Claims

Ontario court finds province’s stunt-driving law to be unconstitutional

An Ontario Court Justice has struck down Ontario’s new “stunt driving” legislation as unconstitutional.The legislation, introduced in 2007, outlines several factors defining “stunt driving,” including “driving a motor vehicle at a rate of speed that is 50 km-h or more over the speed limit.”Penalties in the legislation include fines of between Cdn$2,000 and Cdn$10,000, the […]

By Canadian Underwriter | September 14, 2009

2 min read

Claims

Storm events magnified by increased public awareness, not necessarily by global warming

There isn’t so much a shift in severe storm weather activity in Ontario due to global warming, but rather a greater public awareness about the storm activity, an Environment Canada meteorologist told a group attending a presentation on Ontario’s Aug. 20, 2009 tornadoes.The presentation was organized by the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR) and […]

By Canadian Underwriter | September 11, 2009

2 min read

Claims

Several inflationary factors to threaten (re)insurers over the next 2-5 years: Guy Carpenter briefing

Higher inflation in a variety of forms is expected to develop into a threat to long-tail (re)insurers sometime over the next two to five years, a Guy Carpenter briefing says.Written by Guy Carpenter managing director David Lewin, the briefing warns that low interest rates right now are bound to result in monetary inflation sometime down […]

By Canadian Underwriter | September 10, 2009

2 min read

Claims

What’s New: In Brief (September 04, 2009)

Insurers expect to pay out more than Cdn$6 million to clients for repairs to homes, cars and businesses damaged after a force F2 tornado tore through the town of Mont-Laurier, Quebec on Aug. 4, 2009.Despite the storm’s short duration, the force of the winds — between 180 and 250 km-h — caused extensive damage resulting […]

By Canadian Underwriter | September 4, 2009

1 min read

Insurers must collaborate with public policy makers to mitigate climate risk

Insurers must continue to work with public policy makers to allow insurance companies to deliver more climate risk mitigation measures at an accelerated pace, according to a Zurich white paper. Zurich’s report, The Climate Risk Challenge: The role of insurance in pricing climate-related risks, lists a number of important concepts to be incorporated into any […]

1 min read

What’s New: In Brief (September 01, 2009)

SCM Risk Management Services and Compu-Quote have partnered to develop a data validation service, providing an accreditation process for information submitted by consumers to insurance brokers during the quoting process.Compu-Quote will receive information from SCM Risk Management Services to validate data and provide a street view photograph or satellite view of the dwelling being quoted, […]

2 min read

The Right to Reimbursement

Thanks to student-at-law Shannon Beddoe for her assistance with research in connection with this paper.; When a personal injury action proceeds through to trial, who gets credit for income replacement benefits paid to a plaintiff by either the employer or insurer?

August 31, 2009

9 min read

FSCO denies claim for caregiver and housekeeping benefits

A Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) arbitrator has denied an insured’s claim for caregiver benefits and housekeeping/home maintenance benefits following a vehicle collision.Mohammad Asghar was injured in a motor vehicle accident on Aug. 2, 2006. He applied for and received statutory accident benefits from State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company. Asghar’s dispute with State […]

1 min read

Hurricane Bill causes “minimal damage”

Hurricane Bill appears to have caused “minimal damage” when it roared ashore on Aug. 23, says Nova Scotia’s Emergency Management Office.When it entered Southwestern Maritime waters near dawn on Aug. 23, Hurricane Bill was a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 140 km-h, reports Environment Canada.The storm passed within 50 km-h of Nova Scotia’s […]

2 min read

Ontario hammered by series of thunderstorms, tornadoes

A series of severe thunderstorms that reportedly spawned at least five tornadoes ripped through Ontario on Aug. 20, causing widespread damage to homes and properties and one confirmed fatality.Insurance Bureau of Canada has sent representatives to one of the hardest-hit areas, the Woodbridge/Maple area of Vaughan, Ontario, to field questions from storm victims about their […]

2 min read