What’s New: In Brief (September 24, 2007)

According to the Canadian Crop Hail Associations hail report, Saskatchewans hail claims have surpassed the other Prairie provinces and are about 10% higher than the provinces 5-year average. Farmers from the communities of Reward, North Battleford, Meota, Cut Knife, Unity, Wilkie, Cudworth, Wakaw, Melville, Canora, Kuroki, Kamsack and Yorkton filed claims as a result of a series of storms that hit the area between Sept. 6 and 9, pushing the provincial tally to more than 13,700 for the year.In Alberta, approximately 4,500 hail claims have been made, and in Manitoba approximately 5,000 claims have been made, Saskatchewan Press reports. The association also reported a high loss per claim.

The Co-Operators launched a new national television advertising campaign, consisting of two 30-second commercials designed to emphasize the breadth of financial security products and services offered by the insurer. The two English ads will air for an initial nine-week period on major networks and specialty channels as well as during selected programming regionally, a Co-Operators release says, adding that the campaign will run for two to three years with additional spots to be added during that period. The message is that Co-Operators agents have an extremely broad range of products from which to create insurance and investment plans that allow Canadians to lead their lives and focus on whats important to them, with the peace of mind that comes with knowing their familys financial security is protected, Rob Martin, director of marketing strategy and brand management for The Co-Operators, said in a statement.