Claims

Storm leaves more than 275,000 people without power in southern Quebec

MONTREAL – Hundreds of thousands of people are still without power in southern Quebec after the region was hit freezing rain and strong winds. Quebec-Hydro says the storm Monday caused branches and trees to come in contact with their network, leaving 275,000 people without power by early Tuesday morning. The Crown corporation says the hardest […]

By Greg Meckbach | April 9, 2019

1 min read

Claims

Ontario city partly liable in collision that injured four

A recent Supreme Court of Canada decision means the City of Hamilton is partly liable in a motor vehicle bodily injury lawsuit because there was no painted stop line immediately before an intersection. On June 16, 2007, a vehicle driven by Dawn Safranyos was T-boned by a vehicle driven north on Upper Centennial Parkway by […]

By Greg Meckbach | April 8, 2019

3 min read

Claims

Judgement against Lloyd’s quashed in disputed claim over diamond eagle statue theft

VANCOUVER – A protracted court battle over a gold, diamond-studded eagle statue has landed in favour of a major insurance company, which will now be allowed to challenge a claim over the treasure that was allegedly stolen in the Vancouver area nearly three years ago. Justice Robin Baird of the British Columbia Supreme Court overturned […]

By Greg Meckbach | April 8, 2019

3 min read

Claims

Environmental groups to sue Shell over climate change

THE HAGUE, Netherlands – Climate activists delivered a court summons Friday to oil company Shell in a court case aimed at forcing it to do more to rein in carbon emissions. Friends of the Earth Netherlands, one of the groups involved, said it wants a court in The Hague to order Shell to reduce its […]

By Greg Meckbach | April 5, 2019

2 min read

Some earthquake deductibles too high: IBC

Brokers are telling the Insurance Bureau of Canada that for some homeowner clients, the deductible on earthquake coverage is so high that the clients could still end up broke after a major tremor. “Right now, the deductible on some of these policies is $100,000 or more,” IBC CEO Don Forgeron said of earthquake endorsements on […]

2 min read

Does a business have to highlight a waiver of liability to a client?

A flood in an Alberta community centre flood has once again raised the legal issue of whether a claimant is obligated to read a commercial services contract thoroughly, or whether the defendant is obligated to highlight any waiver of liability to the claimant. The Bragg Creek Community Association hired Tyco Integrated Fire & Security Canada […]

3 min read

Long-range weather forecast: more flood claims for the P&C industry

Coastal flooding is expected to increase in many areas of Canada, bringing with it increased risk of damage to coastal infrastructure, according to a report released Tuesday by the federal government. “Local sea level is projected to rise, and increase flooding, along most of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Canada and the Beaufort coast […]

3 min read

CU Total Loss Series: How to reduce auto total loss cycle times by a week

Meet Jane Doe, a total loss survivor. The front end of her car was demolished when she tried to turn left at a busy intersection. She was hit by a driver who was talking on his cell phone while running a red light. Her vehicle pinwheels into a half-spin upon contact. Jane Doe is taken […]

3 min read

Canada ‘much closer’ to national flood program: IBC

The industry is making progress on getting a national flood insurance program, but a key challenge is getting all provinces, territories and Ottawa to agree on how it should work, the Insurance Bureau of Canada’s CEO suggested Tuesday. Unlike Britain and the United States (which have Flood Re and that National Flood Insurance Program respectively), […]

3 min read

Who knew that book readers could be at such risk?

A book lover who claimed to have sustained a concussion and a back injury while tripping over a pile of stacked books in a B.C. bookstore had his liability case dismissed for a lack of evidence. The insurer for the bookstore, Intact Insurance, brought forward evidence before the Civil Resolution Tribunal of British Columbia that […]

3 min read