This new statistic could prompt brokers to ask clients about house mates
February 20, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe percentage of adults 25 and older who live with parents has nearly doubled over the past generation, Statistics Canada reported last week. In 1995, 5% of Canadians aged 25 to 64 (about 900,000 people) shared a residence with one…
What can happen if client fails to insure valuable shipment
February 20, 2019 THE CANADIAN PRESSHALIFAX – A top Canadian naval officer is out 50 rare coins he valued at $38,000 with little to show for it, after a Nova Scotia small claims court found FedEx Canada not liable for the full value of his…
How expert witness restrictions impact insurers
February 15, 2019 by Greg MeckbachInsurance Corporation of British Columbia will save millions as a result of new auto injury lawsuit rules for the province, which will likely cut costs for other carriers as well, the provincial government says. ICBC, which is losing over $1…
How your client’s directors could be blamed for cyber losses
February 14, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCyber risk awareness is on the rise among corporate directors, who could face liability risk if they are accused of being lax on governance. “Corporate clients are more likely to be aware today, compared to a few years ago, of…
Judge questions wildfire mitigation plan
February 14, 2019 Sudhin Thanawala - THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSAN FRANCISCO – A U.S. judge who has berated Pacific Gas & Electric Corp. for its role in California wildfires demanded Thursday that the utility answer more questions about its efforts to clear trees and branches that can fall on…
A driver is convicted of assault after a collision. Is the vehicle’s owner vicariously liable for the crash?
February 13, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe registered owner of a pickup truck could be held liable for injuries to an accident victim even though the at-fault driver of the pickup truck was convicted of assault as a result of a collision, the Court of Appeal…
Lawsuit over flooding, catch-basin access could reach Supreme Court
February 11, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA property owner who was sued for more than $100,000 over laneway flooding is hoping to appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Marilyn Marks owns commercial property in the community of Tottenham, Ont., about 40 kilometres north of Toronto…
Common misconceptions about business interruption insurance
February 8, 2019 by Jason ContantOne strong challenge to the broker channel, according to brokers, is consumer self-education about their insurance needs and options. Nowhere is this more evident than in the field of business interruption (BI) insurance, a very specialized coverage that is rife…
The aftermath of ‘firm action’ in Lloyd’s market
February 8, 2019 by Greg MeckbachEight Lloyds syndicates have closed and some clients insured by the London market are seeing premiums increase four-fold, the head of a major Bermuda insurer suggests. “After some firm action by Lloyd’s in (2018), we saw the closure of eight…
Intact’s appetite for cross-border mergers
February 8, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIntact Financial Corp. is not ruling out the possibility of buying a commercial brokerage or managing general agent in the United States. “We are doing a lot of work to understand the opportunities in distribution in the U.S. and will…
Top court won’t hear appeal of controversial waiver decision
February 7, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA 2018 Court of Appeal for Ontario ruling on waivers, described as “great news” for liability insurers, is now final. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Thursday it will not hear an appeal of Schnarr v. Blue Mountain Resorts Limited,…
Prominent insurance defence lawyer named as judge
February 5, 2019 by David GambrillInsurance defence lawyer William S. Chalmers, managing partner at Hughes Amys LLP, has been appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice of Ontario in Toronto. Called to the Ontario Bar in 1987, Justice Chalmers practised law at Hughes…