Author Archives: Admin2

The Ontario Rehab Alliance, representing more than 4500 healthcare providers, is profoundly disappointed and worried by the Government of Ontario’s proposed changes to standard Auto Insurance Benefits in last week’s Budget.
“We worry about the future wellbeing of the 65,000 fellow Ontarians who are injured in motor vehicle crashes every year”, says Laurie Davis, the association’s Executive Director.
“These cuts to basic accident benefits will have a devastating effect on the most severely injured and their families. We will see injured Ontarians whose horrific crashes result in quadriplegia, severe brain injuries and amputations live the rest of their lives with little to no dignity. Their family’s futures will be forever changed as they have to rededicate their lives to becoming full time caregivers in light of the deep cuts to the benefits.”

ORA Media Release Budget 2015

For one, the government has renewed its commitment to lowering auto insurance premiums by 15%, which it intends do accomplish by raising deductibles from $300 to $500, as well as lowering maximum interest rates and forbidding increases on premiums because of “minor, at-fault” accidents.

“Our government, under the guise of protecting victims, is proposing to cut over a $1 million dollars in coverage for the most seriously injured among us while pretending that they are fiscally responsible,” said Rhona Desroches, FAIR Board Chair. “You don’t have to be an accountant to see that the government is doing the industry a big financial favour and doing it on the backs of some of the most disabled individuals in Ontario. It’s a disgusting and unacceptable way to treat these vulnerable individuals.”

http://www.insurancebusiness.ca/news/ontario-budget-2015-the-divisive-industry-reactions-190698.aspx

A few years ago when I commented in the Times on the 50 per cent reduction in benefits for people injured in car accidents, my letter was responded to within days by Ralph Palumbo.

http://www.cambridgetimes.ca/opinion-story/5588567-insurance-companies-reaping-profits/

TORONTO – The auto insurance changes in the provincial budget will be of no real value to Ontario drivers, a national advocacy group for consumers says.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/04/24/budget-changes-to-auto-insurance-of-no-real-value-to-drivers-consumer-group

It’s a sad day for Ontario consumers when our government puts the interests of big business insurance companies ahead of the health and well-being of Ontario’s injured auto accident victims. The slashes to auto insurance coverage in the 2015 budget  can only be seen as a step closer to public auto insurance when with every cost saving solution the IBC comes up with in order to curtail claims means the unsuspecting tax-payer will pay more of the costs for victims through our publicly funded programs.

Ontario already has an auto insurance claims disaster:  Ontario’s Auto Accident Victims in Crisis

We’ve been overpaying for years: Returns on Equity for Automobile Insurance Companies in Ontario

See our home page for more details http://www.fairassociation.ca/

TORONTO, April 24, 2015 /CNW/ – Ontario Trial Lawyers Association (OTLA) is calling on the Ontario government to hit the pause button on sweeping restrictions to coverage announced in yesterday’s provincial budget.

OTLA is recommending a moratorium on any changes pending thorough consultations with all stakeholders in the auto insurance sector on how to fairly and equitably reduce rates and ensure continued fair coverage for victims.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1524445/ontario-budget-drivers-and-accident-victims-set-to-pay-the-price-for-further-auto-insurance-coverage-restrictions

It seems the road to more affordable auto insurance once again winds its way through further benefit cuts.  Those aren’t the only changes proposed in the 2015 Ontario Budget but it remains an ongoing piece of controlling the cost of Ontario premiums.  Many of the changes announced by Finance Minister Charles Sousa on April 23rd lack any details so how they would be applied or implemented is very much in the air.

http://williehandler.blogspot.ca/

Ontario’s “Building Ontario Up” 2015 budget which was released yesterday (April 23, 2015) has some very negative news for motor vehicle accident victims. Worse, some media think the changes regarding auto insurance represents a loss for insurance companies. Canadian Press, in their “Commuters and students win, while insurers lose”  April 24, 2015  article in  the Waterloo Record is completely off the mark. The writer says, under the heading “Losers” in the Ontario budget, that insurance companies lose because they will be required to give drivers a discount for using winter tires and will lose some interest money in lowering the maximum interest charged on monthly auto insurance premium payments. This budget is a home run for insurers with the aforementioned loss a pittance to the gains insurers will make. http://deniedbenefitclaims.com/blog.html

FAIR was invited to present a short question about the budget which was read out by the host Amanda to Ms. Wynne – it was a very short answer and Ms. Wynne was a bit off balance to both our question and the broker question which came a short time later.

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/Local+Shows/Ontario/Ontario+Today/ID/2665290096/

The budget is also committing the government to take steps to lower auto insurance rates in the province, requiring the rate charged on monthly premiums be lowered from 3 to 1.3 percent. In addition, the government will also prohibit increases in monthly premiums for minor at-fault accidents that involve no injuries. Sousa says he wants insurance companies in Ontario to give drivers a discount for using winter tires

http://www.am980.ca/2015/04/23/43801/