Is sinkhole damage covered under a standard home insurance policy?
May 7, 2019 by Jason ContantEditor’s Note: This story has been edited to include additional comments. Is damage from a sinkhole covered under a standard homeowner’s policy? “Earth movement” is typically excluded under a standard policy, but an earthquake endorsement may provide coverage. The…
‘It’s triage now’: Cottage Country brokers deal with flood fallout
May 6, 2019 by Adam MalikBrokers in Ontario’s Muskoka region are calling the recent flooding event the worst disaster they’ve ever seen. Both Stephen Darling, president at A.W. Shiers Insurance Brokers, and Adam Caswell, owner of Hutcheson Reynolds & Caswell, said damage is greater and…
Should insurers offer incentive for remote water shut-off?
May 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf your client owns a multi-storey commercial or residential building and installs a system that lets them shut water off immediately if necessary, how easy is it to get a break on insurance? “To the best of our knowledge there…
Health and safety inspection teams head to flood affected zones in New Brunswick
May 3, 2019 Kevin Bissett - THE CANADIAN PRESSFREDERICTON – Health and safety inspection teams are fanning out across flood-affected regions of New Brunswick, assessing homes and businesses that are still drying out amid receding floodwaters. New Brunswick’s Emergency Measures Organization says the teams will inspect electrical systems…
Is Ontario about to see electronic pink slips?
May 3, 2019 by Jason ContantIs electronic proof of auto insurance (EPAI) just around the corner in Ontario? Industry scuttlebutt is that the new Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario (FSRA) will allow the use of EPAI this summer, possibly as early as June. Canadian…
2018 ‘not a good year’ for Canadian P&C insurers: IBC
May 2, 2019 by Greg MeckbachWeak investment results and problems with auto insurance in most provinces were among the factors leading to a bad year for insurers in 2018, Insurance Bureau of Canada’s chairman suggests. “Last year was not a good year for the property…
Are sandbags effective? A look at the popular flood prevention tool
April 30, 2019 Michelle McQuigge - THE CANADIAN PRESSFor centuries, residents of flood-prone areas have looked to sandbags to stave off rising waters. Flood management experts say that while it’s easy to understand why sandbags have become the first line of defence, they may not necessarily be the…
Best incentives to get homeowners to move out of floodplains
April 29, 2019 by Jason ContantMassive flooding in Quebec has shined the spotlight on suitable incentives that may get homeowners to move out of floodplains. Quebec Premier François Legault said recently that the province will offer a maximum of $100,000 to homeowners dealing with flood…
The top threat facing Canadian businesses
April 29, 2019 by Jason ContantCyber attacks and data breaches are the Number 1 threat to businesses in North America, according to Aon plc’s newly released 2019 Global Risk Management Survey. Aon surveys thousands of risk managers across 60 countries and 33 industries every two…
How much of the Quebec flooding is insurable?
April 29, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAbout one in three Quebec homeowners have overland flood coverage, but that number could be much lower in areas affected by recent floods. In the Montreal suburb of Ste-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, Que., waters from Lake of Two Mountains breached a dike at about…
Proposed auto reforms in Newfoundland ‘don’t go far enough’: IBC
April 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf the Newfoundland and Labrador government increases the deductible for pain and suffering awards in auto accident lawsuits, a reduction in claims costs will not necessarily follow, says the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s CEO. Newfoundland and Labrador has had a…
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…