In what could be a landmark case, the applicability of CGL policies over Internet activities is at issue in the B.C. courts. At the heart of the claim is the exclusion of publishing activities from policies, and to what degree material posted on the Internet constitutes publication. Attempts to “flame” or personally discredit individuals online promise to bring a growing number of lawsuits. The question remains whether insurers can deny defence coverage in these cases, or if they will be caught up in the flames.
Just before Christmas, the Supreme Court of Canada heard argument in the case of Whiten v. Pilot. The original trial jury heard evidence that lead them to conclude that Pilot acted in bad faith against its insured Whiten and awarded…
Insurance coverage for intentional acts — specifically sexual abuse allegations — has been one of the most contentious areas of insurance law over the past five years. The controversy has pitted some of Canada’s oldest and most respected religious and…
The dramatic incident that took place in Walkerton, Ontario during the final two weeks of May, 2000 will go down in history as a tragic example of the suffering and disruption that can occur when municipal and provincial agencies fail to act on system safeguards. The events that led up to the contamination of Walkerton’s water supply present valuable lessons in risk management as well as serious considerations for insurers underwriting municipal risks.
Ontario-based brokerage Cowan Insurance Group has teamed with Internet software developer Open Text Corporation and AOL Canada to introduce the first online, real-time multi-company quotation and buying system in Canada. The “cowaninsure.com” service, which was launched toward the end of…
The Export Development Corporation (EDC) has earmarked $1 million over three years for an International Studies Scholarship, to be administered by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada. Undergraduate students pursuing degrees in business or economics focussing on international…
In April, the Canadian government stopped underwriting domestic credit insurance. This is a welcome response to our ongoing industry lobby. This breakthrough shows that a persistent and sustained effort is the key to eventually convince governments to also exit other insurance businesses across Canada.
Harmonization efforts on the east coast have not gone unnoticed by regulators nationwide, with most provincial legislators carefully watching Insurance Act rewrites across the country in an effort for more standardized rules and regulations. Most recently, the regulatory sights have…
The fact that one of Hollywood’s recent creations “The Insider”, which is based on behind-the-scenes dirty tricks employed by opposing parties in the U.S. anti-tobacco wars, achieved such box office success clearly indicates rising public interest in tarring cigarette manufacturers…
Canadian corporations are facing an increasingly litigious environment resembling that of the U.S., delegates were told at the Canadian Risk & Insurance Management Society conference held recently in St. John’s, Newfoundland. Dubbed “Risk on the Rock”, the conference’s speakers portrayed…
There’s a new insurance company on the block with a 165-year history, following the recent merger of commercial/industrial property insurers Allendale Insurance, Arkwright, Protection Mutual Insurance and their affiliate Factory Mutual. The new company will market itself as FM Global.…
The 1990s saw considerable attention drawn to the global benefits of the so-called “hot” developing economies such as South America, Asia and the former Eastern Bloc countries. Most recently, we have seen plunging stock markets and economic uncertainty resulting in these same areas. Strangely, these have a link with trends in Canadian financial supervision.