416-703-2402 Local
1-888-378-3388 Toll Free

Posts Tagged: insurance law

Safety Ratings for Cars > 5 Star System

Last week, the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in the United States released a new rating system for testing vehicles and evaluating their safety and crash worthiness.  The NHTSA system is ubiquitous in North America; Canadian consumers are referred to these standards both in car advertisements and on the internet.

In the personal injury industry, side impact or T-bone collisions are far too common, as are head-on collisions.… Continue Reading

Tags: , , ,

Auto Insurance Changes in Ontario – Part 9

There were other changes introduced in September, 2010, along with the new SABS (Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule) in Ontario.

One minor, but important, change for consumers is the addition of an appraisal requirement when dealing with car repairs arising from an accident.  Now, if you request an appraisal, the insurer will then perform it.  In the past, an insurer was not required to provide an appraisal even if requested.  See Ontario Regulation 40/10 for the amendments to Ontario Regulation 777/93.

Further to our blog on October 4, 2010, another issue that is important for consumers is the elimination of the use, by insurers, of your credit information when considering your application for renewal of your insurance policy. … Continue Reading

Tags: , , ,

Buying More Insurance Protection > Accident Benefit Changes in Ontario – Part 8

A useful article last week in The Globe and Mail by Ms Romanov on insurance rates and the effect of your accident history, as well as having young drivers on your policy.

With the introduction of the new SABS (Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule) in Ontario in September, 2010, consumers should be aware that now there is more to consider, in terms of optional coverage, when renewing their car insurance policy.

For example, caregiving and housekeeping benefits were previously included in the standard auto policy but now are eliminated for non-catastrophic (CAT) claims. … Continue Reading

Income Replacement Benefits and the Minor Injury Guideline > Accident Benefit Changes in Ontario – Part 7

The new SABS (Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule) in Ontario, introduced in September, 2010, is found here.

The Minor Injury Guideline is found on the FSCO (Financial Services Commission of Ontario) website here.

Given that the focus and purpose of the Minor Injury Guideline is to guide claimants to maximal medical recovery within the $3,500 hard cap, query whether this will affect the application of the income replacement benefits issue across the board.

Under the Minor Injury Guideline, there is approximately $1700 worth of treatment anticipated in the initial 3 blocks of treatment. … Continue Reading

Pre-Existing Conditions and the Minor Injury Guideline > Accident Benefits – Part 6

One exception to the Minor Injury Guideline are pre-existing medical conditions which “will prevent the insured person from achieving maximal recovery from the minor injury if he or she is subject” to the Minor Injury Guideline (i.e. the $3,500 hard cap).

This exception is only expected rarely, as explicitly set out in Paragraph 4 of the Minor Injury Guideline:

Only in extremely limited instances where compelling evidence provided by a health practitioner satisfactorily demonstrates that a pre-existing condition will prevent a person from achieving maximal recovery from the minor injury for the reasons described above is the person’s impairment to be determined not to come within this Guideline.… Continue Reading

Minor Injury Guideline > Accident Benefit Changes in Ontario – Part 5

A significant change in September, 2010 was to introduce a new concept, the “Minor Injury Guideline”, into the lexicon of car accident claims in Ontario.

The actual Minor Injury Guideline is found on the FSCO (Financial Services Commission of Ontario) website here.

The Minor Injury Guideline imposes a $3,500 hard cap on the Accident Benefits insurer’s obligation to fund all treatment and assessments for those injuries that fall within.

Simply put, if you have an injury that falls inside the Minor Injury Guideline, you will then only receive up to $3,500 in treatment in Accident Benefits.… Continue Reading