Updated: What emergency relief will insurers offer customers? Here’s what they told us
May 31, 2021 by Adam MalikEditor’s notes: This story has been updated to include additional information from Allstate. Insurance Bureau of Canada announced in 2020 that its members are offering reductions in auto insurance premiums for consumers whose driving habits have changed significantly. You can…
Series of gaps allowed massive Desjardins data breach, privacy watchdog says
December 15, 2020 Jim Bronskill - THE CANADIAN PRESSOTTAWA – A series of technological and administrative gaps caused a high-profile data breach at Desjardins – the largest to date in the Canadian financial services sector, the federal privacy watchdog has found. Privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien said Monday that…
What carriers told us: The latest on pandemic relief measures
October 21, 2020 by Adam MalikWith $1 billion in auto premium relief made available for Ontario drivers alone, drivers across Canada shouldn’t expect more premium relief coming from their carrier, at least in the near future. Canadian Underwriter reached out to a number of insurers…
Webinar: Standing on guard for thee — Adjusting Canadian NatCats
September 1, 2020 by Canadian UnderwriterTo view Canadian Underwriter’s full webinar series, please fill in the following information for immediate access: Webinar Access Name* First Last Email* Zip/Postal Code*Phone*Organization*Job Title*What is the business of the organization you work for?*Choose One…Independent Insurance BrokerageInsurance AgencyManaging General AgentInsurer…
Adjuster training: How the industry can up its game
August 31, 2020 by Greg MeckbachCanada’s property and casualty insurance industry needs to cross-train more claims adjusters if it wants to have enough property adjusters to be available in the event of a catastrophe, industry experts said last week. “Cross-training is important because it is…
Why insurers joined Facebook ad boycott
July 13, 2020 by Adam MalikCanadian insurers are taking part in a month-long campaign to halt advertising on Facebook and its companies to send a message to the social media giant about its practices in allowing hateful content and misinformation to be spread on its…
How these two insurers are serving customers during the pandemic
March 23, 2020 by Greg MeckbachMost Desjardins agency offices are now dealing with customers over the phone and Internet, while CAA Club Group has closed its Ontario stores due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Desjardins agents are continuing to focus on servicing our clients,” a spokesperson…
Former State Farm Canada chief agent Bellissimo to retire
November 20, 2019 by Greg MeckbachBarbara Bellissimo, former chief agent and senior vice-president of State Farm Canada and chair of the board of the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, is retiring from Desjardins at the end of this year. She is currently senior vice-president of…
Desjardins revises data theft impact numbers, says 4.2 million affected
November 1, 2019 Julien Arsenault - THE CANADIAN PRESSMONTREAL – The Desjardins Group data theft is much more widespread than first thought and actually hit 4.2 million members, the banking co-operative’s chief executive said Friday. Guy Cormier told a news conference the revised number – which represents the…
New leader for Top 5 Canadian insurer
October 23, 2019 by Greg MeckbachDesjardins General Insurance Group’s new president and chief operating officer is Valérie Lavoie. Denis Dubois (pictured), DGIG president until recently, now heads the life insurance and wealth management side of Desjardins Group, a spokesperson told Canadian Underwriter Wednesday. Lavoie is…
What the latest distracted driving numbers from Desjardins mean
September 24, 2019 by Greg MeckbachDespite increased penalties for distracted driving, poll results released Tuesday by Canada’s second-largest auto insurer indicate even more motorists are engaging in this risky behaviour. More than half (53%) of respondents to a survey admit to having driven distracted by…
Privacy class-action lawsuit against insurer over credit scores could settle
August 9, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA privacy class-action lawsuit against The Personal Insurance Company could be settled for about $2.2 million, the plaintiffs’ law firm said Friday. In 2018, Waddell Phillips Professional Corporation filed the lawsuit in Federal Court on behalf of auto claimants with…