Saturday, 24 October 2015

Wedding Insurance

Wedding insurance is a policy that provides financial protection against an unpredictable event that can occur. This type of coverage is especially important given the increasing cost of weddings.The following is a list of some of the benefits that may be provided under a wedding insurance package policy:
Time to say I do

• Cancellation or Postponement Expenses: Reimbursement for expenses that result from cancellation.

• Illness or Injury: If certain individuals involved in the wedding get injured or become ill and the wedding needs to postponed, the expenses involved with the postponement are covered.

• Weather: If you wedding has to be postponed due to rain or bad weather conditions, there is coverage for the cost of rescheduling.

• Failure of Suppliers: Reimbursement for any non-recoverable deposits from a supplier who fails to provide their services as agreed upon.

• Rented Property: Reimbursement for direct physical loss or damage to any rented property used during the wedding reception.

• Wedding Rings: Reimbursement for loss or damage to wedding rings for a stated period of time prior to the wedding until the conclusion of the ceremony.

• Wedding Gifts: Reimbursement for damage to wedding gifts up to 24 hours after you receive them. The weddings gifts must be either at the reception venue or in transit from the reception venue to the home of the wedding party. The coverage ends once the wedding gifts arrive at the home of the wedding party.

• Wedding Cake and Flowers: Reimbursement for any direct physical damage to or loss of the wedding cake or flowers for a specified number of days prior to the wedding an up until the conclusion of reception.

• Photographs, Video, DVD or Other Medium: Reimbursement for the photographer’s or videographer’s expenses incurred to correct, or retake the wedding photographs or other medium within a specified timeframe from the actual wedding event.The following are some of the riders that can be added to the standard wedding insurance package policy for an additional premium to address the policyholder’s specific needs:

• Honeymoon: Cancellation of the honeymoon due to illness, bad weather or other specified circumstance.

• Liability Insurance: Liability insurance if the ceremony and or reception is held at a site that doesn’t carry liability insurance such as a private residence. This provides coverage in the event a guest sustains personal injury or causes injury to someone else.

• Military Service: If the bride or groom are in the military or active reserves, coverage is provided if  they are called into service and the wedding has to be postponed.There are conditions, limitations, and exclusions that are outlined in the policy wording. It is important to consult an insurance broker for expert advice. You will want to ensure you have the appropriate coverage to address loss to property as well as against lawsuits for personal injury to a guest or caused by a guest.

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Friday, 9 October 2015

The Benefits of Snow Tires

Winter tires wheels installed on suv car outdoors



In April 2015, the Ontario government announced that insurance companies will be required to offer drivers a discount for choosing to put snow tires on their cars and trucks. The government stopped short of following Quebec’s lead in making winter tires mandatory.

In Quebec, winter tires need to be installed by December 15 each year and remain in place until the following March 15. Quebec’s Ministry of Transport found that the implementation of mandatory winter tires made an immediate impact. There were five percent fewer victims of motor vehicle accidents in the first year of the program as compared to the five years prior to the mandatory requirement.

Winter tires work because they have enough rubber to stay soft and flexible in the cold. Winter tires are less slippery than all-season tires because they contain silica, which is like sand, and gives winter tires a biting edge on slippery snow. Winter tires also have tread design features that push away water, slush, and snow so that drivers can corner and brake safely. All-season tires by comparison get hard and lose their effectiveness when temperatures dip below seven degrees Celsius. All-season and summer tires are more prone to clog with snow creating an unsafe and slippery driving surface.

Winter tires will not prevent a car accident but they do provide better protection for you, your family, and other drivers. If you, or someone you know, has been injured while driving on winter roads a personal injury lawyer can help. Do you fit in to our areas of practice? Contact Oatley Vigmond today for more information.

Friday, 2 October 2015

Insurance and Risks of Misrepresentation

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When you apply for insurance, you have a duty to disclose all relevant information and be honest in answering every question. Failing to do so can amount to misrepresentation which may lead the insurer to void the policy or deny you coverage.

Material misrepresentation simply means failing to report or falsely reporting any important information that would prevent the insurer from properly assessing the risks of insuring the policy holder.

Voiding the insurance policy means that the insurance contract was invalid from its inception. This is because from the very beginning, the policy holder failed to provide the information that the insurer required to assess the risks of insuring him or her. Even if the insurer does not void the policy, the insurer may still deny coverage based on material misrepresentation.

The insurer may also refuse to defend the insured in a lawsuit. A lawsuit starts by the plaintiff making certain allegations against the defendant in a document called the Statement of Claim. If these allegations fall within the scope of the coverage in the insurance policy, the insurer will have a duty to defend the named defendant in the lawsuit. This means covering all legal expenses.

However, if the policy holder has materially misrepresented, the insurer may refuse to defend its policy holder when he or she gets sued. This means the policy holder will be personally responsible for the lawsuit instead of the insurance company.

For these reasons, it is very important to be truthful to your insurance company, and provide them with all relevant information. Failing to do so can result in disastrous and unknown consequences. For any questions or concerns, feel free to visit us here.