Rates Keep on Trucking
July 1, 2002 Craig HarrisTrucking companies, taxi operators and large private fleets are feeling the squeeze of the hard market, with shrinking capacity, increasing rates and restrictive terms and conditions. And, feedback from insurers suggests that there is little relief on the horizon.
Quebec moves to create “super regulator”
June 6, 2002 by Canadian UnderwriterQuebec’s insurers could soon find themselves under the umbrella of a “super regulator” which would also oversee securities, deposit-taking institutions and other financial services.The new regulator, proposed in Bill 107, would enforce the Insurance Act and Automobile Insurance Acts in…
IBC Financial Affairs Symposium Weathering Storms
May 1, 2002 Vikki SpencerAs insurers and reinsurers gathered for the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s (IBC) annual Financial Affairs Symposium held recently in Toronto, the state of the market was front and center. With recent company financials showing the impact not only of the September 11 events, but the build up of years of inadequate pricing and heavy losses in many lines, reinsurers say the time has come for change. But, the remedial actions needed may be a bitter pill for the industry to swallow.
European airliners create terrorism loss fund
April 30, 2002 by Canadian UnderwriterThe Association of European Airlines (AEA) has established a terrorism insurance scheme called "Eurotime" which is expected to replace current temporary government backstop facilities for this particular peril. Airliners from around the world have been operating mostly with the insurance…
New CGL Exposure History Repeats
February 1, 2002 William Blakeney, of Blakeney Henneberry Baksh & MurphySince automobiles became the predominant means of transportation in North America, disputes have arisen between automobile and general liability insurers from time to time over losses related to the use or operation of a motor vehicle. A recent court decision, which will require specific exclusions to be made to future CGL policies, goes back full circle to a case decision made more than 40 years ago.
U.S. commercial market reveals hardening and confusion
January 29, 2002 by Canadian Underwriter“Major commercial property/casualty premiums uniformly on the upswing and confusion in the market” is how the U.S. Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers (CIAB) is characterizing the post-September 11 environment. In releasing fourth quarter 2001 results of its Commercial Insurance…
Commercial insurance reassessed post-September 11
November 22, 2001 by Canadian UnderwriterIn a speech to Australian risk managers, Lloyd’s of London chair Sax Riley says businesses will have to change their approach to insurance in the post-September 11 market. Specifically, corporate clients will need to reassess their insurance buying in light…
M&As, Piecing together Strategies
October 1, 2001 Liz FlemingWhen two insurers come together, whether as a result of a takeover or a merger, one of the most pressing issues to be resolved is the development of a strategic plan. Some companies, approaching a takeover or merger, choose to take a proactive approach and bring in an independent consulting firm to take them through the strategic planning process in advance. Whether they are about to buy or be bought, or simply join forces, a strong plan in place protects the strength of the combined corporate culture, and enables the new organization to strive forward.
Attak of th Black Mold
September 1, 2001 Glenn McGillivray, assistant vice president and head of corporatIn 1928, while working on the influenza virus, Alexander Fleming observed that mold had developed accidentally on a staphylococcus culture plate and that it had created a bacteria-free circle around itself. He was inspired to further experiment and later found that a mold culture prevented growth of staphylococci, even when diluted 800 times. He named the active substance penicillin. And the rest, as they say, is history.
Managing Global Risks: Running for Cover
August 1, 2001 Vikki SpencerAn earthquake in Peru. The fall of the argentinean economy. tropical storm allison strikes several american states. Political tensions flare in the middle east. for the average canadian, these events seem a world away, having little impact on day-to-day life. But, for the average canadian company, these events can have a profound effect on the bottom-line. With the growth of canadian exports and domestic companies stretching their wings to establish operations beyond the border, managing these new international risks is a minefield of potential losses. and, with insurance rates hardening on a global scale and few companies willing to offer bundled international coverage, today’s corporate risk managers could find themselves scrambling for cover.
THE IBC’S “MAN IN BLACK”
June 1, 2001 Sean van Zyl, Editor“Some people regard lobbying as kind of dirty word. I don’t necessarily agree, I think a lot of positive initiatives, from public safety to consumer protection, have come about from efforts to influence public policy,” says the man who for a long time standing has been a major driving force behind regulatory reform lobby campaigns engaged by the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). George Cooke, president of one of Canada’s more prominent “home bred” property and casualty insurers – The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company – was recently appointed the chair of what will become a new and more formidable industry lobby body as the IBC and the Insurance Information Centre of Canada (IICC) merge from July this year.
DEVELOPING A PROFESSION
April 1, 2001 Vikki SpencerAt the recent Ontario Risk Management and Insurance Society (ORIMS) professional development day, a host of speakers expressed the need for expanding the knowledge and influence of risk managers in the corporate structure. With new approaches to risk financing and…