

August 16, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

If a parent does not give permission to a child to drive the car, then if the child gets into a serious accident, a court could order the parent to produce the underwriting file to prove they did not grant

News InsuranceLegalRisk

Court balks at auto injury medical expert witness fee

August 3, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

When a motorist gets sued by an accident victim, should the defendant be ordered to pay $5,000 to reimburse the plaintiff for half a day’s court testimony from a plaintiff’s doctor? A British Columbia court official says no. Gary Senner

News InsuranceRisk

Death serves as strong reminder of homeowners’ alcohol liability risk: Police

August 3, 2018 The Canadian Press

LEITCHES CREEK, N.S. – Charges have been laid after a 17-year-old boy was struck and killed while walking home from a Cape Breton grad party, as a police chief denounced the “misinformation” circulating after the crash. Cape Breton Regional Police

News Insurance

Ontario’s plans for auto insurance reform still under wraps

August 2, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

A month after being sworn into office, Ontario’s new political rulers have been silent on the issue of auto insurance reform. “We haven’t heard anything formal yet from government,” confirmed Pete Karageorgos, the director of consumer and industry relations for

News InsuranceLegal

Car wash operator found not liable for $1,800 claim caused after malfunction

July 31, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

A British Columbia motorist who made an $1,800 vehicle damage insurance claim arising from an ill-fated trip to an automated car wash cannot get reimbursed by the car wash operator. This was the finding of a recent decision from the

News Insurance

Ottawa considered speeding up new seatbelt rule after Broncos crash: documents

July 30, 2018 Lauren Krugel - THE CANADIAN PRESS

The father of a teen who died in a crash that killed 16 people on a junior hockey team bus is questioning why Ottawa is waiting two years to make seatbelts on new highway buses mandatory. Documents obtained by The

News Insurance

Why a public insurer may have to cover the liability of a suspended car owner

July 29, 2018 by David Gambrill

In a priority dispute between insurers, Manitoba’s public auto insurer may be on the hook for the liability of the owner of a vehicle involved in a crash in Ontario, even though MPI had cancelled the car owner’s insurance certificate

News LegalRisk

One-third of victims in car crash deaths not wearing seatbelts: NL RCMP

July 29, 2018 by Jason Contant

JOHN’S, N.L. – RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador say one-third of collision fatalities over a five-year span involved people not wearing seatbelts. They say that from 2013 until mid-July, 182 people were killed in 154 crashes with about 35 per

News InsuranceTechnology

Winter tire claims statistics took biggest insurer by surprise

July 22, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

When Intact started giving discounts on auto insurance to people with winter tires, the result appeared to be counter-intuitive. Motorists insured by Intact who reported having winter tires installed “were having worse loss ratios” than those driving in the winter

News Legal

Distracted cycling? Ontario man charged after colliding with transport truck

July 18, 2018 The Canadian Press

SOUTH WEST OXFORD TOWNSHIP, Ont. – Provincial police say a cyclist, allegedly distracted by his cellphone, is facing a charge after colliding with a transport truck in southwestern Ontario. Police say the collision occurred on Tuesday morning in South West