Ontario’s Superior Court has certified a class action lawsuit by a window and door manufacturer against Aviva Canada related to the insurer’s broad denial of pandemic-related business interruption claims. In doing so, the court rejected Aviva’s motion to have the matter summarily dismissed. To be clear, the court did not reject Aviva’s grounds for denying […]
By David Gambrill | March 28, 2023
5 min read
More than half of Ontario motorists (57%) believe distracted driving is the greatest threat to road safety, yet a quarter (24%) of Ontarians admit to distracted driving despite knowing its risks, a recent RatesDotCa survey reveals. Distracted driving ranks as a higher risk than impaired driving (40%). “Despite the majority agreeing with the severity of […]
By Alyssa DiSabatino | March 28, 2023
2 min read
A double-whammy of negative pricing shifts and claims uncertainty is hitting the Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance segment in the U.S., said a recent report from Fitch Ratings. It’s happening at a time when Canadian D&O lines are seeing some softening in pricing. The ratings agency said “a fragile economic environment will pressure revenues and […]
By Phil | March 28, 2023
3 min read
MONTREAL – More than a week after a fatal fire tore through a building in Old Montreal, accounts from former tenants and victims of the blaze are raising questions about the safety of the heritage property. Five bodies had been found as of Saturday evening and two people were missing in the shell of the […]
By Jason Contant | March 27, 2023
5 min read
Canada’s top court has restored the impaired driving conviction of an Ontario ATV driver, whose Charter rights were violated when the police pulled him over on a shared private driveway instead of a public highway. The case is of interest to auto insurers since the top court’s ruling essentially decreases the risk of liability for […]
By David Gambrill | March 27, 2023
4 min read
A series of ancient landslides have been “reawakened” in British Columbia’s Cariboo region, costing hundreds of millions in federal disaster assistance funds and prompting warnings that logging is connected to the problem. The slides and flooding in spring of 2020 and 2021 washed out roadways surrounding Quesnel, where geotechnical studies have also linked ongoing […]
By Jason Contant | March 24, 2023
8 min read
How might high inflation, rising interest rates, and current volatility in stock and bond markets impact future P&C insurance pricing? It’s too early to tell. For insurers, the current environment requires consistent monitoring of profitability and portfolio performance, said Fiona So, director actuarial services at RSM Canada. And review or revising of pricing and product […]
By Phil | March 24, 2023
3 min read
Recent granting of a plaintiff’s motion for summary judgement against an insurer in an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) overturn accident may make it easier for auto insurance policyholders to access their coverage. Ultimately, the decision may be of future benefit to policyholders who aren’t perfectly in compliance with the terms of their auto policy, said Tim […]
By Phil | March 23, 2023
4 min read
EDMONTON — The largest recorded earthquake in Alberta’s history was not a natural event, but most likely caused by disposal of oilsands wastewater, new research has concluded. “This event was caused by wastewater disposal,” said Ryan Schultz, a Canadian seismologist who helped conduct the research while at Stanford University in California. In November, parts of […]
By Alyssa DiSabatino | March 23, 2023
3 min read
EDMONTON – Premier Danielle Smith says laggardly public notification of Imperial Oil oilsands wastewater spills has illuminated the need for Alberta to ensure future alarms are sounded quicker. Smith says her government is working with the province’s oilsands regulator to develop better policies to give affected groups timely notification. “Good practice and being a good […]
By Jason Contant | March 22, 2023
3 min read