Institute serves up a new look to insurance education
March 12, 2019 by David GambrillPerhaps you have noticed something different lately about some of the course materials for your Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation? If you open up your new textbook for the CIP course, Underwriting Essentials, for example, you will notice something new…
What hard market in liquor liability means for clients
March 11, 2019 by Greg MeckbachClients planning St. Patrick’s Day celebrations may find themselves short on luck when it comes to insurance coverage. It’s becoming more difficult for clients to get insurance for liquor-related losses with the terms they need, one managing general agent observes.…
Insurtech seeks to bring the ‘Uber-Netflix-Spotify-Amazon’ experience to commercial clients
March 11, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAn insurtech with offices in Ontario is looking for commercial and personal lines carriers who want to sell insurance the way Spotify sells music. “We are talking to several Canadian insurers who have an interest in launching new products” Philippe…
How to sell commercial coverage to small businesses
March 8, 2019 by Jason ContantBrokers looking to sell commercial coverage to small businesses need to keep it simple, fast and client-specific, industry professionals told Canadian Underwriter Thursday. Sometimes when buzzwords like artificial intelligence, blockchain and chatbots dominate the conversation, the cart comes before the…
Burns & Wilcox Canada acquires specialty MGA
March 7, 2019 by Jason ContantH.W. Kaufman Group and Burns & Wilcox Canada announced Thursday they have acquired Toronto-based TRU Transportation Risk Underwriters Ltd., a managing general agency with unique transportation expertise. TRU will become part of B&W Canada, a flagship organization of Kaufman and…
This research can help defend slip and fall claims
March 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf your client owns or manages a property, can it put a number on the slipperiness of the surfaces? This is what companies managing an Ottawa property did after they were sued for $2.9 million by a civil servant who…
This province seeks insurers’ input on joint and several liability reform
March 5, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe Ontario government wants to hear from insurance companies on the controversial joint and several liability rule, which some say is unfair to deep pockets defendants. “What we are looking for is consultation with the lawyers, the insurance industry, et…
This global carrier could re-enter the Canadian retail insurance market
February 27, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSeventeen years after selling its personal lines business to the insurer now known as Intact, Zurich Canada has ambitions to re-enter the “retail” space, but it remains to be seen how it would do that or what form it would…
Your landlord agrees to insure the property. Why the landlord can still subrogate against you
February 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA Thunder Bay restaurant operator has lost its bid to block an insurer from filing a subrogated claim arising from a fire. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Feb. 21 it will not hear an appeal from the Sushi Station…
How Zurich can use AI to reduce a broker’s E&O exposure
February 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA Toronto-based artificial intelligence (AI) vendor is working with Zurich Canada to reduce errors and omissions risk in commercial insurance policies. Often commercial policies have dozens of pages with several endorsements, which someone needs to read for accuracy before the…
Next step for $2-billion building collapse lawsuit against Loblaws
February 21, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA $2-billion class-action lawsuit against Canada’s largest food retailer could reach the Supreme Court of Canada. The bodily injury lawsuit against Loblaw Companies Limited was filed in 2015 in Ontario by victims of a 2013 commercial building collapse in Bangladesh.…
How this province is handling autonomous vehicle testing
February 21, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe Ontario government wants to expand testing of autonomous vehicles in the province. “Our government is taking active steps to open the door for expanded testing related to connected and autonomous vehicles in Ontario,” Michael Parsa, parliamentary assistant to the…