Insurer working on future pandemic coverage for school boards, post-COVID
July 27, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAs the Ontario government prepares its school re-opening plan, the insurer for the majority of the province’s boards is working on a plan to provide pandemic coverage, albeit for future pandemics and not for COVID-19. Within the next six to…
Ontario to introduce commercial eviction ban bill, retroactive to May 1
June 18, 2020 THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – Ontario is introducing legislation today to temporarily ban commercial evictions. The government says it will protect commercial tenants from being locked out or having their assets seized due to the negative impacts of COVID-19. It would be retroactive…
Environment Canada says tornadoes destroy barns, down trees in southern Ontario
June 11, 2020 THE CANADIAN PRESSGLENCOE, Ont. – Environment Canada says it’s investigating after two tornadoes were reported near London, Ont., Wednesday night. The weather agency says the first happened at 7:50 p.m. in Glencoe, Ont., while the second happened 40 minutes later in Belmont,…
Why Ontario auto liability coverage should get cheaper
June 9, 2020 by Greg MeckbachOntario auto insurers may have a hard time raising rates as much as they were before May 15; a major factor could be a controversial change to the dispute resolution process that took effect four years ago. New loss trend…
Why it’s nearly impossible to figure out how profitable Ontario auto is
March 13, 2020 by Greg MeckbachYour Ontario auto clients have probably read media reports claiming they have been “over-paying” for years, but at the same time your markets are probably telling you they either lose money or barely break even on the product. So how…
End of road for vehicle occupant sued for negligent parenting
February 18, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA defendant in a negligent parenting lawsuit cannot make a liability claim under the auto policy of the vehicle in which he and his daughter were riding as passengers. The Supreme Court of Canada announced Feb. 13 it will not…
Where did that slip and fall liability reform bill land?
January 9, 2020 by Greg MeckbachWill the Ontario government get around to reforming liability for slips and falls on ice before the winter ends? Bill 118, which passed second reading June 6, is intended to make it easier for clients to defend themselves against lawsuits…
No insurer-based new home warranty system for this province
January 6, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAn insurer-based model for new home warranty was under consideration in Ontario but the current government is maintaining the status quo. “Our government has been looking at the feasibility of a private insurance model for new home warranties and protections…
What Santa delivered to Ontario auto insurers
December 23, 2019 by Greg MeckbachSugar plums are likely dancing in the heads of at least some Ontario auto underwriters as a result of a series of developments over the past year. When the government released its budget this past April, it included a bunch…
The hidden cost of Ontario auto accident injuries
December 16, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMore than half a million Ontarians receive some form of government disability support and an advocate for claimants suggests many of these are caused by motor vehicle accident injuries. “At the end of the day, unpaid claimants don’t just go…
Why thousands of unsafe commercial vehicles remain on Ontario roads
December 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMore than half of Ontario’s commercial vehicle carriers have not been inspected by the province’s transportation ministry in the past two years, and the number of vehicles inspected each year has dropped big-time. These were among the findings in the…
Why ‘salesperson’ will no longer be defined in this insurance law
October 31, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe Ontario government plans to make several changes to the Insurance Act, including the removal of the definition of “salesperson” from the law. Legislation was tabled Monday by Prabmeet Singh Sarkaria, the associate minister of small business and red tape…