Insurance Category Archives

Profits Soar for Ontario Auto Insurance Companies

Last week, an updated study from York University School of Business Professors Fred Lazar and Eli Prisman was released that reveals consumers likely overpaid $1.5 billion in the last two years for auto insurance. This includes overpayments of $700 million (or about $100 for each insurance policy) in 2014 on top of the $840 million ($120 per policy) in 2013. This study is further proof …

Attendant Care Moves into the Digital Age

In recent years, the Ontario legislature has slowly eroded accident victims’ access to Attendant Care benefits available under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule (SABS). Since 2010, an accident victim must either hire a professional caregiver or prove that his/her attendant has incurred an economic loss – such as lost income – while providing attendant care. Both requirements are fraught with complications. When attendant care in …

Ontario government deals another blow to injured Ontario motorists with the Common Traffic Impairment Guideline

available rehab coverage

The Ontario government continues to allow insurance companies to erode coverage for Ontario motor vehicle accident victims. The draft Common Traffic Impairment (CTI) Guideline proposes to reduce available treatment to below critical levels. OTLA has submitted a Response to the Draft CTI Guideline and the CTI Guideline Appendix. Prior to September 2010, car crash victims had up to $100,000.00 in available coverage for rehabilitation. To …

Unidentified, Uninsured And Underinsured Motorists: Who Pays For My Injuries?

car and driver on the road

In Ontario, driving with automobile insurance is mandatory. As a result, those injured in a motor vehicle accident have the peace of mind of knowing that after an accident they can claim compensation against the at-fault party, which is usually responded to by that party’s insurance company. However, this begs several questions. What happens if the other party is uninsured? What if the other party …

Hurt in a car? Thanks to the Ontario government, expect to lose tens of thousands from your lawsuit.

For years, accident victims have had their general damages claims automatically reduced by a deductible. How does this deductible work and what does it mean? Let’s consider two scenarios: Imagine for example that you slip and fall on a sidewalk, you break your arm and you decide to sue for pain and suffering damages. Imagine further that your pain and suffering damages are assessed as …

Further Erosion of Plaintiffs’ Compensation Effective August 1, 2015

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa delivers the provincial budget as Premier Kathleen Wynne looks on at Queen’s Park in Toronto on Thursday, April 23, 2015. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette Dealing another blow to Plaintiffs, on August 1, 2015, the amendments to Ontario Regulation 461/96, Court Proceedings for Automobile Accidents that Occur on or After November 1, 1996, came into effect. These amendments provide for an …