Beazley Canada appoints territory manager for eastern Canada
July 4, 2018 by Jason ContantSpecialist Lloyd’s insurer Beazley has appointed Jo-Anne Hawthorne as territory manager for eastern Canada. Reporting to Cheryl Hobbs, Hawthorne will be responsible for developing closer relations with brokers in Ontario, Atlantic Canada, Ottawa and Quebec, with a view to building…
Claims professionals speak out amid allegations of contractors providing insurance advice
June 21, 2018 by Jason ContantOntario and Quebec’s May 4 windstorm event has the Canadian claims industry talking about the proper roles of contractors and adjusters, based on unconfirmed reports that individual rogue contractors – e.g. not people associated with the larger restoration contracting firms –…
How insurance responds when vehicles are used as weapons
April 24, 2018 by Greg MeckbachIf a rental vehicle is used as a murder weapon, the insurer could be on the hook if neither the driver nor the person renting the vehicle have auto insurance. Ten pedestrians died Monday in Toronto after a rental van…
Understanding Business Interruption Losses
April 11, 2018 Jay Strano, Managing Director, Crawford Forensic Accounting ServicesPrompted by the emergence of new triggers, business interruption remains a top risk according to the 2017 Allianz Risk Barometer, which defines it as “a loss of income that could impair a company’s revenue stream and thus [trigger] a shortfall…
Canadian P&C people on the move
March 28, 2018 by Jason ContantTwo new staff members join adjusting firm Claims adjusting firm Kernaghan Adjusters said Monday it has relocated its Whistler, B.C. operation and welcomed two new staff members. Michael Unger will be Sea to Sky manager and executive adjuster. He brings…
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…
New data requirements will make cyber coverage mandatory
March 12, 2018 Heather SandersonEnacted by the European Parliament to simplify business rules for companies operating in the EU market and to strengthen the privacy rights of EU citizens, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) comes into effect May 25, 2018. When it comes…
$14,833 insurance claim dismissed after eight years for “abuse of process”
March 7, 2018 by David GambrillOntario’s Superior Court recently dismissed, as an “abuse of process,” eight years of legal proceedings launched by a plaintiff against Peel Mutual Insurance Company over a $14,833.77 break-and-enter claim that was dismissed by Small Claims Court in September 2011. “These…
Rules for appealing contract disputes continue to dog courts
January 7, 2018 by Greg MeckbachA recent Alberta court decision arising from a fatal vehicle accident shows disagreement among legal experts over how to apply the Supreme Court of Canada’s 2016 Ledcor ruling. A divided Alberta Court of Appeal ruling in EnCana Oil & Gas…
2018 Outlook: Rowan Saunders, President, CEO, Economical Insurance
January 2, 2018 Rowan SaundersThe continued deterioration and loss trends in automobile insurance and the impact of climate change will be the two biggest trends affecting Canada’s property and casualty insurance market in 2018. Auto is a challenge in many parts of the country,…
Canada’s new Chief Justice wrote landmark decisions against insurers
December 13, 2017 by Canadian UnderwriterSupreme Court of Canada Justice Richard Wagner, a judge who wrote landmark rulings against Northbridge, RSA, Sovereign General and other Canadian insurers, is now Chief Justice of Canada. Wagner will succeed Beverly McLachlin, who retires Dec. 15 after serving for…
The curious case of who pays for a building flood claim
November 28, 2017 Greg Meckbach, Associate EditorA negligence lawsuit after a flood—against a company in charge of watching building automation systems—was recently tossed out of court because of the terms of the lease agreement. A plumbing firm paid settlements to tenants after a building flood, and…