M&A tip: how to avoid acquiring a “data lemon”
April 23, 2019 by Jason ContantInsurance companies or brokerages looking to acquire another company should perform due diligence not just on the financials of the target firm, but also its regulatory vulnerabilities during the M&A process. “The idea is to identify potential data breaches and…
Is the industry taking a consistent approach to overland flood coverage?
April 23, 2019 by Jason ContantAre carriers taking a consistent approach to covering overland flood? The flood waters sweeping across New Brunswick and Quebec have brought the issue to the forefront. In general, overland flood was not covered in Canada until 2015; only sewer backup…
Is the grass greener on the other side of insurance?
April 22, 2019 by Jason ContantAre you a personal lines specialist who is attracted by the allure of working in commercial lines? You’re not alone. “I think a lot of people often say, ‘Well, I’m in personal lines and I aspire to commercial because it’s…
Spring melt floods thousands of Quebec homes
April 22, 2019 by Jason ContantNearly 2,400 homes in Quebec have been flooded following the spring melt in the province, according to statistics released early Monday morning by the provincial government. The flooding has resulted in the evacuation of more than 1,500 residents. The city…
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…
CU Total Loss Series: To repair, or not to repair?
April 17, 2019 by David GambrillTotal Loss Series, Part 1: Cycle Times Imagine Canada’s auto insurance industry saving millions of dollars each year in total loss costs and passing that along to Canadian drivers in the form of premium decreases. And all by simply reducing…
One critical piece of advice to your client about BI cyber claims
April 16, 2019 by Jason ContantPreparing in advance for how a cyber-related business interruption loss may play out can help transform the claims process, speakers said earlier this month at NetDiligence’s Cyber Risk Summit in Toronto. A lot of the “claims frustration” can be avoided…
Is the reserve release tank running on empty?
April 15, 2019 by David GambrillThe Canadian property and casualty industry saw its reserve releases contract in 2018 to their lowest level in seven years, according to MSA’s Q4 2018 Quarterly Outlook. Expressed as a percentage of loss development margin, reserve releases last year amounted…
How usage-based insurance affects this carrier’s profits
April 12, 2019 by Greg MeckbachPembridge Insurance Company is asking brokers in four provinces to tell auto clients how much they could save by using a usage-based insurance app. Some motorists do not want usage-based insurance, Bob Tisdale, president of Pembridge, said Friday in an…
The limits of artificial intelligence in insurance
April 11, 2019 by Greg MeckbachArtificial intelligence has not reached the point where it is replacing humans in the insurance industry because many processes still require human intervention, speakers said at a recent insurance conference. Artificial intelligence is used in some cases for client engagement…
How Intact and Economical won this pollution coverage dispute
April 10, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA court ruling against Economical and Intact over pollution exclusions in commercial general liability policies has been reversed. As a result, the insurers do not have to defend a Vancouver area dry cleaner against a lawsuit filed by its neighbours…
How Aviva is simplifying its claims process
April 10, 2019 by Jason ContantAviva Canada has worked with provincial regulators to simplify its products and the claims process for customers. “We’ve done that specifically for [accident benefits], where we got a lot of feedback from customers that the forms were confusing, they didn’t…