Transportation Safety Board involved in probe of crane collapsing on ship
February 1, 2019 THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – The Transportation Safety Board is deploying a team of investigators to the Port of Vancouver following the collapse of a large crane onto a loaded container vessel. A statement from the safety board says the ship, the Ever…
Don’t give up on commercial waivers
January 29, 2019 by Jason ContantProperly constructed and worded waivers will be upheld in court, with one commercial and insurance lawyer strongly recommending their continued use. “There are policies and procedures and ways to draft agreements where I promise you the waivers will be upheld,”…
Insurers disagree over meaning of ‘household’ in policy language
January 29, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA dispute over what exactly constitutes a “household” in a home insurance policy has reached the Court of Appeal for Ontario. Several members of the Weiner family were sued after a person drowned in 2010 in a vacation home on…
Premier Ford promises ‘solution’ to Ontario joint and several liability concerns
January 28, 2019 Allison Jones - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – Ontario is taking a look at municipalities’ concerns about a legal rule that they say causes “liability chill” and leads some to ban activities such as street hockey and tobogganing. In a speech Monday to the Rural Ontario…
How your commercial clients are exposed to pot liability even if they don’t produce cannabis
January 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMarijuana poses a liability risk for commercial clients even if they are not in the cannabis business, an insurance lawyer suggests. Suppose your client operates a hotel where a party takes place. If someone smokes cannabis at that party, drives,…
Your drunk client arrives home safely. Why your exposure does not end there
January 24, 2019 by Jason ContantSocial hosts owe a duty of care beyond the time when an intoxicated guest returns home safely, the Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled in a recent decision. In more intimate settings, there is an enhanced risk, and therefore…
By how much did your clients’ auto rates increase last quarter?
January 24, 2019 by David GambrillOntario auto insurance rates increased by an average of 3.35% in the fourth quarter of 2018, with several companies receiving approval for double-digit rate increases, the province’s regulator reported. Overall, 23 insurers representing approximately 51% of the market based on…
Sale of Echelon Insurance to CAA gets shareholder approval
January 23, 2019 by Greg MeckbachNon-standard auto insurer Echelon Insurance is a step closer to being acquired by The CAA Club Group of Companies. Shareholders of Echelon Financial Holdings Inc. voted Wednesday in favour of the $175 million deal, Echelon said in a release. In…
Major insurer ‘actively’ looking at insurance risk linked to M&A in Canada
January 21, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCommercial brokers advising Canadian clients involved in mergers and acquisitions could soon have another market to which they could place transactional risk. The Travelers Companies Inc. announced Jan. 15 it plans to offer transactional risk insurance in the United States.…
How mixing marijuana and alcohol may lead to more settlements
January 18, 2019 by Jason ContantWith recreational marijuana legal in Canada since Oct. 17, 2018, social hosts and bars will need to pay attention to liability arising from people who are intoxicated by both marijuana and alcohol. Traditional liquor liability cases can be complicated enough…
Can’t hear the ambulance? Turn down your radio
January 17, 2019 by David GambrillA B.C. driver has failed in his bid to receive a refund for his insurance premium increase and deductible after B.C.’s public auto insurer found him 100% responsible for failing to clear an intersection for an ambulance. A B.C. ambulance…
“Mobile-first” insurtech may be coming to Canada
January 16, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA San Francisco-based firm calling itself a “mobile-first” property and casualty insurance brokerage might start placing home and auto coverage in Canada. Canadian Underwriter asked Karn Saroya, CEO of Cover Financial Inc., whether his insurtech plans to expand into Canada.…