BELAIRdirect goes online
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterBELAIRdirect, a division of ING Canada, has raised the stakes in direct insurance by going to the Internet as a means of distribution. The direct writer launched its online car insurance quotation system in December. The first of its kind…
U.S. cat losses continue
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterCatastrophe losses continued to dampen U.S. property and casualty underwriters’ results for the third quarter of 1998, according to A.M. Best Company. The industry’s net income for the period fell 15% from the previous year’s level, due to higher underwriting…
Bill 59 revised
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterThe legislative fine-tuning of Ontario’s auto insurance product under Bill 59, which carried through last month with the passing of Bill 90, was generally lauded by insurance, legal and medical professionals at a review seminar held by the Insurance Institute…
Canada Brokerlink breaks $200 million barrier
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterCanada Brokerlink has added two Ontario brokers pushing total annualized premium volume to more than $200 million. The publicly traded broker network acquired Hawkesbury-based Charbonneau Bercier Taillon Insurance Brokers Ltd. which has premium volume of approximately $5.1 million and Thunder…
Tossed Salad
January 1, 1999 Sean van Zyl, EditorThe change occurring in traditional business roles, and to some extent the outright turmoil this is causing in certain quarters of the property and casualty insurance industry, continues to hold centre stage at professional gatherings. Preparing for the future, dealing…
CBUS targets $250 million premium outflow
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterToronto-based Cross Border Underwriting Services Inc (CBUS), a subsidiary of the listed KRG Insurance Group, notched up half a million in premium dollars in its first year of operation. A specialist wholesale brokerage operator, CBUS was created a year ago…
CSIO SHAKEUP
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterLast month Howard Moran, in his capacity as board chairman of the Centre for Study of Insurance Operations (CSIO), announced the resignation of Len Ashby as the organization’s president. Although an outspoken critic of the political dabbling of both companies…
Coming Events (January 01, 1999)
January 1, 1999 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. Insurance Institute of Ontario:…
THE ADJUSTERS’ DIPLOMAT
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterCounting both independent and in-house insurance adjusters among its member base, the Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association (OIAA) requires a special breed of leader. The captain of this team must respect and grasp the sometimes contradictory priorities of its different faction members. Garth Roscoe is the leader as well as referee on the adjusting field.
Sober Y2K predictions
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterThe recently held Employers Reinsurance Corporation seminar on Y2K risks delivered some serious food for thought. The most startling of the information revealed was delivered by the first three speakers who provided a broad outline of the technology disruption likely…
Queensway consolidates Alliance
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterQueensway Financial Holdings Ltd. (QFH) has entered into an agreement to acquire Alliance Insurance Group, a property and casualty insurance holding company located in Chicago, Illinois. Alliance, posting gross premiums written totalling $17 million in 1997, specializes through subsidiaries in…
On The Move (January 01, 1999)
January 1, 1999 by Canadian UnderwriterSt. Paul Canada recently appointed Brad Tamblyn to the position of assistant vice president-Ontario region, responsible for leading the Corporate Accounts Underwriting team which markets commercial insurance products. Tamblyn has 16 years of experience including a significant background in liability…