Claims

Ontario to change Rules of Civil Procedure to expedite court processes, but jury out on savings to insurers

Upcoming changes to Ontario’s Rules of Civil Procedure are designed to expedite cases before the courts, but insurers shouldn’t expect huge savings in claims costs as a result of the changes, one counsel cautions.On their face, the changes would appear to make insurers’ lives easier by reducing the time for some trial procedures, including the […]

By Canadian Underwriter | September 16, 2009

2 min read

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

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

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