INSURANCE INDUSTRY NEWS

Allianz, Anthropic Partner For Responsible A.I.
Allianz SE and Anthropic are pleased to announce a global partnership to accelerate the adoption of responsible Artificial Intelligence at Allianz. Read more.

Wildfires, Thunderstorms Exacerbate 2025 Losses For Insurers: Munich Re
Natural disasters caused significant losses worldwide last year, and 2025 joins a growing list of years with insured losses exceeding USD 100 billion, despite losses being lower year on year. Weather disasters accounted for 92% of all losses globally and 97% of insured losses. Read more.

Samsung, HSB Partner On Smart Home Savings
Samsung Electronics Co. is pleased to announce Smart Home Savings, a new service developed with Hartford Steam Boiler, to help U.S. consumers lower their home insurance premiums by recognizing the protective capabilities of Samsung home appliances connected to the SmartThings platform. Read more.

Swiss Re Capital Markets Places Catastrophe Bond For Farmers Insurance Group
Swiss Re Capital Markets successfully closed the USD 400 million Series 2025-1 Principal At-Risk Variable Rate Notes transaction issued by Topanga Re Ltd. on behalf of the companies comprising the Farmers Insurance Group. The transaction represents the second issuance to be completed by Farmers and provides collateralized reinsurance protection against named storms, earthquakes, severe weather and fire that affect the United States. Read more.

Hail, Wind Resilience Pilot Launched In Calgary
Avalon Master Builder, in partnership with Aviva Canada, ICLR, and the CHBA, is pleased to announce the launch of a pilot project in Calgary to integrate resilience measures into new multi-family buildings in order to reduce costly damage from hail and wind. Read more.

IG Wealth Management 2026 Market Outlook
According to IG Wealth Management's latest annual Market Outlook report, Canadian investors that continue to exercise discipline and patience amid market uncertainty, while prioritizing fundamental-driven investment management, will find themselves on the right path in 2026. Read more.

NTT DOCOMO GLOBAL & Accenture Launch Universal Wallet Infrastructure
NTT DOCOMO GLOBAL and Accenture are teaming up to develop and scale the Universal Wallet Infrastructure (UWI), a groundbreaking platform designed to deliver enterprise-grade digital trust services and ensure seamless interoperability across enterprises, governments, industries, and geographies. Read more.

Consumers Balancing Essential Spending With Small Feel-Good Indulgences
Concerned with their diminishing purchasing power and financial uncertainty, consumers are becoming more deliberate about how they save money and where they treat themselves, with fairness emerging as the foundation of consumer value, according to Capgemini Research Institute's fifth annual global consumer trends report. Read more.

CMT Recognized For Mobility Ecosystem Innovation
Frost & Sullivan has recognized Cambridge Mobile Telematics, the world's largest telematics service provider, for its outstanding achievements in sustainability, driver engagement, behavioral improvement, operational efficiency, and social impact in the telematics insurance and connected claims sector. Read more.

Consumer Interest In Combustion Engines Remains Steady: Deloitte
As the automotive industry navigates one of the most transformative periods in its history, Deloitte's latest annual Global Automotive Consumer Study explores consumer preferences, experiences and expectations at a moment when affordability concerns are leading many consumers to reconsider what truly defines value in mobility and what they expect from vehicle brands. Read more.

BMO Introduces Enhanced Bereavement Support
BMO Insurance is pleased to announce a new service in partnership with technology company Empathy to provide access to personalized, comprehensive, on-demand support for the challenges many beneficiaries face when navigating the loss of a loved one. Read more.

StoneRidge Acquires Driven Island Agencies
SIB Corp. is pleased to announce the acquisition of Driven Island Agencies Ltd., based in Nanaimo, and former InsureLine franchise office. This marks SIB's first brokerage acquisition in BC and a major milestone in the company's national expansion. Read more.

Definity Completes Travelers Transaction
Definity Financial Corporation is pleased to announce that it has completed the acquisition of the personal insurance business and the majority of the commercial insurance business (excluding the surety business) of the Canadian operations of The Travelers Companies, Inc. Read more.

After Latest BC Floods, Governments Must Invest More In Resilience: IBC
Insurance Bureau of Canada has issued a statement about the severe weather and flooding in southern British Columbia last month that led to evacuations, power outages, and damaged homes and farms, disrupting the lives and livelihoods of thousands of British Columbians. Tragically, it also led to loss of life. Read more.

In the InsurTech Spotlight this week:

FlightClaim
Our online platform helps air travellers claim compensation from airlines when they face disruption. Our real-time travel assistant product, Peace of Mind, follows travelers on their trip and notifies them of their rights when they face disruption and automatically submits the claim for compensation from the airlines. Learn more.

Calling all InsurTechs! Click here to participate.

Featured job opportunities:

Associate Claims Advisor, Auto
Gore Mutual Insurance
Cambridge, ON

Director, Corporate Claims Quality Assurance & Training (Auto Fund)
SGI
Regina, SK

From Doug Continuous Underwriting Traditionally, underwriting assessed risk factors based on historical factors to establish conditions and price for a fixed term – commonly a year. But there have always been exceptions. Some commercial policies allow monthly variables such as inventory, work in progress, etc., to adjust coverage and avoid over- or under-insurance. Underwriting remained annual, but the final premium amount is adjusted. Modern technology, such as sensors, enables more precise and automatic reporting of some variables and innovative insurers have created new products. An example is CAA's MyPace low-distance product with a fixed premium portion for Accident Benefits, Liability, etc. (pay annually or monthly), plus a variable portion paid whenever the vehicle is driven each 1,000 km distance. Although innovative, the risk is still underwritten annually. Today's auto/property monitoring captures ever more data, including behaviour factors as well. Such data allows for ongoing risk assessment – continuous underwriting if you will. This growing trend feeds the insurance industry's evolution into a risk management role to better manage and reduce risk, i.e. “predict and prevent.” Food for thought. Might the standard term of a policy change, and might premiums be adjusted more frequently in future? Doug Grant, CIP Partner Insurance-Canada.ca