Insurable Interest Canadian Insurance Blog

Quebec City, QC (May 4, 2026) – In light of persistent inflation, rising housing costs and economic uncertainty, financial stress is now an important health marker. This is just one of the key findings highlighted in Beneva’s Health Report, which analyzes group insurance plan usage trends across different age groups and highlights how financial pressure influences behaviour, healthcare needs and the employee experience. Needs that change through life Beneva’s analysis reveals that financial pressure and its impact on health varies at every stage of life, with a similar path from one generation to the next. Since coverage needs change from one age group to the next, group insurance must respond to evolving life stages and high-impact events that transcend age. Young adults (ages 18-30): Cost of living, job insecurity and social comparison fuel early financial anxiety, leading to the growing demand for quick access to psychological support as well as the recognition of mental health issues. Mid-life adults (ages 31-50): The growing number of responsibilities compounds time pressures and access to care. Delays in receiving care can lead to worsening health problems, with increasing repercussions on costs and work continuity. Pre-retirees (ages 51-65): When preparing for retirement, the focus turns...

New York, NY (Apr. 29, 2026) – Organizations and their people are operating under sustained uncertainty because of rising cyber threats, rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), and skilled labor shortages, according to the 2026 People Risks report released by Marsh, a global leader in risk, reinsurance and capital, people and investments, and management consulting. Drawing on insights from more than 4,500 HR and Risk professionals across 26 markets, the report highlights that technology disruption is driving the top people risks, the workforce-related factors that can amplify or mitigate enterprise risk and impact organizational resilience and performance. Companies that actively manage these risks are better positioned to gain a competitive edge. When asked about the positive outcomes organizations realized by successfully managing and mitigating people risks, 40% of respondents said they increased workforce productivity and efficiency, and 36% said they achieved faster progress on strategic initiatives such as AI adoption. “People risks cannot be secondary concerns, as they impact the health and well-being of the workforce and the business,” said Hervé Balzano, Mercer’s President of Health and Benefits and Mercer Marsh Benefits’ Global Leader. “In 2026, resilience depends on how well organizations invest in their people: building the right skills,...

Toronto, ON (Apr. 29, 2026) – The Canadian Council of Insurance Regulators (CCIR) has published an updated Insurance OmbudServices Cooperation and Oversight Framework. CCIR worked closely with the OmbudServices for Life and Health Insurance (OHLI), the General Insurance OmbudServices (GIO), the Canadian Life and Health Insurance Association (CLHIA) and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) over 18 months to update and enhance the Framework for the first time since it was published in 2015. The Framework describes the ongoing cooperation between the insurance sector OmbudServices and CCIR to ensure there is effective consumer dispute resolution in the Canadian Insurance Market. The Framework works in conjunction with other applicable documents, including each OmbudService’s Terms of Reference and by-laws, and CCIR’s Conduct of Insurance Business and Fair Treatment of Customers Guidance. “The OmbudServices are a crucial component of a well-functioning consumer protection policy framework,” said Patrick Déry, Chair of CCIR and Superintendent, Financial Institutions at the Autorité des marchés financiers. “CCIR Members are committed to ensuring insurance customers are treated fairly and that includes access to an effective consumer dispute resolution service.” Updates to the Framework include more regular meetings between regulators and the OmbudServices’ leadership and Boards, as well as enhanced...

More choice, more control: Ontario’s auto insurance reforms put you in the driver’s seat Belleville, ON (July 7, 2025) – Starting July 1, 2026, Ontario is making auto insurance more flexible. Some accident benefits that were previously included in every auto insurance policy will become optional, giving you more choice to select coverage that fits your needs. What are Statutory Accident Benefits? Statutory Accident Benefits (SABs) can provide financial support if you are injured in a car accident. These benefits can be available regardless of who caused the accident and can cover things like medical treatment, rehabilitation and income if you can’t work because of your injuries. What’s staying the same? Standard medical, rehabilitation and attendant care benefits will continue to be included in all auto insurance policies. These benefits help cover essential recovery support after an accident. You still have the option to purchase additional or increased benefits and coverages, such as supplementary medical, rehabilitation and attendant care, dependant care and indexation benefits. What’s becoming optional? The following auto insurance accident benefits will become optional: Income replacement: Helps replace income you or another covered person may lose because of an auto accident. Non-earner: If you or another covered person...

Washington, DC (Apr. 28, 2026) – Drivers are more likely to use their phones while speeding, a tendency that increases crash risk by combining two dangerous behaviors, according to a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “Until now, safety experts believed drivers used their cellphones most at slower speeds,” said IIHS President David Harkey. “But data from safe-driving apps show that, in free-flowing traffic, the opposite is true.” Excluding time spent stopped at intersections, mired in traffic and driving small neighborhood streets, the amount that drivers handled their phones increased the more they exceeded the speed limit, a nationwide analysis of cellphone data showed. On limited-access roads, the share of driving time spent handling a phone rose by 12% for every 5 mph drivers went over the local speed limit. Limited-access roads are freeways and other roads where vehicles enter and exit only via on- and off-ramps. On other roads, such as arterials and routes that connect towns, every 5 mph over the local limit was linked to a smaller 3% increase in phone handling. These roads often have traffic lights, intersections, roundabouts and stop signs that require drivers to take action periodically, even when traffic is...