Claims

Why your clients should do an inspection before buying a home

A couple who discovered a leaking bathtub after moving into their new home cannot get compensation from the sellers. A “reasonable inspection” would have revealed a water problem before Tyler and Keva Luscombe bought their home in 2020, the British Columbia Civil Resolution Tribunal ruled in Luscombe v. Harris, a decision in a $3,800 small claim […]

By Greg Meckbach | July 21, 2021

3 min read

Claims

Get ready for hundreds of claims from Barrie twister

The industry will probably see well over 200 claims from the July 15 tornado that hit Barrie, Ont., says a wind damage expert who has looked at the affected area. “I expect the total number of damaged houses was about 200 – that kind of range,” Western University engineering professor Greg Kopp told Canadian Underwriter […]

By Greg Meckbach | July 21, 2021

2 min read

Claims

The legal pitfalls of online and over-the-phone insurance applications

A property insurer can be stuck paying out on a claim even though the client made a “material omission” on their insurance application, but the industry can mitigate this risk by being especially careful when taking applications over the phone or online, a Vancouver insurance lawyer suggests. “When placing policies by telephone or online, where […]

By Greg Meckbach | July 20, 2021

5 min read

Claims

Look for AI to “hyper-personalize” customer experience in 3-5 years: Aviva exec

Hyper-personalization of customer experience in three to five years’ time is a big reason why the property and casualty insurance industry is ramping up the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning now, an Aviva Canada tech executive suggests. “I think customization and simplification of customer journeys is going to be very critical,” Baiju Devani, […]

By David Gambrill | July 20, 2021

4 min read

Why your clients may not have the high ground on overland flood risk

Many homeowners opt not to buy overland flood coverage and this could leave them uninsured in the event of a severe rain storm. “Overland flooding is any water that comes into your house through the windows or door or anything that is not the pipes. Any serious rain storm might cause that to happen,” said […]

2 min read

New industry anti-fraud group gets its first CEO

Terri O’Brien, a former vice president at TD Bank, is now CEO of Équité Association, the anti-fraud organization announced Monday. Équité Association is a new organization that integrates Canadian National Insurance Crime Services (CANATICS) and the IBC’s investigative services division. Chaired by Aviva Canada CEO Jason Storah, Équité Association is an industry-wide organization that intends […]

2 min read

Why insured losses from Barrie twister may be higher than you think

The number of Barrie, Ont. clients whose homes are damaged beyond repair by Thursday’s tornado may be more than initially reported, an industry expert predicted Friday. The tornado touched down at about 2:30 p.m. July 15, the Canadian Press reported. Though it’s too early to quantify the industry-wide insured loss, experts told Canadian Underwriter Friday […]

4 min read

Why boat insurers are starting to feel more like car insurers these days

Boats with high-tech safety gadgets are starting to look a lot more like cars nowadays — and that means more expensive and difficult repairs, as Aviva Canada reports. “The big trend we are seeing right now in watercraft is big improvements in technology,” says Shawn Mckone, a senior manager with specialty claims at Aviva Canada. […]

3 min read

How courts have lowered the bar for bad faith claims against insurers

A court finding of bad faith can damage a carrier’s reputation and harm its broker relationships, an industry lawyer warned Tuesday. Of particular concern to carriers these days is the fact that the courts are lowering the bar for a finding of bad faith, according to Samantha Ip, chairwoman of Vancouver law firm Clark Wilson’s […]

3 min read

Vaccination Summer 2021: Boom times for travel insurance?

Travel insurance is poised to start its post-COVID rebound, with Canadian governments relaxing restrictions to allow more travel within and between provinces. “The travel insurance market will definitely rebound from this, because people are not going to stop traveling; we saw people travelling during the pandemic,” Anne Marie Thomas, insurance expert at InsuranceHotline.com, told Canadian Underwriter in […]

3 min read