Industry

Ontario trial lawyers poised to launch Charter challenge against Ontario’s $30,000 deductible, injury threshold

The Ontario Trial Lawyer’s Association (OTLA) is considering a court challenge similar to that of Alberta’s recent Charter challenge that overthrew the Cdn$4,000 cap on minor injuries.Patrick Brown, president-elect of the OTLA, says that in light of the recent Alberta decision in Morrow v. Zhang, the Ontario government should make the appropriate changes to its […]

By Canadian Underwriter | March 4, 2008

2 min read

What’s New: In Brief (March 04, 2008)

Rebecca Ritchey has joined The Applied Systems Client Network (ASCnet) as director of communications.Ritchey joins ASCnet with 14 years of experience in communications, including marketing, sales, public relations and training while specializing in strategic marketing partnerships. She has hosted, produced and marketed television programs and acted as national and international spokesperson for the $8 billion […]

By Canadian Underwriter | March 4, 2008

1 min read

Desjardins Group says housing insurance props up auto insurance results

Desjardins Group announced Cdn$273 million in surplus earnings for 2007 Q4, compared to Cdn$284 million for the same quarter in 2006.Desjardins General Insurance Group (DGIG) contributed Cdn$8 million to the company’s 2007 Q4 results, compared to Cdn$18.8 million for the previous year. “This decrease [in the insurance segment results] is explained by lower underwriting profits […]

By Canadian Underwriter | March 3, 2008

1 min read

The party is over for record profits, warns Buffet

“The party is over” and insurance industry-wide profit margins will tumble in 2008, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffet warned in an annual letter to shareholders. “It’s a certainty that insurance-industry profit margins, including ours, will fall significantly in 2008,” Buffet wrote.”Prices are down, and exposures inexorably rise. Even if the U.S. has its third consecutive […]

By Canadian Underwriter | March 3, 2008

1 min read