What downtown ghost towns mean for commercial coverage
June 2, 2023 Philip PoradoVaccines have blunted the worst edge of COVID-19, and that has employers urging workers to come back to pricey office space in Canada’s downtowns – if only once or twice a week. But a high percentage of office workers aren’t…
Vacant retail and office space: How to advise clients on this post-pandemic trend
May 12, 2023 Philip PoradoWith office vacancy rates rising in many Canadian cities, brokers need to coach building owners on the need to manage their insurance obligations. A 2023 Q1 report from commercial real estate firm Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE) Canada notes, “The…
Why new risks plague the hospitality sector post COVID-19
November 8, 2022 Alyssa Di SabatinoPeople can eat in restaurants across Canada without wearing a mask or providing proof of vaccination, a sign the risks initially associated with the spread of COVID-19 have lessened. But, with public health restrictions largely lifted, restaurant and bar owners…
Two auto physical damage trends of concern to one insurer
May 18, 2022 by Jason ContantDefinity Financial Corporation’s executive vice president of personal insurance is concerned about two trends in auto physical damage. “The two areas that are of concern to us are theft and total loss, where we are seeing approximately a 25% increase…
How courts assess liability of auto dealer that leaves keys in unlocked running vehicle
December 2, 2020 by Greg MeckbachA police officer injured in a collision with a stolen truck has lost his bid to seek compensation against the dealership from which the truck was stolen; with Canada’s top court refusing to hear the case, the end result is…
Commercial clients should do this before they leave for the day
January 16, 2020 by Greg MeckbachAre your clients checking the bathrooms before they leave work for the day? “The last thing you want is to leave someone with access to your property after the doors have been locked,” Northbridge Insurance noted in Closing time: Making…
Why thieves love the older models of Ford pickup trucks
December 5, 2019 by Adam MalikFord trucks once again topped the list of most-stolen vehicles in Canada, according to the latest report from Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). But the thieves don’t want the new models: it turns out that nine of the 10 most…
How insurers treat monitored home alarm systems
July 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachHaving a video camera installed with your home alarm system is one way for your client to reduce burglary risk, but it’s questionable whether this is an underwriting factor considered by the insurance company. “To my knowledge, the majority of…