Former Economical Insurance CEO joins another board
May 7, 2019 by Greg MeckbachKaren Gavan, former CEO of the first Canadian property and casualty insurer to start the demutualization process, is now on the board of directors of HSBC Canada. Gavan (pictured) was CEO of Waterloo, Ont.-based Economical Insurance from 2011 through 2016.…
Why it’s ‘time to stop talking’ about the Marshall report
May 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachTwo years after David Marshall released 30 recommendations for reforming auto insurance in Ontario, it’s time to focus on what the current government is actually proposing, a consultant suggests. “I think it’s time to stop talking about Marshall and focus…
What auto insurance brokers should keep in mind if cash settlements are banned
May 3, 2019 by Greg MeckbachBrokers need to understand both the upside and downside to a “care not cash” clause in an accident benefits policy so clients can choose an option that fits their needs, says an Ontario auto insurance expert. The Ontario government is…
How brokers personally assist during floods
May 2, 2019 by Jason ContantThe flooding last year in Grand Forks, B.C. was a prime example of how an insurance broker provides more than just policy advice and advocacy when disaster strikes. A broker could provide money upfront for additional living expenses, emotional support…
Why this claimant cannot sue over auto collision
May 2, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA motorist should have known he was listed by his insurer as an excluded driver, an Ontario court has ruled. Johnathon Trudeau filed a lawsuit against David Cavanagh as a result of a 2013 vehicle collision in Espanola. Trudeau also…
Why the court says this auto insurer did not properly terminate policy
April 30, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAn auto insurance company cannot necessarily treat a policy as invalid under common law if it discovers the client made a material misrepresentation on the application, the Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled. In Merino v. ING Insurance Company…
Why your travelling clients shouldn’t rely on public health insurance
April 26, 2019 by David GambrillOntario residents who purchase private travel health insurance coverage before traveling outside of Canada will likely not notice the impact of the province’s new proposal to stop OHIP coverage for residents travelling abroad, one executive in the travel insurance business…
Supreme Court to consider insurer’s medical examiner defamation suit against lawyer
April 26, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA $15-million defamation lawsuit by a doctor who examines accident benefits claims on behalf of auto insurers is headed to the Supreme Court of Canada. The top court announced Thursday it will hear an appeal of Platnick v. Bent, released Aug.…
Alberta election leaves IBC ‘cautiously hopeful’ on auto file
April 26, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAlberta brokers should touch base with the new provincial government and explain how auto insurance rules needs to change, suggests the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s CEO. “Our campaign for change moves into a new phase with the recent election of…
Auto ‘very difficult policy to understand,’ says broker-turned-parliamentarian
April 23, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe Ontario government wants to make the auto claims process easier to navigate and less cumbersome, a politician who used to be a broker told the legislature last week. “Today when someone has an accident, they are assigned an adjuster,”…
Debate rages over whether a cyber attack is an act of war
April 18, 2019 by Jason ContantCan a cyber attack be considered an act of war? That issue came to light in October of 2018 when international food and beverage company Mondelez International sued its insurer Zurich American Insurance Company for declining coverage to Mondelez following…
How Ontario government plans to work with industry on auto reform
April 18, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe Ontario government plans to work with the industry on implementing a number of changes to auto insurance, including doubling accident benefits coverage for catastrophic impairment. In its 2019-20 budget document tabled Apr. 11, the government said motorists “should have…