Adjusting may be a time-honored profession, but it is one facing an intense period of transition. New privacy rules, varied and changing auto insurance systems, the rise of class actions and growing concern with potential bad faith lawsuits. As if…
As insurers await Bill-198 regulations, substantial problems remain within Ontario’s auto insurance system, says Mark Yakabuski the Ontario regional vice president of the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). He recently spoke at the annual meeting of the Canadian Insurance Accountants…
In two separate agreements, Royal & SunAlliance Insurance Co. of Canada has handed over its Quebec personal lines and long-haul trucking books as the company turns its focus to commercial lines. CGU Insurance Co. of Canada will be offering renewals…
CGU Insurance Co. of Canada will be offering renewals on Royal & SunAlliance’s Quebec personal lines book, notes a joint press release from the insurers. This will commence with April 1, 2003 renewals, as policies expire. Some of Royal’s Quebec…
With the recent disclosure that Royal & SunAlliance Canada would be reducing its long-haul trucking business, specialty insurer Markel says it will step in to offer coverage to clients.Through an agreement between the two insurers, Markel will become a market…
Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (TSX: KFS) increased net income for the third quarter by 51% to $21.7 million from the $14.3 million made for the same period last year. This saw a 22% jump in earnings to 44 a share…
Kingsway Financial Services Inc. (TSX, NYSE: KFS) is reporting a record increase in earnings per share for the quarter ending September 30, 2002. The company’s net income for the third quarter increased 51% to $21.7 million from $14.3 million during…
While the underlying tone of last year’s reinsurance treaty negotiations in the aftermath of 9/11 was “price! price! price!” – with an average upward rate adjustment of about 40% having been implemented across the Canadian marketplace – the 2003 renewals are likely to be driven by a tightening of coverage terms and increased use of exclusions, say CEOs partaking in CU’s annual “Reinsurance Strategy Outlook”. That said, pricing will most definitely be a factor in the upcoming treaty renewal round, with certain classes of business such as liability – which has incurred significant losses primarily as a result of the hemorrhaging auto markets – likely to face rate adjustments of between 40% to 80%. Exclusions on emerging perils such as asbestos, mold and nuclear will also feature dominantly in the renewals. Overall, the CEOs say, expect reinsurers to apply detailed underwriting as international pressure continues to restrain capacity until the tumultuous waters of the marketplace return to a profitable calm.
In the July 2002 CU article “Rates Keep On Trucking”, it stated that AXA Canada has withdrawn from trucking coverage. The company still writes for trucks of 9 power units or less.
Lorie J. Guthrie Phair has been named president and CEO of brokerage Hargraft Schofield Inc. based in Toronto. Guthrie Phair operated her own family brokerage for 20 years, is a past president of RIBO and past president of the IBTR.…
Hub International Ltd. is expanding its U.S. brokerage network with the acquisition of New Jersey-based C.S. Nenner Inc. The new operation is being purchased by Hub’s Kaye Insurance Associates Inc. (KIA) in New York, in a deal for undisclosed amounts…
The insurance industry has gone through two years of a hard market which started mid-2000 and became more restrictive following the disaster of September 11 of last year. Currently, the tight conditions experienced within the marketplace remain a dominating factor, particularly for managing general agents (MGAs) and program business.