What’s new: In brief (September 26, 2004)

State Farm Insurance Companies has donated $6,500 to the Peterborough Area Relief Fund to help victims of the July floods. State Farm also notes that it has paid out more than $8.5 million in claims in the Peterborough area, with an expectation of total payouts reaching $10 million.

Toronto-based AirIQ Inc. says it has secured policyholder discounts from several Ontario auto insurers for vehicle owners who subscribe to its MobileIQ telematics service. The service adds anti-theft and vehicle tracking features which the company says reduces the chances of a vehicle being stolen, and also aids in vehicle recovery. The insurer offering discounts, which range from 1020%, represent about 2.5 million Ontario auto policyholders.

The Atlantic Conference is set for St. John, New Brunswick, September 29 to October 1. The event is hosted by the Insurance Brokers Association of New Brunswick (IBANB), and run jointly with the Insurance Brokers Association of Nova Scotia (IBANS). Both associations have been busy in the past year dealing with new auto insurance regimes, and auto insurance stands to be the hot topic at next week’s convention. For more information, contact Stephen Halsall at 506-648-0505 or email: halsall@nbnet.nb.ca.