How your client can save money by detecting plumbing problems
March 13, 2019 by Greg MeckbachCanadian property clients could soon get an insurance discount by installing products from water flow sensing vendor Triple Plus Ltd. Triple Plus recently announced a pilot project in which American clients of Berkshire Hathaway GUARD can get lower property insurance…
This global reinsurer is applying for a Canadian branch office
March 13, 2019 by David GambrillValidus Reinsurance Ltd., a Bermuda-based reinsurer acquired by AIG last year for $5.5 billion, is looking to establish a Canadian branch office. Validus intends to file an application with the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) on or…
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…
Zurich Canada names new head of property
March 11, 2019 by David GambrillYvonne Steiner has been named head of property for Zurich Canada. She will be a member of the Zurich Canada executive team and report to Zurich Canada CEO Saad Mered, effective Apr. 15. “We are very excited to have a…
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.…
How to sell commercial coverage to small businesses
March 8, 2019 by Jason ContantBrokers looking to sell commercial coverage to small businesses need to keep it simple, fast and client-specific, industry professionals told Canadian Underwriter Thursday. Sometimes when buzzwords like artificial intelligence, blockchain and chatbots dominate the conversation, the cart comes before the…
Wildfire catastrophe models need improvement: Reinsurer
March 8, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe world’s second-largest reinsurer is looking for partners in the artificial intelligence space to help the reinsurer get a better idea of how much insured damage future wildfires could cause. Swiss Re is working with the Massachusetts Institute of technology…
Brokerlink acquires family-owned brokerage in Alberta
March 8, 2019 by David GambrillBrokerLink has welcomed into its tent a 40-year-old family brokerage located in the Peace River area of northern Alberta. Nicolet Insurance Ltd., a full-service operation offering auto, home, business and travel insurance, has joined Brokerlink, one of Canada’s largest property…
Burns & Wilcox Canada acquires specialty MGA
March 7, 2019 by Jason ContantH.W. Kaufman Group and Burns & Wilcox Canada announced Thursday they have acquired Toronto-based TRU Transportation Risk Underwriters Ltd., a managing general agency with unique transportation expertise. TRU will become part of B&W Canada, a flagship organization of Kaufman and…
How this paperwork accident gave condo dweller stamp collection coverage
March 7, 2019 by Greg MeckbachFor insurance professionals who put together renewal packages, some mistakes are worse than others. A case in point is sending a “quality package” that refers to a different kind of policy, rather than the policy you are renewing for the…
This research can help defend slip and fall claims
March 6, 2019 by Greg MeckbachIf your client owns or manages a property, can it put a number on the slipperiness of the surfaces? This is what companies managing an Ottawa property did after they were sued for $2.9 million by a civil servant who…
What lies behind the unexpected Alberta quake
March 6, 2019 by Jason ContantPerhaps the largest-ever earthquake to hit a section of central Alberta caused no immediate reports of damage, but knocked out power for more than 4,000 customers. Could fracking be the culprit? In this case, Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) is probing…