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News CatastrophesInsuranceRestoration

Simple disaster preparation rules that commercial clients forget

September 13, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

Though it pays to be tech-savvy, one way commercial clients can manage risk is to learn to do without the Internet and payment card networks, a disaster restoration professional advises. In the event of a major storm, businesses need to

News AdjustersInsuranceLegal

Regulator allows adjuster to co-own a moving company that sells to insurers

August 9, 2018 by David Gambrill

In a clear conflict of interest case, the Insurance Council of B.C. has allowed an insurance adjuster who co-owns an adjusting firm with his wife to double as a minority owner in a moving and storage company that sells its

News ClaimsInsuranceRestorationTechnology

How drone technology is transforming roofing claims

July 19, 2018 by Jason Contant

With the increasing number of catastrophes across the country, there is general consensus in the industry that resources are stretched thin. “The industry has a finite number of roofing companies, adjusters and estimators and to gear up to handle many

Feature Claims CanadaInsurance

Restoration Myth-Busting – Three-day drying Part 2

July 11, 2018 Kris Rzesnoski, vice-president, business development, Encircle

In the last article we talked about three-day drying as a myth that is not supported by the restoration industry. We also discussed the change in science from the 2000s to today and how it has opened insurers to expanded

News CatastrophesClaimsInsuranceRestoration

How the pieces of the puzzle fit together during a catastrophe

July 5, 2018 by Jason Contant

Following a catastrophe, policyholders are best served when adjusters and contractors adhere to their professional limitations in managing a loss, an industry executive said Tuesday. Jim Eso, senior vice president of property and casualty with Crawford and Company (Canada) Inc.,

News ClaimsInsuranceMergers and AqcuisitionsRestoration

Local M&A activity heats up in the claims industry

July 3, 2018 by Jason Contant

Independent adjusting firm Crawford & Company (Canada), Inc.  has acquired Cherrie Griffith Ltd., a provider of risk and claims services in the Ottawa region for more than 10 years. The acquisition was the second in two months within the claims

News ClaimsRestoration

Contractors know their role: Restoration contracting firms speak out

July 3, 2018 by Jason Contant

Controversy has swirled around the property and casualty industry’s response to Ontario’s May 4 windstorm, with restoration contracting firms speaking out to Canadian Underwriter recently to confirm the proper role of contractors during the catastrophe event. Restoration contracting firms made

News ClaimsInsurance

Claims professionals speak out amid allegations of contractors providing insurance advice

June 21, 2018 by Jason Contant

Ontario and Quebec’s May 4 windstorm event has the Canadian claims industry talking about the proper roles of contractors and adjusters, based on unconfirmed reports that individual rogue contractors – e.g. not people associated with the larger restoration contracting firms –

News CatastrophesClaims

One risk to your client if the neighbouring property is abandoned

June 18, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

Lindsay Bunce got a nasty shock one colder winter day when she and her husband went down to the basement of their Toronto home. “We were surprised to find about two inches of water across our basement and water coming

News Insurance

An overlooked consequence of basement flooding

June 13, 2018 by Greg Meckbach

If your home insurance client is an entrepreneur, consider what happens to that client’s business if his or her home basement gets flooded. A case in point is Laila and Zafar Ismaili, a married couple who own Enviro Digital Printing

News BrokersClaimsInsuranceMarkets / Coverages

How one brokerage helped out a competitor during ‘biblical’ flooding

May 23, 2018 by Jason Contant

Recent flooding in Grand Forks, B.C. has not only brought a community together, it has brought two local competing brokerages together as well. Sam Cowan, vice president of sales and marketing with RHC Insurance Brokers Ltd., said that the brokerage’s

News CatastrophesClaims

Ontario, Quebec wind storm to test industry capacity: Crawford

May 8, 2018 by Jason Contant

The wind storm that struck Ontario and Quebec on May 4 and 5 will significantly test the capacity of insurers, independent adjusters, call centres and restoration contractors, Crawford and Company (Canada) Inc. told Canadian Underwriter Monday. Generally speaking, wind claims