Volume 54, Number 3, 1986

EN:

Given the seriousness of the situation, we have asked Mr. Jean-Marie Bouchard, General lnspector of Financial Institutions in Quebec, to describe the scope of his powers and of his dealings with insurers, firstly, to assess their current situation, secondly, to ensure that insurers are fulfilling their functions from a legal standpoint and, thirdly, to ascertain that their resources are always sufficient to cover their commitments. The article shows clearly that Mr. Bouchard is in the best position to determine the solvency of a company, assess the scope of its actions and implement the measures he feels are necessary. Indeed, he is perhaps the only person who can do so.

EN:

In his article, the author deplores the ever-increasing budgetary deficits of our governments and concludes that: "Restoring financial equilibrium will, no doubt, require a revamping of our government social programmes and an in-depth revision of our tax system; but, it seems preferable to consider such changes now rather than waiting to be forced to react to situations beyond our control".

FR:

L’auteur de ce travail présente les problèmes actuels de la réassurance et de l’assurance au Canada, en s’efforçant de présenter les problèmes dans toute leur acuité. D’où son titre : The moment of truth. En se penchant sur ce double champ d’action, il a constaté les difficultés à travers lesquelles passent les assureurs en ce moment. Il ne cherche pas à les minimiser; il les présente telles qu’il les voit avec toute leur gravité, en indiquant les solutions essentielles, aussi bien en assurance qu’en réassurance.

EN:

The author takes an in-depth look at the development of general liability for the physician over the last few years, as seen through the eyes of the courts. Mr. Boily speaks of a crisis in the making which, to us, appears to be an accurate perception given the situation of the last few years. However, Mr. Boily does conclude: "By clearly defining the judicial process, we will undoubtedly put a stop to abusive suits. Plantiffs will think twice before taking physicians and hospitals to court".

EN:

The author gives an overview of the free trade-proposal between the United States and Canada and, taking the province of Quebec in particular, concludes thus: "Will anything ever come of the negotiations? Or do we have to be content with limited free trade? Will whole areas of trade be left out of the agreement? Worse still, will we fail completely? lt is still too early to say. lt does seem clear, however, that Quebec has much more to gain than to lose from a free-trade agreement with the United States. Favouring such an exchange are the recent upswing of business in Quebec, the rapid pace of current technological advances, improved funding and the ability to adapt to these changes.

FR:

M. Christopher J. Robey présente ici sa revue annuelle de l’exercice 1985, en l’accompagnant de commentaires sur les principaux événements de 1986. Avec sa lucidité ordinaire, s’il montre les résultats, il s’efforce de les expliquer. Puis, il indique l’évolution du marché, les tendances aussi bien du point de vue technique que financier et les recommandations de l’industrie, à la suite d’un comité nommé par le gouvernement ontarien pour apporter des solutions à des problèmes immédiats ou lointains.

EN:

Article 2564 C.C. was the subject of two recent and apparently contradictory judgments of the Provincial Court on the question of the rights of an assured to be defended by his insurer, when his liability is sought for damages caused intentionally to a third party by his children. One court held that article 2564 C.C. does not allow putting into effect the disculpatory clause found in article 1054 C.C. in similar circumstances. Me Faribault explains that even if the legislator had wanted to effect a sweeping reform by drafting article 2564 C.C. as he did, he should not be seen as "having thrown out the baby with the bathwater".

FR:

L’article que Me John D. Holding, Q.C., a bien voulu nous autoriser à publier est le texte d’une conférence donnée par l’auteur à la Société des Fellows de l’Institut d’assurance du Canada, le 20 mars 1986, à Hamilton, Ontario. Le sujet ne manque pas d’intérêt. Nous avons déjà eu l’occasion de présenter à nos lecteurs des travaux sur l’évolution de la jurisprudence canadienne en matière de responsabilité civile, notamment dans le numéro du mois d’avril 1986. Le discours de Me Holding est dans le même esprit, avec un accent particulier sur l’évolution des règles applicables en Common Law. L’auteur a attaché une grande importance aux décisions rendues par les tribunaux. En plus de l’abondance et de la richesse de la jurisprudence, il signale les recommandations faites par l’Association du Barreau Canadien, section de l’Ontario. Comme l’évolution de la notion de faute a un impact direct sur l’assurance de responsabilité, l’étude de Me Holding est un témoignage important, nous a-t-il semblé.

EN:

Towards equitable insurance tariffs – The intensification of competition on insurance markets is giving more and more audience to the principle of premiums personalization. Antagonistic to the traditional principle of risks mutualization, this new trend aims at "equitable" insurance tariffs, i.e. tariffs such that premiums are exactly proportioned to risks. This article is concerned with two questions: 1. Is it possible to design such equitable tariffs, considering the fact that insurers have only incomplete information about the insured? 2. Are equitable tariffs really desirable?

EN:

In days gone by, we had to refer to external sources, often great in number, to gather the details needed for a particular insurance or reinsurance file. Sodarcan took the initiative to create a Documentation Centre which can be used by both its departments and its clients. In this article, Miss Monique Dumont, Director, explains how the Centre operates, how it is staffed and what services it offers.

FR:

Dans notre numéro d’octobre 1984, notre collaborateur a expliqué la fonction de l’Insurance Ombudsman en Angleterre, c’est-à-dire le défenseur impartial de l’assuré auprès des assureurs qui ont adhéré à l’organisme. Il signale que le nombre de ceux-ci va en augmentant, puisqu’il est passé de 44 en 1981 à 163 en 1985. C’est ainsi que, cette année-là, le Bureau aurait obtenu 143 révisions et maintenu la décision de l’assureur dans 486 autres cas; ce qui montre l’utilité du poste et le justifie.