Publications

March 13, 2024

An insurer ordered to pay damages – The Court of Appeal intervenes

On February 12, 2024, the Court of Appeal of Quebec handed down its decision in Société d’assurance Beneva inc. c. Bordeleau,1 dealing in particular with the burden of proof incumbent on an insurer when it denies coverage on the basis of an insured’s intentional fault, and an award of damages (…)

July 21, 2023

Bill 30 – legislative changes concerning insurance

On June 7, 2023, the Minister of Finance of Quebec tabled and presented Bill 30 before the National Assembly, an omnibus bill entitled An Act to amend various provisions mainly with respect to the financial sector (hereinafter the “Bill”).  The Bill includes certain amendments to the provisions of (…)

March 16, 2023

Insurers: Two-headed hydras

On January 30, 2023, the Court of Appeal of Quebec rendered a decision in Commission scolaire De La Jonquière c. Intact Compagnie d’assurance.1 The key issues in this case are the potential for conflicts arising from liability insurance policies and the obligation to disclose documents where (…)

January 19, 2023

Clarifications regarding insurance products offered on the Internet

In early 2022, the Autorité des marchés financiers (the “AMF”) conducted specific consultations on financial products offered on the Internet. Further to these consultations, the AMF published explanations on the Regulation respecting Alternative Distribution Methods (the “RADM”) in late (…)

May 2, 2022

Complaint processing: New framework to come for financial institutions and financial intermediaries

Last September, the AMF published its draft Regulation respecting complaint processing and dispute resolution in the financial sector (the “Draft Regulation”). The consultation period for it ended on December 8, 2021. The AMF is currently reviewing the many comments it received. The Draft (…)

April 25, 2022

Amendments to the categories of contracts covered by the exemptions to the obligation of an insurer to assume an insured’s defence—the Regulation to come into force

On April 20, 2022, the government issued Order in Council 656-2022, which makes significant amendments to the Regulation respecting categories of insurance contracts and classes of insureds that may derogate from the rules of articles 2500 and 2503 (the “Regulation”). The original version of the (…)

September 24, 2021

Limitation of insurer’s duty to defend: The Draft Regulation specifying the categories of contracts covered is published

On September 8, 2021, Mr. Éric Girard, Minister of Finance, presented his Draft Regulation specifying the classes of liability insurance contracts that may derogate from public policy rules previously applicable to liability insurance (the “Draft Regulation”), namely those set out in articles 2500 (…)

July 13, 2021

Insurer’s Duty to Defend: The Court Rules in a Case of Contractual Breach

The question of insurers’ duty to defend is back in the spotlight. On March 18, 2021, the Superior Court once again considered the issue in its application of the law to facts relevant to the dispute.1 Facts In April 2016, Cégerco Inc. (“Cégerco”), a general contractor, retained the services of (…)

June 8, 2021

Adoption of Bill 82: The insurer’s duty to defend can now be adjusted

On Thursday, May 27, 2021, article 2503 of the Civil Code of Québec was amended as part of the adoption of Bill 82, titled An Act respecting mainly the implementation of certain provisions of the budget speech of 10 March 2020, which we had discussedin a publication last December. The added (…)

December 18, 2020

Insurer's Duty to Defend: Bill 82 Opens the Door to Possible Limitations

On December 11, 2020, the Minister of Finance, Éric Girard, introduced and tabled Bill 82 entitled An Act respecting mainly the implementation of certain provisions of the Budget Speech of 10 March 2020 (hereinafter the “Bill”) before the National Assembly.  The Bill opens the door to possible (…)

January 14, 2020

Are you protected against phishing email?
What the Court of Appeal said in insurance matters

Phishing fraud is a rampant problem that causes major losses throughout the world. It consists in bad actors sending emails in which they falsely claim to be a trusted third party or legitimate company in order to obtain confidential information from the recipient for the purpose of committing (…)

October 11, 2019

Insurers’ Duty to Defend: The Court of Appeal makes a new ruling

The Court of Appeal of Quebec was once again called upon to rule on a Wellington type application aiming to force an insurer to defend its insureds1. Over the years, the scope of this duty has developed extensively in case law. In this particular case, the Court ordered that defence costs be (…)

May 8, 2019

Bill 141 and divided Co-ownerships: What changes in insurance for co-owners?

On June 13, 2018, Bill 141, An Act mainly to improve the regulation of the financial sector, the protection of deposits of money and the operation of financial institutions (hereinafter referred to as the “Act”), received assent. This reform has a significant impact on certain laws governing the (…)