Natural Catastrophes: An Increasing Trend?
December 1, 2000 Donald Keefe, manager of engineering property and special risksLast year was one of the worst years in the 1990s for natural catastrophes worldwide. There were two major earthquakes in Turkey and one in Taiwan, Columbia, Mexico and Greece, making 1999 the year most severely affected by earthquakes since 1976. The earthquakes in Turkey and Taiwan claimed the lives of over 20,000 people and resulted in economic losses of approximately US$ 26 billion.
Coming THrough A Crisis
September 1, 2000 Vikki SpencerWhen a tornado ripped through Pine Lake, Alberta in July of this year, confusion was the order of the day. Local emergency authorities and the media swarmed around the devastated area trying to assist the victims. Insurers and adjusters were also there, providing swift service in getting the residents back on their feet
Alberta, Ontario struck by tornadoes
August 1, 2000 by Canadian UnderwriterThe aftermath of tornado action in late July left massive damage in parts of Alberta and southern Ontario – the insured cost of which is likely to run into millions of dollars. As a result, the Insurance Bureau of Canada…
Expanding horizons for independent adjusters
July 1, 2000 Vikki SpencerIf bigger is better, then Paul Hancock’s plans for the Canadian Independent Adjusters Association will be welcome news to its members. The incoming president has his eye squarely on expanding membership, increasing the association’s profile, and making strides in the battle for industry self-regulation.
Catastrophe loss mitigation: Saving What We Have
June 1, 2000 Sean van Zyl, EditorIncluded in the federal government budget for the current fiscal year was a long-range allocation of several billion dollars to be earmarked for provincial infrastructural development projects. The property and casualty insurance industry’s recently formed Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction…
Coming Events (March 01, 2000)
March 1, 2000 by Canadian UnderwriterAnnouncements in Coming Events are run free of charge as a service to the industry. Items should be submitted by the first of the month prior to the month in which the announcement is to appear. Toronto Insurance Women’s Association:…
Strong Winds are Blowing
January 1, 2000 Paul Kovacs, executive director of the Institute for CatastrophiWith the 1999 hurricane season recently closing with the last minute arrival of Hurricane Lenny causing considerably and unexpected damage in the Caribbean, the timing of the recently jointly held Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and Insurance Bureau of…
U.S. insurers hit by Floyd
October 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterU.S. property and casualty insurers will pay homeowners and businesses an estimated $1.3 billion for insured property damage caused by Hurricane Floyd, according to preliminary calculations by the Insurance Services Office Inc. Hurricane Floyd hit 16 states, from Florida to…
Extreme Perils
June 1, 1999 Sean van Zyl, EditorNatural disasters such as extreme weather, a volcanic eruption or an earthquake, are often quaintly referred to in the insurance world as “Acts of God”, adverse events which are seemingly unexplainable or beyond man’s control. Noticeably, the economic and insurance…
AIG’s first Canadian Product Fair
June 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterAIG recently held it’s first Canadian Product Fair in Toronto at the Roy Thompson Hall. Greg Flood (pictured), president of AIG’s mergers & acquisitions division, was one of several speakers addressing the 600 attendees. Flood points out that the surge…
Banks will be hard to regulate, says Cooke
April 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterProperty & casualty insurance is a pure risk product that must be kept separate from the financial, wealth management and investment-based services provided by life insurers and banks, George Cooke, president of Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company, told a…