Irving oil explosion raises residential safety concerns
October 9, 2018 Hina Alam - THE CANADIAN PRESSOil refineries and other large industrial operations that are surrounded by residential communities need to work harder to ensure safety and protect their own bottom lines, multiple experts say. A massive refinery blast shook Saint John, N.B., on Monday, sending…
How SSL Endeavour is streamlining access to the Lloyd’s market
October 3, 2018 by David GambrillSSL Endeavour in Canada is streamlining access to the Lloyd’s market by rolling out its Advantage claims management platform, allowing Canadian coverholders and TPAs to input claims data directly into London’s central systems. Streamlining the claims process is a priority…
How this auto claimant won additional pain and suffering damages
October 1, 2018 by Greg MeckbachThe controversial 2017 Saadati ruling from the Supreme Court of Canada was one reason an auto accident victim recently got an increase in pain and suffering damages. In Saadati’s lawsuit, a judge with the Supreme Court of B.C. awarded pain…
Walmart fined $20K for selling contaminated food after Fort McMurray wildfire
October 1, 2018 The Canadian PressFORT MCMURRAY, Alta. – Walmart Canada has been ordered to pay a $20,000 fine for selling contaminated food after a devastating wildfire in northern Alberta two years ago. Some of the charges against Walmart included failing to dispose of food…
First General names new head of central and eastern Ontario offices
October 1, 2018 by David GambrillFirst General, a North American restoration network with operations across Canada, has appointed Dan Burns to be the regional director of its central and eastern Ontario offices. First General has more than 80 general locations in Canada and the United…
Will Ottawa-Gatineau insured losses set a record for tornado damage?
September 28, 2018 by Jason ContantOfficial catastrophe estimates will not be ready for awhile following the tornadoes that struck the Ottawa and Gatineau areas Sept. 21, but it will definitely be a cat event, industry observers say. Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. (CatIQ) defines a…
Must-have for insurers to underwrite overland flood
September 26, 2018 by Greg MeckbachArtificial intelligence and data analytics is one reason some Canadian insurers are underwriting residential flood coverage, speakers said Tuesday during an industry conference. “Here is an opportunity that we took to really look at the massive data sets we worked…
How cell phone records proved this insurer’s auto fraud case
September 26, 2018 by David GambrillCell phone records proved to be the deciding factor in an insurance fraud case in which a B.C. driver falsely claimed that his truck had been stolen. Parker Winterbottom, 22 at the time, reported to police in October 2011 that…
Claims whack-a-mole: what’s going on in property lines?
September 25, 2018 by David GambrillAs if mounting auto insurance losses aren’t enough, the industry now has a new emerging issue to worry about this year – an alarming spike in home and commercial property claims. Catastrophe losses and fire are among the chief culprits…
Tornado damage: View from the ground
September 25, 2018 by Jason ContantClaims adjusters are reporting a wide range of claims from the two tornadoes that tore through the Ottawa-Gatineau area Friday. “The tornado event is considered to be more like a ‘pocket storm,’” Kumar Sivakumaran, vice president of national operations with…
What made the Dunrobin tornado so unique
September 24, 2018 by Jason ContantOne tornado that struck the Dunrobin, Ont. area Friday was only the second EF3 twister to touch down in the province in September or later – and the first during this time period in 120 years, said Glenn McGillivray, managing…
How blockchain can help fight insurance fraud
September 24, 2018 by Jason ContantBlockchain for insurance has various oft-touted benefits – reduced costs and simpler and faster transactions, among them – but it can also be used to combat fraud, said David Verbeeten, a domain expert in insurance at software company ConsenSys. Verbeeten…