Southern Alberta community battles overland flooding again
April 19, 2018 The Canadian PressSIKSIKA, Alta. – A First Nation east of Calgary is working on making roads passable as many rural areas of southern Alberta contend with overland flooding. “Road conditions are showing signs of minor improvement and crews have now begun the…
Major flood of B.C.’s Fraser River could cause billions in economic losses: ICLR speaker
April 18, 2018 by Jason ContantA major flood of British Columbia’s Fraser River or a coastal flood between now and 2100 could trigger economic losses of between $20 billion and $30 billion, a recent flood strategy report found. Released in 2016, Phase 1 of the…
One-in-100-year rainfall leads to lawsuit against forestry firm
April 12, 2018 by Greg MeckbachA company responsible for culvert maintenance is facing a lawsuit over the shutdown of a railway after an “unprecedented” summer rainfall event in northwestern Ontario. The case raises an issue about the appropriate size of culverts for contemporary rainstorms. For…
Why brokers may have fewer home flood wordings to choose from
April 11, 2018 by Greg MeckbachThe lack of standard wording for home overland flood insurance is not a bad thing, but Canadian brokers might soon have fewer wordings from which to choose, the head of Swiss Re Canada suggests. Overland flood coverage was generally unavailable…
Bigger floods coming to Canada: Intact Centre head
April 10, 2018 by Greg MeckbachIf you think the most expensive floods in Canadian history were big, you haven’t seen anything yet. “The manifestation of climate change and extreme weather events is still yet to come,” said Blair Feltmate, head of the Intact Centre on…
Desjardins offers free flood coverage to eligible clients in low-risk areas
March 23, 2018 by Jason ContantOne Canadian insurer is not waiting for consumer take-up of its flood insurance coverage — it is automatically tacking the endorsement onto the policies of eligible clients who live in low-risk areas. Desjardins General Insurance Group (DGIG) told Canadian Underwriter…
Your client is house-sitting when a pipe bursts on their watch. Are they liable for damages?
March 22, 2018 by Greg MeckbachIs your client looking after someone’s home? Be careful: a man describing himself as a “voluntary house-sitter” is now a defendant in a lawsuit arising from a flooded home. The plaintiffs, Jiang Wei and Xiu Qing Hu, filed a lawsuit…
Ask B.C. residents if they are covered for wildfire. 25% will tell you this…
March 21, 2018 by Jason ContantAs many as 25% of British Columbians say they don’t know if they have insurance for wildfire and severe weather emergencies, according to a survey released Monday by the provincial public safety ministry. Fewer than half of British Columbians have…
All Canadians to get emergency alerts on their phones soon
March 21, 2018 Michael Oliveira - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – Canada’s wireless providers are preparing for a looming update to the National Public Alerting System that will force smartphones to sound an ominous alarm when an emergency alert is triggered. In case of emergencies including Amber Alerts, forest…
Desjardins’ weather alerts: sign of a preventative insurance model?
March 19, 2018 by Jason ContantDesjardins General Insurance Group (DGIG) will soon launch severe weather alerts allowing consumers to take pre-emptive steps to protect their property from potential damage. The move is indicative of a larger trend towards a preventative insurance model, as found in…
Traction on climate file encourages chief executives of IBC, Intact
March 16, 2018 by David GambrillCanada’s property and casualty industry has been sounding the alarm for many years about risks associated with climate change, and stakeholders are finally starting to answer the call. Don Forgeron, president and CEO of Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), and…
2013 Alberta flood victims “not even aware” of risk: ICLR speaker
March 16, 2018 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorCalgary’s flooding in 2013 may have left an indelible impression on the insurers that underwrote the risk, but not so much for Calgary residents. “There’s an education piece that is missing” for homeowners, Tim Haney, a sociology professor at Mount…