Canada.com announced it this way: “World’s top tech fair opens under a cloud”. The clever headline drew on the buzz at the world’s largest information technology tradeshow and the coincident announcement by Google that 150,000 email accounts had been lost. Background: the CeBIT expo held this week in Hanover, Germany promoted the theme “Work and  more...

We buy insurance to protect against unexpected financial loss.  But one of the most unusual forms of insurance stretches the definition into the realm of deep human anguish, political extremism, and controversy. I’m referring to Kidnap and Ransom insurance (K&R). We supply K&R insurance for our clients working internationally, knowing that more than 1,000 professionals  more...

New Zealand’s 6.3 magnitude earthquake early Tuesday morning again brings into sharp focus the chilling potential for destruction and carnage resulting from seismic activity.  Early estimates of 75 dead are certain to increase as the rescue/recovery operation continues in New Zealand’s second largest city, Christchurch.   This event falls hard on the heels of a major  more...

Hopefully winter is coming to an end in Ontario.  However, we will continue to experience “winter risk” driving conditions.  The following PDF shows some related stats dug up by our Personal Lines Underwriting Department. WinterDriving.PDF You will need a PDF reader in order to view the file.  Click here to download Adobe Reader if neces more...

A troubling trend resulting from vehicle accidents: a marked increase in the number of psychological injury claims. And the development is most pronounced in Ontario. Toronto Defence Lawyer Lee Samis: “my sense is that this increase in activity is largely related to changes in the Ontario automobile injury compensation models. Successive reforms have increased the  more...

Too often, pedestrians are unaware of the risks posed by adjacent traffic. And the risk is exacerbated for pedestrians who are using a cell phone or listening to music through ear-buds. The three brief videos below illustrate this risk. These videos are graphic, although no one is physically inj more...

Congratulations to Dreamcoat Fantasy Theatre in North Bay for being selected as one of the winners of the Aviva Community Fund.  Dreamcoat was awarded $98,000!  Click here to read more on the Aviva Community Fund web more...

In the winter we often hear many tips about winter driving and staying safe on snow-covered and icy roads.  Below is an article from Canadian Top Insurance Broker with 8 tips for keeping your property safe during the winter.  You can read the article below, or click here to visit the CTIP website. __ As  more...

It’s largely unknown and misunderstood.  But it’s also one of the most valuable protections you have under most liability insurance policies. It is this: your insurer’s obligation and duty to provide and fund legal defence for you the policyholder, when a legal action is commenced against you. This amounts to a form of legal services  more...

By this point in the winter, most of us are getting a tired of shoveling snow. But maybe we don’t have it so bad. What if we were responsible to shovel more than the driveway and entrance to our homes and businesses? In Vancouver, it’s the first winter under a new by-law requiring homeowners and  more...