I recently read a Superior Court decision about a woman who burned herself with hot coffee at a McDonald’s drive-through. Sound familiar? This case has nothing to do with the notorious hot coffee tort case in the U.S. that made…
Does an ATV become an “automobile” under Ontario insurance law if it is involved in an accident outside Ontario? In Benson v. Belair, an Ontario resident fell off the back of an All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) in Fort Nelson, British Columbia.…
I don’t think there’s a better way to say “I love you” than to give that special someone their very own copy of Auto Insurance Coverage Law in Ontario. For those dark and lonely nights when your loved one wants…
Can the definition of “owner” under the Dog Owners’ Liability Act include someone who does not have dominion and control over the dog? The Court of Appeal for Ontario says “yes”. Take a Bite of the Dog Owners’ Liability Act By way of background,…
Another insurer has entered into Ontario’s ridesharing insurance market. Effective December 1, 2016, Northbridge Insurance provides ridesharing coverage for users of RideCo., a Waterloo Region-based ridesharing company. The new product seeks to fill existing coverage gaps under Ontario’s standard Ontario…
A FSCO arbitrator has confirmed that the first insurer that receives a completed application for accident benefits is required to adjust and pay the claim, even if the insurer is taking an off-coverage position. Overview In Cankaya v. Intact /…
After months of uber anticipation, FSCO has approved a new fleet auto policy, from Intact, for private passenger vehicles engaged in UberX activities. The announcement comes days after Intact launched a similar product in Alberta. Background UberX is a Web-based…
Does the privacy consent on the last page of Ontario’s prescribed Application for Accident Benefits (OCF-1) form hold water? In Economical v. Fairview Assessment Centre, the insurer claimed fraud and misrepresentation against an assessment centre and various (alleged) treatment providers…
The Supreme Court of Canada has dismissed the applications for leave to appeal from Lombard/Zurich in the “loss transfer laches” cases. Both insurers were trying to seek leave from the Court of Appeal of Ontario’s decision in November 2015, which…
The Court of Appeal for Ontario has released an interesting decision concerning whether a plaintiff must exercise due diligence to discover a claim to avoid having it dismissed as time-barred. In Fennell v. Deol, the plaintiff was involved in a…
The Ontario Superior Court has held that an “excluded driver” under an auto policy is not a “listed driver” under the policy for the purpose of receiving accident benefits under the policy. In Dominion v. State Farm, the claimant was…
The Ontario Superior Court has released its first-ever decision on whether the notorious OPCF 16 (Suspension of Coverage) endorsement form is mandatory when an insured wishes to remove road coverage from their policy. Why would an insured want to remove their road…
The Financial Services Commission of Ontario has approved Aviva’s plans to offer a product for ride-sharing services like uberX. Aviva’s coverage will be available for drivers licensed for at least six years. Drivers can spend up to 20 hours a…
A Superior Court judge has held that an accident victim, who was unlawfully in Canada at the time of the accident, was not a person who “ordinarily resides” in Ontario. In Silva v John Doe, the plaintiff arrived in Canada…