Pot legalization not a good reason to raise auto rates: Regulator
March 26, 2019 by Greg MeckbachNova Scotia’s auto insurance regulator is not letting The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company take marijuana legalization into account when calculating this year’s rate increases. The Dominion said in a rate change application that claims frequency will likely go…
How the cat season so far compares to 2018
March 26, 2019 by Jason ContantIt seems that the Canadian catastrophe season is off to a strong start, with five events so far this quarter compared to the normal one. “I will say that we have had an anomalous start to the year,” said Laura…
How workers compensation claims impact directors’ liability
March 22, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA corporate director in Alberta can be personally sued by a worker injured on the job even when that employee has workers’ compensation coverage through the province, the Court of Appeal of Alberta has ruled. Doug Stewart was a director…
How climate change affects Canada’s hurricane risk
March 21, 2019 Ryan P. Mulligan, Associate Professor in Civil Engineering, Queen's University - THE CANADIAN PRESSThis article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts. Disclosure information is available on the original site. When tropical cyclone Idai made landfall near Beira, Mozambique…
Why appeal court quashed this punitive damage award
March 21, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf your client is successfully sued for being vicariously liable for the behaviour of a sexual offender, should that client have to pay punitive damages simply for not admitting liability before the trial? Judges are not unanimous on this issue.…
The challenges in navigating the ridesharing insurance minefield
March 20, 2019 by Jason ContantDespite using a wholly-owned captive insurance subsidiary and third-party insurance, ridesharing company Lyft Inc. cannot ensure its coverage will sustain all of its business risks and costs, the company acknowledged in a recent stock-listing prospectus of risk factors. San Francisco,…
Collision damages ships in Vancouver Harbour
March 20, 2019 by Greg MeckbachRICHMOND, B.C. – Transport Canada says two ships collided in Vancouver Harbour Sunday after one lost power, but no one was injured and no pollutants were released. The federal department says in a statement that the bulk carrier MV Caravos…
How small potatoes from federal budget can help insurers
March 20, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe federal government’s commitment Tuesday to spend $1 million a year on hazard awareness training – from a total budget of nearly $350 billion – will go a “long way” towards helping Canadians understand property risk, the Insurance Bureau of…
What 5G technology means for the insurance and collision repair industries
March 18, 2019 by Jason ContantThe promise of 5G technology was one of the top stories coming out of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. But what does that mean for the insurance and collision repair industries? A massive increase in connected devices that respond seemingly…
Flood victims win lawsuit against neighbour over laneway access
March 18, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA commercial property owner who was sued for $100,000 by neighbours over water damage is unable to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. The top court announced March 14 it is denying Marilyn Marks leave to appeal a Court…
How your client can save money by detecting plumbing problems
March 13, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCanadian property clients could soon get an insurance discount by installing products from water flow sensing vendor Triple Plus Ltd. Triple Plus recently announced a pilot project in which American clients of Berkshire Hathaway GUARD can get lower property insurance…
How air conditioner installer got dragged into basement flood
March 12, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMoisture that an air conditioner collects could damage your client’s home if it doesn’t drain properly, but the client cannot necessarily blame the air conditioner installer for a flood. Basement flood victim Samuel Sieb took Gandy Installations Ltd. to British…