Multiple trucking violations by Humboldt semi driver noted in government report
January 29, 2019 Bill Graveland - THE CANADIAN PRESSMELFORT, Sask. – A Saskatchewan government report says the driver of a semi-truck should not have been on the road the day he flew through a stop sign and caused a crash with the Humboldt Broncos team bus. The report…
How many Ontario motorists got placed in the residual market
January 28, 2019 by Greg MeckbachThe number of Ontario auto policies in the residual market has increased by nearly a third in little more than a year, figures released to Canadian Underwriter show. Since the fall of 2017, there has been “some uptick” in the…
CPP benefits received after a trial deductible from auto injury lawsuit awards, appeal court rules
January 28, 2019 by Greg MeckbachHas your client been successfully sued after a vehicle accident in Nova Scotia? The damages may be reduced if the claimant can get disability benefits in the future through the Canada Pension Plan, a court has ruled. Sparks v. Holland,…
How your commercial clients are exposed to pot liability even if they don’t produce cannabis
January 25, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMarijuana poses a liability risk for commercial clients even if they are not in the cannabis business, an insurance lawyer suggests. Suppose your client operates a hotel where a party takes place. If someone smokes cannabis at that party, drives,…
Your drunk client arrives home safely. Why your exposure does not end there
January 24, 2019 by Jason ContantSocial hosts owe a duty of care beyond the time when an intoxicated guest returns home safely, the Court of Appeal for Ontario has ruled in a recent decision. In more intimate settings, there is an enhanced risk, and therefore…
By how much did your clients’ auto rates increase last quarter?
January 24, 2019 by David GambrillOntario auto insurance rates increased by an average of 3.35% in the fourth quarter of 2018, with several companies receiving approval for double-digit rate increases, the province’s regulator reported. Overall, 23 insurers representing approximately 51% of the market based on…
Trial required to confirm insured’s cash payment to broker, court finds
January 23, 2019 by David GambrillA dispute between an auto insurance claimant and a carrier over whether or not the claimant paid her broker in cash to update an auto policy is a genuine matter for trial, an Ontario court has ruled. Marie-Therese Dakane brought…
Driverless cars are now allowed on Ontario roads
January 23, 2019 THE CANADIAN PRESSTransportation Minister Jeff Yurek has announced that, as of Jan. 1, participants in Ontario’s automated vehicle pilot program can test driverless cars on public roadways, under strict conditions. The program’s nine participants – including BlackBerry’s QNX, Magna, Uber and the…
Can’t hear the ambulance? Turn down your radio
January 17, 2019 by David GambrillA B.C. driver has failed in his bid to receive a refund for his insurance premium increase and deductible after B.C.’s public auto insurer found him 100% responsible for failing to clear an intersection for an ambulance. A B.C. ambulance…
What these brokerages bring to the table in Hub merger
January 15, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA Quebec brokerage recently acquired by Hub International Ltd. brings expertise in construction and auto dealerships to the table. “Hub is already major player, if not one of the biggest brokers in Quebec,” Alain Giroux, executive vice president of Montreal…
Alberta auto cap leading to broker-carrier contract cancellations
January 14, 2019 by Greg MeckbachAlberta’s ceiling on auto rate increases is causing some brokers to lose their contracts with carriers. In Alberta, as a general rule carriers may not hike rates by more than 5% across their book of business. “It has resulted in…
Experts call for federal investigation of fatal bus crash
January 14, 2019 Alanna Rizza THE CANADIAN PRESSExperts are calling on the federal transportation safety board to investigate a deadly bus crash in Ottawa to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. Ahmed Shalaby, a civil engineering professor at the University of Manitoba, said the Transportation Safety Board…