Ontario auto insurer’s examiner gets day in court
September 5, 2018 by Greg MeckbachLast week’s court ruling against a prominent personal injury lawyer could give Ontario auto insurers’ medical examiners recourse if those doctors feel their conduct has been publicly maligned. Dr. Howard Platnick is a Toronto physician who does medical examinations for…
IBC’s proposal to prevent carriers from exiting this province’s auto market
September 4, 2018 by David GambrillInsurers in Newfoundland and Labrador are calling on politicians to make structural changes to the province’s auto insurance system, saying their recommendations would better align the province’s auto premiums with those elsewhere in the Atlantic region. Specifically, insurers are calling…
Insurer CEO to personally visit FSCO asking for higher rates
August 30, 2018 by Greg MeckbachThe newly-elected Ontario government should let carriers change their rates without approval from the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the president of a mutual that writes auto contends. It “makes sense” to require insurers to file rates with FSCO “but…
Are consumers warming to telematics?
August 28, 2018 by Jason ContantA new survey for belairdirect has found more than half (53%) of polled Canadians would use an app that tracks their driving habits if it meant having a more personalized auto insurance rating. The finding contrasts recent industry comments and…
Regulator reveals reason for electronic pink slips delay
August 28, 2018 by Jason ContantPolice concerns about drivers’ mobile phone privacy rights are a major stumbling block in the introduction of electronic proof of insurance in various parts of the country, provincial financial and insurance regulators have told Canadian Underwriter. Canadian Underwriter recently contacted a…
Liability risk for private pot retailers
August 28, 2018 by Greg MeckbachYour retail client could be at risk of a lawsuit if it starts selling cannabis, but the exposure may not be the same as the liability risk of a bar serving alcohol, an insurance defence lawyer suggests. Whether a retailer…
When parents give their kids permission to drive: the limit to ‘implied consent’
August 24, 2018 by Greg MeckbachAn Ontario auto insurer went too far in arguing that a motorist gave her son – whose license was suspended – implied permission to drive her vehicle because she left the keys on a hook while she was out of…
Tow referral fee rules ‘hard to monitor and enforce,’ insurer warns
August 23, 2018 by Greg MeckbachAuto insurance providers should remind motorists that in the event of an accident, it is usually the driver – not the tow truck operator – who decides where the car gets towed. Motorists often don’t know what rights they have…
Auto fraud getting worse, insurer says
August 21, 2018 by Greg MeckbachManitoba Public Insurance Corporation (MPI) is reporting an increase in auto insurance fraud, including false claims for income replacement benefits. “Disturbingly, the corporation’s special investigation unit is seeing an increase in fraudulent activity,” the province’s public auto insurer reported Friday.…
People injured in Mississauga, Ont., restaurant bombing file suit against owners
August 21, 2018 The Canadian PressTORONTO – Lawyers have filed a lawsuit on behalf of six of the 15 people injured in a bombing at a restaurant west of Toronto, alleging the business failed to take precautions to prevent the incident. Each plaintiff is suing…
Court orders parent to produce underwriting file to prove she denied permission for her child to drive
August 16, 2018 by Greg MeckbachIf a parent does not give permission to a child to drive the car, then if the child gets into a serious accident, a court could order the parent to produce the underwriting file to prove they did not grant…
If your clients re-did their driving tests, would they pass?
August 15, 2018 by Jason ContantIf British Columbians had to take their driving test over again, it’s likely that about 40% of them would fail, according to recently released results from the more than 83,000 people that completed the province’s public auto insurer’s Drive Smart…