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The thinking behind IBAC’s ‘light-hearted’ flood and earthquake education campaign

February 13, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

While the Insurance Brokers Association of Canada (IBAC) is encouraging homeowners to contact brokers about earthquake and overland flood risk, it is not aiming to shock or scare the living daylights out of consumers. “We consciously chose not to use

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When can Canadian clients get advance warning of earthquakes?

February 10, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

If an earthquake hits Canada after 2024, some clients could get at least a few seconds’ advance warning. At least that’s what the federal government is hoping for. “Earthquake early warning has the potential to reduce the impact of a

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What the regulator found when asking if fire following earthquake is covered in Quebec

February 5, 2020 by Greg Meckbach

Most Quebec homeowners are covered for fire following earthquake, according to a survey by the province’s regulator, which canvassed about 90% of insurers doing business in Quebec. The results of the Quebec Autorite des Marches Financiers (AMF) survey indicate that

News BrokersInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

Brokers concerned about blanket approach to binding authority restrictions

May 31, 2019 by Jason Contant

With wildfires raging in northern Alberta and Ontario, brokers are reporting some funky outcomes associated with insurers’ binding authority restrictions. Under the restrictions, brokers cannot bind coverage in areas under civil authority, forest fire alerts, flood alerts and certain earthquake

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Does an earthquake endorsement cover sinkhole damage?

May 28, 2019 by Jason Contant

If a home collapses into a sinkhole, is there coverage under a standard homeowner’s policy or earthquake endorsement? Not under many homeowner’s policies, but possibly under the earthquake endorsement, depending on the policy language and if the quake caused the

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Is sinkhole damage covered under a standard home insurance policy?

May 7, 2019 by Jason Contant

Editor’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

News Catastrophes

Some earthquake deductibles too high: IBC

April 5, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

Brokers are telling the Insurance Bureau of Canada that for some homeowner clients, the deductible on earthquake coverage is so high that the clients could still end up broke after a major tremor. “Right now, the deductible on some of

News Insurance

How small potatoes from federal budget can help insurers

March 20, 2019 by Greg Meckbach

The 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

News InsuranceMarkets / CoveragesRisk

What lies behind the unexpected Alberta quake

March 6, 2019 by Jason Contant

Perhaps the largest-ever earthquake to hit a section of central Alberta caused no immediate reports of damage, but knocked out power for more than 4,000 customers. Could fracking be the culprit? In this case, Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) is probing

News InsuranceMarkets / CoveragesReinsurance

The two main benefits of parametric insurance

February 20, 2019 by Jason Contant

Speed is one of the main benefits of parametric insurance compared to traditional forms of insurance, with the underwriting process taking just several days to two weeks, speakers from AXA Global Parametrics in France said Tuesday. Parametrics is index-based insurance,

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Executive challenges brokers regarding earthquake take-up rates in Quebec

February 8, 2019 by Jason Contant

Sparks flew during a recent conference discussion about mortgage impairment and earthquake loss, when a senior reinsurance company executive drew a link between the practices of Quebec brokers and the low take-up rates of earthquake insurance in the province. Philipp

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Why CBI insurance is on the rise in Canada

January 16, 2019 by Jason Contant

Contingent business interruption (CBI) insurance is on the rise in Canada, with an increase in both demand and higher limits, says the CEO and chief agent for Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS) Canada. “This is one of the most