Having celebrated our nation this past weekend, I’m reminded that we as Canadians have much for which to be thankful! One of the cornerstones to our culture – often absent in other parts of the world – is the high esteem in Canada for justice, the rule of law and due legal process. To be  more...

Elaborately planned heists to steal valuable works of art are the stuff of Hollywood movies (think Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo in The Thomas Crown Affair). But sometimes the theft is so simplistic as to be almost comical. Last year’s break-in at the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville in Paris is a perfect example.   more...

Bedbugs continue to be in the headlines – particularly in the insurance industry! The hospitality industry has been increasingly aware of the risk to revenue and reputation (see TheRiskFactor.ca – August 19, 2010).  Bedbugs are popping up in more conversations between travellers booking hotels, and students looking for housing. For commercial exposures, coverage is now  more...

Even though he’s dead, pop legend Michael Jackson continues to make headlines within the insurance industry. At the time of his death in June 2009, Jackson was scheduled to play 50 shows for a million fans at London’s O2 Arena. As reported in TheRiskFactor.ca (July 6,2009), Jackson’s promoter had sought event cancellation/non-appearance insurance coverage.  But  more...

As the costs mount from the Fukushima nuclear accident, more observers are wondering if we can afford the potential for economic fallout from the production of nuclear power. Our globe is now home to over 400 nuclear power plants – many of which have little or no insurance coverage against accidental damage. Why is nuclear  more...

In the insurance world, every incident of damage is followed by a restoration and repair process.  Japan’s recovery from the March 11 earthquake and tsunami – and subsequent nuclear malfunction – while on a massive scale, is essentially no different. But 2 colossal hurdles are impeding progress: 1)     the first is financial: who is going  more...

Most of us think of mould resulting from over-exposure to water combined with poor housekeeping. But moulds are ubiquitous in nature, and already exist in your home and mine.  And they are dormant, at least until spores – residing in household and workplace dust – result.  The spores (reproductive structure adapted for dispersal) can cause  more...

The March 28 earthquake  in Myanmar (magnitude 6.8)  – hard on the heels of the earthquakes in Japan and New Zealand – again reminds us of the destructive power of nature. But every spring another threat emerges across Canada – and it’s the most frequently occurring natural hazard in this country. Flooding. And this problem  more...

Although it happened half a world away, the economic ripples of Japan’s 3-part catastrophe (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear melt-down) will be felt here in Canada. Because it is the world’s third-largest economy, the devastation in Japan is already resulting in supply-chain interruptions on everything from auto parts to electronics to aircraft assembly. In the financial sector,  more...

We’ve all seen them: a waiver – the fine print – on the back of an event ticket or activity pass indicating that the operator refuses to accept liability for accidental outcomes. From a legal viewpoint, a waiver is the intentional and voluntary giving up of something, or the intentional relinquishing of a right of  more...