The technology is capable of gathering a lot more information. A telematics device can record all kinds of things: how quickly you accelerate and brake, whether you drift out of your lane, how sharply you take corners, whether you’re driving on busy highways or quiet side streets……“It’s almost limitless, the number of risk factors which you can access,” said George Cooke, the former CEO of Dominion Insurance company and an advisor for Intelligent Mechatronic Systems, a Waterloo telematics company.
Author Archives: Admin2
Action on insurance reform But under our polarized, adversarial system, accident victims will continue to be maltreated
Cunningham repeated concerns by consumer advocates that health regulatory colleges “have not been responsive to complaints regarding members who conduct IEs.” He also remarked that it “must be a challenge to insulate themselves from outside influence.”
If that wasn’t clear enough, Cunningham added, “The problem is obvious. An expert retained by an insurer who supports claimants is unlikely to be retained again. For this culture shift to be successful, the government will need to be proactive.” That seems a polite way of saying it’s difficult for experts appointed by insurers not to provide reports that favour the insurers who pay them large sums of money in return.
http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/08/action-on-insurance-reform
MEDIA RELEASE – DOES BILL 171 MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO AUTO INSURANCE COVERAGE?
If we could remove all of the legitimately injured accident victims in the system whose claims have been wrongfully denied on the basis of a poor quality medical report – the preposterous wait times and high costs would be greatly reduced. The DRS Review’s failure to address the core issue of bogus medical evidence will only speed up the flow of wrongful denials of legitimate injury claims thus increasing the backlog.
FAIR Media release March 7 2014 Bill 171
Bill 171, Fighting Fraud and Reducing Automobile Insurance Rates Act, 2014
For more information on these changes see: http://www.fairassociation.ca/who-we-are-activities-and-actions/
Ontario NDP slams changes to auto insurance attendant care benefits
New changes to the standard Ontario auto insurance policy were characterized this week as “mean spirited” by the New Democratic Party’s consumer services critic, though the Insurance Bureau of Canada suggests that one amendment that took effect Feb. 1 did not actually change an auto injury victim’s entitlement to attendant care from professional health support workers.
Trial lawyers express concerns
“This is an access to justice issue,” he said. “The preservation of the court system is a fundamental principle in protecting the rights of innocent victims.”
“Justice Cunningham mentioned that possibly the option to go to court would still exist. In his recommendations he doesn’t say anything more about it other than to say once this enhanced settlement meeting has occurred the option would be taken away.”
Toronto rehab clinic ordered to pay $75,000 in fines in auto insurance fraud case
A Toronto clinic has been ordered to pay $75,000 in fines this week, after its principals pleaded guilty to engaging in unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the business of insurance related to auto insurance fraud, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reported Thursday. http://www.canadianunderwriter.ca/news/toronto-rehab-clinic-ordered-to-pay-75-000-in-fines-in-auto-insurance-fraud-case/1002950025/
DRS report is too weak, accident victims group FAIR says
“Yet this issue is central to the very reason for the recent mediation backlog — too many cases indiscriminately turned down by insurers based on questionable medical reports. The possible recourse that ‘the expert should not receive compensation for appearing as a witness’ if their evidence is not ‘fair, objective or non-partisan’ does nothing to protect accident victims.” DRS report is too weak Thompsons World Insurance News Mar 3 2014
New Legislation to Protect Ontario Drivers, Improve the Auto Insurance System and Continue to Reduce Rates
Ontario is introducing new initiatives to protect the nine million drivers in the province and reduce costs and uncertainty in the auto insurance system. Reducing costs will help lower rates for Ontario drivers.
Bill 171 March 4 2014 or the FIGHTING FRAUD AND REDUCING AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE RATES ACT, 2014
http://www.ontla.on.ca/bills/bills-files/40_Parliament/Session2/b171.pdf
570 News – Fraud Month
Great comments!
570 News March 5 2014
Steven Del Duca, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Finance, Re: Ontario’s governing Liberals have introduced legislation that they say will help reduce auto insurance rates, even though they’re not mandating a cut to premiums. Finance Minister Charles Sousa says rates have dropped 5% on average across Ontario and will fall further to the 15% target if the bill passes. He says the legislation will combat fraud, make it easier to settle disputes and curb costs. Critics point out Ontario made regulatory changes in 2010 that greatly reduced costs for the insurance industry, but those savings have not been passed along to drivers.
_______________________________________________________________________
570 News Tuesday Mar. 4, 2014
Rick Dubin, Vice President of Investigations at Insurance Bureau of Canada, Re: March is Fraud Prevention Month and the IBC is taking aim at a number of issues that hurt insurers and Canadians. Staged collisions. Unscrupulous auto repair shops. False medical claims. Fake auto theft. Padding an otherwise legitimate claims. These are just some of the insurance scams that criminals commit.
Financial Services Commission of Ontario Launches Fraud Prevention Month Campaign
TORONTO, March 5, 2014 /CNW/ – The Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO) has launched new resources and is taking part in activities throughout Fraud Prevention Month to educate consumers about auto insurance fraud. http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1317525/financial-services-commission-of-ontario-launches-fraud-prevention-month-campaign