An insured assaulted in a parking lot and placed in the trunk of his car may be entitled to benefits under his automobile insruance policy

The plaintiff was successful in arguing that injuries sustained during an assault in which the assailants made use of his vehicle were injuries that arose directly from the use or operation of the vehicle.

Martin v. 2064324 Ontario Inc., [2011] O.J. No. 5471, December 5, 2011, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, D.K. Gray J.

Continue Reading...

Relatives living in a separate and distinct household may not be entitled to fire insurance from the non resident house

An application seeking a declaration that the defendant was an unnamed insured under the policy was dismissed when it was shown that the defendant, who was a relative of the insureds, maintained a separate and distinct household from the insureds.

Jomaa v. Jomaa, [2011] O.J. No. 5468, December 2, 2011, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, D.J. Power J.

Continue Reading...

Disabilty benefits are generally deductible from motor vehicle damage awards in Ontario. Care should be taken to instruct the jury to do so.

Private long-term disability benefits are deductible from an award for past wage loss made by jury to plaintiff in respect of injuries sustained in a motor-vehicle accident, but only if the jury is instructed to deduct them.

Brown v. Campbell, [2011] O.J. No. 5991, December 5, 2011, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, M.J. Nolan J.

Continue Reading...

A university may owe a general duty to defend professors from allegations of intellectual property theft by students

University insurer found to have duty to defend employees of university in context of claims by a former student for misappropriation of ideas and use of concepts.

Baiden v. Canadian Universities Reciprocal Insurance Exchange, [2011] O.J. No. 5850, December 15, 2011, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, C.J. Brown J.

Continue Reading...

Insurers and brokers may not owe a duty to a third party to ensure that the insured is the owner of the vehicle

Two insurance companies and an insurance broker were found not to owe a duty to the actual owner of a vehicle to investigate the ownership of a vehicle when approving or issuing an application for insurance.

Barzo v. Chrysler Financial Services Inc., [2011] O.J. No. 5874, December 21, 2011, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, J. Mackinnon J.

Continue Reading...

An insured may be entitled to punitive damages if her insured unsuccessfully attempts to breach her for impaired driving

A plaintiff was successful in seeking a declaration that she was entitled to coverage on the basis that her motor vehicle insurer had not established she was impaired at the time of the accident and she was awarded punitive damages for the insurer’s bad faith conduct with respect to the claim.

McDonald v. Insurance Corp. of British Columbia, [2012] B.C.J. No. 372, February 24, 2012, British Columbia Supreme Court, S.K. Ballance J.

Continue Reading...

Massage therapy may be a mandatory first party benefit under an ICBC policy of automobile insurance

An application seeking payment for the cost of massage therapy under the mandatory no-fault benefits provisions of the Insurance (Motor Vehicle) Act Regulation was allowed on the basis the term "physical therapy" may include massage therapy, provided the other requirements to receive no-fault benefits are met.

Raguin v. Insurance Corp. of British Columbia, [2011] B.C.J. No. 2262, November 29, 2011, British Columbia Court of Appeal, M.A. Rowles, M.E. Saunders and D.F. Tysoe JJ.A.

Continue Reading...

Lending a vehicle to an employee who is not licensed to drive may not breach insurance

Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Co. v. S.C. Construction Ltd., [2012] O.J. No. 316, January 26, 2012, Ontario Superior Court of Justice, E.P. Belobaba J.

An application for a declaration that statutory conditions of a policy of insurance had been breached and for a declaration that there was no obligation to defend and indemnify the insured. The application was dismissed.

Continue Reading...