Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Insurance News - Tuesday, May 19, 2015
Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Tuesday, May 19, 2015:
- Uber has applied for a taxi brokerage licence but Toronto city is proceeding with its court case. Meanwhile John Tory urges the parties to negotiate.
- Google which has been testing driverless cars on California’s roads and highways reports theri cars were involved in 11 minor accidents over the past six years. They claim their cars did not cause any of the accidents.
- Minnesota becomes the 38th state to allow electronic proof of insurance. Still no Canadian jurisdictions have introduced electronic pink slips.
- The first self-driving vehicles may have 18 wheels and they are currently being tested on American highways.
- Parents will like self-driving cars because they will be able to control speed, curfews and number of passengers for teens.
- Why Ontario’s auto insurance system is a car wreck.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Ministry of Finance Is Consulting on SABS Changes - Updated
The Ministry of Finance is consulting on SABS changes previously announced in the 2015 Ontario Budget. The changes listed below are listed in the government's Regulatory Registry. The consultation period ends on June 29, 2015.
The changes to the catastrophic impairment definition have now been described. Many of the recommendations made by the former Superintendent are to be implemented. Two significant changes are noted. Psychiatric impairment based on the GAF scale has not been mentioned. However, mental and behavioural impairments will have a revise definition which includes updated detailed criteria and new diagnostic tools. They might be similar to the Superintendent's recommendations but it is unclear from the description provided. Also combining physical impairments with mental and behavioural impairments will be set out in the SABS. The 6th edition of the AMA Guides is to be used for quantifying mental and behavioural impairments for the purposes of combining. [NOTE: I have been able to clarify that GAF will in fact be included in the new definition for mental and behavioural impairments as well as a number of the other Superintendent's recommendations]
The changes to the catastrophic impairment definition have now been described. Many of the recommendations made by the former Superintendent are to be implemented. Two significant changes are noted. Psychiatric impairment based on the GAF scale has not been mentioned. However, mental and behavioural impairments will have a revise definition which includes updated detailed criteria and new diagnostic tools. They might be similar to the Superintendent's recommendations but it is unclear from the description provided. Also combining physical impairments with mental and behavioural impairments will be set out in the SABS. The 6th edition of the AMA Guides is to be used for quantifying mental and behavioural impairments for the purposes of combining. [NOTE: I have been able to clarify that GAF will in fact be included in the new definition for mental and behavioural impairments as well as a number of the other Superintendent's recommendations]
- Change the standard benefit level for medical and rehabilitation benefits to $65,000 (from $50,000) and include attendant care services under this benefit limit. An option will be provided for consumers to increase this coverage to up to $1 million;
- Reduce the standard duration of medical and rehabilitation benefits from 10 years to five years for all claimants except children and those with catastrophic impairments;
- Include attendant care services with the $1 million medical and rehabilitation benefit for catastrophic impairments, and provide the option for additional coverage of $1 million, for $2 million in total coverage;
- Eliminate the six month waiting period for non-earner benefits and limit the duration of non-earner benefits to two years after the accident;
- Require goods and services not explicitly listed in the SABS to be "essential" and agreed upon by the insurer; and
- Update the definition of catastrophic impairment (CAT) to reflect the most up to date medical information and knowledge. Amendments will be proposed based on the Superintendent's Report on the Definition of Catastrophic Impairment in the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule, subject to modifications. Proposed updates include:
- Paraplegia or quadriplegia: Revise the definition with updated detailed criteria and new diagnostic tools;
- Total and permanent loss of use of an arm or leg: Revise the definition with detailed criteria and new diagnostic tools dealing with impairment of ambulatory mobility; - Total blindness: Update the definition by adding reference to 20/200 visual acuity threshold (legal blindness);
- Traumatic brain injury: For adults, eliminate Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) and adopt the Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E) as the clinical assessment tool; for children under age 18 adopt use of King's Outcome Scale for Childhood Head Injury (KOSHI) as the clinical assessment tool;
- Allow for automatic CAT designation of children in certain cases;
- For mental and behavioural impairments, revise the definition to include updated detailed criteria and new diagnostic tools; and
- Combination of impairments: For other physical impairments not listed retain current definition and adopt new diagnostic tool (6th Edition of AMA Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment) for quantifying mental and behavioural impairments for the purposes of combining.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Insurance News - Monday, May 4, 2015
Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Monday, May 4, 2015:
- What would happen if Uber drivers became owners instead of independent contractors or employees? These Denver cabbies are making it happen.
- Will Google Auto Insurance Comparison change the auto insurance industry?
- Auto insurance reforms once again trying to work their way through the Michigan state legislature. The State Senate has passed a bill but whether it makes it through the House is not clear.
- An Uber executive recently touted the potential for self-driving cars and Uber cars with no drivers.
- The Montreal taxi bureau has seized 40 UberX vehicles.
- J.D. Power reports that auto insurers continue to miss the mark to improve the customer experience in Canada.
30 Year Fixed Rate Mortgage
The traditional loan is the 30-year fixed rate mortgage. This is the most popular loan for those buying homes for the first time and even those who own more than one home. The 30-year fixed home loan fits more financial situations than any other home loan. This loan program also allows the home buyer to have low monthly payments without paying large amounts of interest over the life of the loan. The rate is also fixed and will never change during the life of the mortgage. That makes this loan the perfect choice for future homeowners.
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