Some earthquake deductibles too high: IBC
April 5, 2019 by Greg MeckbachBrokers are telling the Insurance Bureau of Canada that for some homeowner clients, the deductible on earthquake coverage is so high that the clients could still end up broke after a major tremor. “Right now, the deductible on some of…
Long-range weather forecast: more flood claims for the P&C industry
April 3, 2019 by Jason ContantCoastal flooding is expected to increase in many areas of Canada, bringing with it increased risk of damage to coastal infrastructure, according to a report released Tuesday by the federal government. “Local sea level is projected to rise, and increase…
CU Total Loss Series: How to reduce auto total loss cycle times by a week
April 3, 2019 by David GambrillMeet Jane Doe, a total loss survivor. The front end of her car was demolished when she tried to turn left at a busy intersection. She was hit by a driver who was talking on his cell phone while running…
Canada ‘much closer’ to national flood program: IBC
April 2, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe industry is making progress on getting a national flood insurance program, but a key challenge is getting all provinces, territories and Ottawa to agree on how it should work, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s CEO suggested Tuesday. Unlike Britain…
Cyber attack in Canada spawns $60 million lawsuit
March 29, 2019 By Colin Perkel - THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – As many as 200,000 people may have had their personal information stolen in a hack on servers at one of Ontario’s most popular casinos, a lawyer for the plaintiffs pressing a proposed class action argued on Thursday. However,…
What’s holding back Lloyd’s price increases
March 28, 2019 by Greg MeckbachProperty risk could get harder to place in the Lloyd’s market this year. “Difficult decisions regarding existing accounts, or indeed the appropriateness of new accounts, will continue to have to be made during 2019,” the Corporation of Lloyd’s said of…
What the blazes is going on with barn fires?
March 22, 2019 by David GambrillIf Ontario insurers want to reduce the risk of huge barn fires, they might want to consider advocating for the removal of an existing exemption for mandatory fire inspections of farms that is contained in the province’s Fire Code. As…
How federal budget could improve cyber underwriting
March 21, 2019 by Greg MeckbachInsurance Bureau of Canada officials are hoping a $145-million commitment by the federal government towards cyber security will help the industry better understand how much a cyber incident could cost. In the 2019-20 budget document tabled Tuesday, federal Finance Minister…
The challenges in navigating the ridesharing insurance minefield
March 20, 2019 by Jason ContantDespite using a wholly-owned captive insurance subsidiary and third-party insurance, ridesharing company Lyft Inc. cannot ensure its coverage will sustain all of its business risks and costs, the company acknowledged in a recent stock-listing prospectus of risk factors. San Francisco,…
How small potatoes from federal budget can help insurers
March 20, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe federal government’s commitment Tuesday to spend $1 million a year on hazard awareness training – from a total budget of nearly $350 billion – will go a “long way” towards helping Canadians understand property risk, the Insurance Bureau of…
How RSA plans to shore up its personal lines results in Canada
March 11, 2019 by David GambrillExpect RSA in Canada to take remedial underwriting actions in its personal lines portfolio – including auto rate increases of between 3% and 16%, and potentially selected broker cancellations – in order to shore up results after a tough year…
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.…