On the scene
March 31, 2012 byPat Van Bakel has been appointed chief operating officer at Crawford & Company (Canada) Inc., effective March 1. Van Bakel has been with the company for more than 20 years, having most recently served as senior vice president, operations, insurer…
Walking on Water
March 1, 2012 by Canadian UnderwriterRemember those heady days in the mid-2000s, when personal and commercial property claims ratios were more in the range of the high 50s and mid 60s, instead of the low-70s that we see now? Sadly, we are all too used…
MarketPlace
March 1, 2012 by Canadian UnderwriterCanadian Market IBC tours Atlantic Canada with climate change adaptation message Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) took its message of climate change adaptation to Atlantic Canada in February. Speaking to the Saint John Board of Trade on Feb. 22,IBC president…
Priming Performance
December 1, 2011 by Canadian UnderwriterCanadian property and casualty insurers are racing through an obstacle course in 2012. Many insurance company executives are responding by priming their performance – including the development of new products, services and technology to help see consumers and brokers through turbulent times.
Moves & Views
December 1, 2011 by Canadian UnderwriterFirstOnSite Restoration has opened a permanent branch in Edmonton, Alberta, after working there for the past few months following the Slave Lake fires. The restoration firm also opened a branch in Medicine Hat, Alberta earlier this year to continue to…
Quebec P&C insurers list top risks related to severe weather and climate change
November 30, 2011 bySevere weather and climate change can call insurers’ pricing assumptions into question, create work overloads in response to large claims events and potentially lead insurers to cut back on offering certain forms of coverage, according to a survey conducted by…
Staying Dry
September 30, 2011 Laura KupcisReducing the risk of basement flooding is a priority for both insurance companies and municipalities.
Honey, I Shrunk the Market
July 1, 2011 David Gambrill, EditorCanada no longer seems insulated from global catastrophes that have shrunk the reinsurers’ pool of capital worldwide over the past two quarters. As a result, primary insurers in Canada may be looking at reinsurance rate increases as of Jan. 1, 2012 renewal season.
The Interconnected Insurer
June 1, 2011 Jamie Rodgers and Clinton D'SouzaToday’s interconnected insurer is much better able to access new sources of information and data; collaborate virtually with suppliers and partners; share data cooperatively and allow customers to serve themselves efficiently.
Facing the Flood
May 31, 2011 Laura KupcisManitoba is currently bracing against the threat of flooding. That threat continues to be reduced in part due to flood prevention methods the province has established. The increase in water-related claims also brings the issue of overland flooding to the forefront.
Problems in the Pipes
March 31, 2011 Robert SparlingWater causes exceptional damage when it leaks from plumbing systems. In a residence, a water leak can lead to hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages; in high-rise residential or industrial buildings it can lead to millions. Forty years ago…
Location Intelligence
February 1, 2011 Sean Moloney, Pitney Bowes Business InsightInsurance companies have collected client geographical information for decades, but the question remains: Do they have the most accurate data?