OTTAWA – The federal government is speeding up the timelines for the removal of rupture-prone tank cars from Canadian railroads. Ottawa has taken steps to phase out certain types of tank cars following the deadly train derailment and explosions in Lac-Megantic, Que., that killed 47 people in 2013. Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced new timelines […]
By Jason Contant | September 19, 2018
1 min read
Commercial specialty insurer Ironshore Canada is being re-branded as Liberty Mutual Canada. In addition to Ironshore, Liberty International Underwriters Canada is also being rebranded as Liberty Mutual Canada, the insurer announced Thursday. But for the rest of 2018, “policies will continue to be written on Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and Ironshore Insurance Ltd (Canada Branch) […]
By Greg Meckbach | September 16, 2018
2 min read
Clients who make tanks for flammable and hazardous material cannot always obtain insurance covering the full range of product and pollution liability. Matrix Service Company, whose products include above-ground fuel tanks, said Wednesday its products can potentially expose it to professional liability, product liability and pollution liability claims. “We may not be able to obtain […]
By Greg Meckbach | September 14, 2018
2 min read
Hub International Ltd. continues to buy Canadian property and casualty brokerages, with the acquisition of Ottawa-based Access Insurance Brokers Inc. as well as a Saskatchewan provider of farm insurance. Chicago-based Hub announced Monday it has acquired Frontier Business Centre Ltd., which does business as Hometown Insurance Brokers. The brokerage is based in Vonda, Sask., about […]
By Greg Meckbach | September 11, 2018
2 min read
OXFORD, N.S. – A large sinkhole that has swallowed trees and picnic tables in a Nova Scotia park has now taken a bite out of a parking lot, as the natural phenomenon continues to capture the attention of geological experts and curious onlookers alike. The Town of Oxford said Friday the unpredictable sinkhole had remained […]
By Jason Contant | September 5, 2018
3 min read
Two months after Economical Insurance submitted its demutualization proposal to the federal government, another federally-regulated mutual has all but completely ruled out demutualization. There is “no desire” for demutualization at Heartland Farm Mutual Inc., Louis Durocher, Heartland’s new president and CEO, confirmed in an interview. He did not go so far as to say the […]
By Greg Meckbach | September 4, 2018
2 min read
The newly-elected Ontario government should let carriers change their rates without approval from the Financial Services Commission of Ontario, the president of a mutual that writes auto contends. It “makes sense” to require insurers to file rates with FSCO “but I don’t think we should have to get approval before we can proceed with new […]
By Greg Meckbach | August 30, 2018
3 min read
If carriers do what one insurance defence lawyer advises, your clients could get new exclusionary language in their home insurance policies as a result of cannabis legalization. Insurers who are concerned about the risk of fire and burglary arising from cannabis grow-ops may be adding marijuana-related exclusions when renewing homeowners’ policies. So now Canadian home […]
By Greg Meckbach | August 29, 2018
3 min read
OTTAWA – Justice Minister Jody Wilson-Raybould is giving the green light to a new roadside test to check for drugs. On Monday, Wilson-Raybould approved the Drager DrugTest 5000 as the first saliva screening equipment to be used by law enforcement to test for THC, the main psychoactive agent in cannabis. The equipment will now be […]
By Jason Contant | August 28, 2018
1 min read
A client occupying a tall wood building could face higher insurance costs, a group of masonry producers claims, while one fire insurer confirms such a building deserves closer scrutiny from an underwriter. Your insurance premiums would be higher as an owner of a tall wood building, warned Paul Hargest, president of the Canadian Concrete Masonry […]
By Greg Meckbach | August 27, 2018
3 min read