Canadian Underwriter


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UP IN FLAMES: CGL Coverage and The Internet

February 1, 2001 William Blakeney of Blakeney, Henneberry, Baksh

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.

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Punitive damage claims: AN ARGUMENT FOR COVERAGE

February 1, 2001 Jim Cameron of Cameron & Associates Insurance Consultants Ltd.

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

ILLUSTRATION: ANDREW JUDD/MASTERFILE
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DELIBERATE ACTS: THE END OF AN ARGUMENT

January 1, 2001 William Blakeney, a senior partner of Blakeney Henneberry Baksh

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

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Walkerton: a risk management nightmare

September 1, 2000 William Blakeney, senior partner at Blakeney Henneberry Baksh

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.

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Online insurance launches in Canada

September 1, 2000 by Canadian Underwriter

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

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Coming Events (June 01, 2000)

June 1, 2000 by Canadian Underwriter

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

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Slow and steady wins the race

May 1, 2000 Paul Kovacs, Senior vice president at the Insurance Bureau of Ca

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.

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Regulators circling THE ADJUSTERS

March 1, 2000 Lowell Conn

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

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Up In Smoke

February 1, 2000 Sean van Zyl, Editor

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 Risk Management Conference chair Wayne Hickey was the recipient of the Don Stuart Award.
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Appraising the rocky shore of risk

November 1, 1999 Michael Hlinka

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

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Factory Mutuals Finalize Merger

August 1, 1999 Steven Zenofsky, public relations consultant at FM Global

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.

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Developing Financial Supervision The Canadian Solution

July 1, 1999 Lawrie Savage of Lawrie Savage & Associates Inc.

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.