This commercial line could get a lot more exciting soon
June 4, 2019 by Jason ContantThe Canadian marine insurance market could get a lot more interesting in the next year-and-a-half as major infrastructure projects get underway. “There are more large infrastructure projects on the drawing board and it could be a very interesting 18 months…
When ‘residence employee’ is key in home insurance wording
June 3, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA coverage dispute, arising from severe electric shock injuries to a baby in a rented house, shows disagreement over the exact meaning of “residence employee” in a home insurance policy. Doris Wong and her brother Johnny Wong were sued in…
This ‘leading practitioner’ in insurance law is now a judge
May 27, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCORRECTION NOTICE: In an earlier version of this story, Glen L.C. Noel was incorrectly identified as a lawyer representing Lloyd’s in Lawlor v. Royal. In fact, Noel represented Mary Lawlor in that case. Canadian Underwriter regrets the error. Glen L.C.…
How mistake on last digit of postal code can affect auto rate
March 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachWhen Kinga Surma moved eight kilometres to a new home, her auto insurance rate went up by $80 a month. “I wasn’t moving very far away,” Surma, Progressive Conservative MPP for the Toronto riding of Etobicoke Centre, told the Ontario…
How waiving this government fee could reduce auto premiums
March 15, 2019 by David GambrillIf the Ontario government wants to take one small step towards reducing auto insurance premiums for its drivers, it might consider dropping its administrative charges for drivers and their insurers to obtain three-year driving records, one industry professional suggests. “Assuming…
Broker fined for failing to review with his client a $1.4-million coverage change
March 14, 2019 by David GambrillA Manitoba broker is out of pocket $1,000 for failing to review with his client a $1.4-million change to a client’s commercial property insurance policy. On Dec. 12, 2011, an insurer requested renewal instructions from Manitoba broker Horace Smaczylo, as…
What insurtechs can learn from hackathons
March 13, 2019 by Greg MeckbachEditor’s Note: This article has been updated. A previous version incorrectly stated that duuo was launched at Slice Labs’ launch studio in Toronto. CU apologizes for the error. If you want to develop a new digital insurance product, it shouldn’t…
How Aviva Canada’s profitability fared in 2018
March 7, 2019 by David GambrillEditor’s Note: This version of the article includes a correction showing that operating profit was flat at £46 million (approximately Cdn$82 million in 2018, and Cdn$78 million in 2017). A previous version incorrectly showed the operating profit of 46 million…
How this paperwork accident gave condo dweller stamp collection coverage
March 7, 2019 by Greg MeckbachFor insurance professionals who put together renewal packages, some mistakes are worse than others. A case in point is sending a “quality package” that refers to a different kind of policy, rather than the policy you are renewing for the…
How branding affected these insurers’ consumer scores
February 19, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAn insurer’s popularity among consumers can differ by brand alone, a recent J.D. Power survey indicates. “There are differences when it comes to products, when it comes to distribution, when it comes to your marketing messaging,” Tom Super, director of…
How ransomware can become a broker’s cyber selling point
December 18, 2018 by Jason ContantBrokers placing cyber coverage for healthcare clients may want to take note of a new survey that found for many Canadian businesses, ransomware isn’t a one-time occurrence. Of those polled that said they knew of a ransomware attack in their…
The hard part about making artificial intelligence work
December 11, 2018 by Greg MeckbachUsing artificial intelligence, brokers can gain valuable insights from data, but making decisions based on those insights might be easier said than done. “There is an issue that all companies struggle with. It’s one thing to gain insights out of…