Canadian Underwriter

Christchurch cathedral in New Zealand following the 2011 earthquake.
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What Canadian insurers can learn from a New Zealand earthquake

June 30, 2023 Philip Porado

Private property and casualty (P&C) insurers can’t be the sole providers of coverage for peak peril because they cannot efficiently assume extreme tail risk. That’s a key takeaway for Canada’s P&C insurers from a catastrophic 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New

Earthquake seismograph pattern
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What a Canadian public earthquake backstop might look like

January 31, 2023 by David Gambrill

A federal government backstop designed to help private insurers cover high-risk flooding could be extended to protect Canadians from earthquake risk as well, Canada’s home, car and business insurers suggested in a release Tuesday. Meanwhile, in the absence of a

Aerial view of a residential district in Ontario
News Insurance

Canada’s most exposed insurance lines

May 31, 2022 by Jason Contant

Exposure related to insuring personal lines of business in general continues to see steady growth in the Canadian P&C insurance industry, with a whopping $9.3 trillion of personal property assets in Canada now insured against fire, according to Catastrophe Indices

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What can be done just seconds before an earthquake hits?

December 7, 2021 by Jason Contant

Natural Resources Canada (NRC) is developing an earthquake early warning system that will provide valuable time before an earthquake strikes to allow protective measures to be put in place for people and critical infrastructure. “It can provide anywhere between seconds

News Insurance

Too little, too late? The devastating consequences of natural disasters must inform building codes

November 10, 2021 The Canadian Press

By Anastasia Athanasiou, Postdoctoral fellow, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University This 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.

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Contrary to popular belief, Eastern Canada is more at risk of earthquakes than perceived

September 16, 2021 The Canadian Press

By Jeremy Rimando, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Structural Geology and Tectonics, McMaster University and Alexander Lewis Peace, Assistant Professor (Structural Geology), McMaster University – THE CONVERSATION This article was originally published on The Conversation, an independent and nonprofit source of news,

News Insurance

Fracking likely to create stronger, more common earthquakes in B.C., study says

May 26, 2021 Bob Weber - THE CANADIAN PRESS

More damaging earthquakes can be expected more often in northern British Columbia as fracking oil and gas wells increases pressure underground, says newly published research. “It makes earthquakes more common and it makes larger ones more common,” said Allan Chapman,

News Insurance

How to increase the take-up of earthquake insurance

February 18, 2021 by Jason Contant

When broader government assistance is available for earthquake insurance, the take-up rates for private earthquake insurance appear to be suppressed, according to a new study on the difference between earthquake insurance rates in B.C.’s Lower Mainland and neighbouring Washington State

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How Ottawa is trying to lower earthquake related property losses

December 7, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Natural Resources Canada is hoping to help insurers cut their loss costs with a yet-to-be released earthquake early warning system. The warning system could provide seconds to tens of seconds of warning before a location is affected by strong shaking,

News Adjusters

How B.C. adjusters are preparing for major earthquake

July 29, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

When the next huge earthquake hits British Columbia, some independent adjusting firms may temporarily re-locate offices inland, perhaps even as far east as Alberta. Kernaghan Adjusters is aiming to be “up and running fairly quickly if we get into an

News Claims

Adjuster reacts to B.C. earthquake

July 24, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

The earthquake earlier this week off the coast of Vancouver Island does not seem to have caused any insured property losses, but the industry is nonetheless encouraging all British Columbians to be prepared in any case for a large disaster.

News Insurance

Separate quakes hit off B.C. and Alaska, but cause no damage, tsunami

July 22, 2020 THE CANADIAN PRESS

VANCOUVER – A moderate earthquake has occurred off northwest Vancouver Island but emergency officials in British Columbia say it has not produced a tsunami. Earthquakes Canada says the magnitude 5.4 quake struck at 4:33 a.m. and was centred 285 kilometres