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Volkswagen to pay US$2.8 billion in U.S. diesel emission scandal

April 21, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

DETROIT – Volkswagen has been ordered to pay a $2.8 billion criminal penalty in the United States for cheating on diesel emissions tests. Federal Judge Sean Cox in Detroit followed the deal negotiated by VW and the U.S. Justice Department.

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Can-Sure Underwriting & Beacon Underwriting promotes Cameron Copeland to president

April 18, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

Canadian property and casualty managing general agency (MGA) Can-Sure Underwriting and Beacon Underwriting announced on Tuesday that Cameron Copeland will assume the role of president. Copeland assumed the role effective April 15, succeeding Can-Sure founder Jeff Hart, who has “decided

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Ontario launches global climate change challenge

April 17, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

The province of Ontario has launched a global climate change challenge, urging local and international companies to develop the “next generation of transformative clean technologies” to help combat the phenomenon. The provincial Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science said in

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Lawyer warns pollution lawsuits in Alberta can proceed ‘well past the ultimate limitation period’

April 10, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

A plaintiff could file a pollution lawsuit in Alberta “well past” the end of the limitation period, even if a hazardous substance was released more than 50 years ago, a lawyer warned in a recent blog post. Alberta’s Environmental Protection

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Larger liability claims expected to become more expensive, complex: AGCS

March 30, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

There is increasing potential for “larger liability claims to become more expensive, complex and international, demonstrating the pervasive and long-term nature of liability losses,” suggests a new global claims review released Thursday by Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). Industrial,

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Using air brakes alone increases risk of runaway trains: TSB

March 22, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

There has been an increase, since 2014, in the number of uncontrolled movements of rail cars, the Transportation Safety Board of Canada warned Wednesday. TSB released Wednesday a report into an incident in 2016 in which a tank car rolled

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Bill proposing nation-wide regulation of electronic cigarettes referred to Senate committee

March 17, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

A committee of Canada’s Senate plans to study proposed legislation that, if passed into law, would regulate electronic cigarettes under the federal Tobacco Act. Currently, “all regulation of e-cigarettes takes place at the provincial or municipal level,” Quebec Conservative Senator

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Volkswagen agrees to US$4.3 billion in penalties in U.S. plea deal

March 13, 2017 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Volkswagen pleaded guilty Friday to three criminal counts for a scheme to get around U.S. pollution rules. If a federal judge agrees to the Justice Department’s sentencing recommendation, the scandal will end up costing the company more than $20 billion

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XL Catlin quadruples North American builder’s risk capacity to US$1 billion

March 9, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

XL Catlin announced on Wednesday that it has quadrupled its builder’s risk insurance capacity to US$1 billion from US$250 million for construction firms in North America. The increased coverage for high-value commercial real estate projects is the result of a

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Class action lawsuit against British hip resurfacing maker can proceed in Alberta

February 8, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

The Supreme Court of Canada will not hear an appeal from medical equipment firm Smith & Nephew plc, paving the way for a class action lawsuit to proceed in Alberta. In 2015, the Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench denied an

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Paris tests electric driverless minibus to fight pollution

January 25, 2017 Samuel Petrequin - THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PARIS – In a city hit by chronic pollution and traffic problems, Paris officials are experimenting with a self-driving shuttle linking two train stations in the French capital. Two electric-power EZ10 minibuses, which can carry up to six seated passengers,

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Intact must help defend pollution lawsuit due to exception in exclusion for “sudden and accidental” release

January 23, 2017 by Canadian Underwriter

Intact Insurance must participate in the defence of a lessee of commercial property – on a Grimsby, Ont. site formerly occupied by a gas station – which is being sued by a neighbouring property owner alleging that contaminants migrated to