Insurance Law

A Snapshot of our Recent Activity — Insurance Law

First and foremost, we would like to wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2021 in both your personal and professional lives. We look forward to sharing with you a snapshot of our activities over the course of the year. Since our previous six-month review, the firm has been very busy. In fact RSS […]

The Obligation to Defend: The Superior Court Steps In

The Superior Court’s decision in Labelle c. Jivestudio Inc., 2020 QCCS 3420, rendered in the midst of the pandemic, ruled on the underlying criteria to determine, at a preliminary stage, whether an insurer has an obligation to take up its insured’s defence. The plaintiff was seriously injured while performing an acrobatic manoeuvre with a troupe […]

An Insured Is Bound by His Statements About His State Of Health

The decision in Croteau (Succession de Roy) c. TD Compagnie d’assurance-vie, 2020 QCCS 3539, rendered on October 21, deals with the nullity of a contract of insurance of persons for misrepresentation and/or concealment. The Court reiterated that the insurer, represented by RSS, was entitled to presume that the declarations of the insured were true, and […]

Future Electronics v. Chubb Insurance: The Insurer Prevails in Canada’s First Ruling on the Social Engineering Fraud Endorsement

The Quebec Superior Court ruling rendered on September 29 in Future Electronics Inc. (Distribution) Pte Ltd. v. Chubb Insurance Company of Canada, 2020 QCCS 3042 is the first Canadian decision, and only the second North American ruling, that has analyzed the interplay between the Social Engineering Fraud, Computer Fraud and Funds Transfer Fraud insuring agreements […]

The Warranty Against Latent Defects: The Importance of Presumptions

The Superior Court’s decision in Compagnie d’assurances AIG du Canada c. Kenworth Québec inc., 2020 QCCS 1377, is a reminder of the principles applicable to the warranty against latent defects. In April 2014, a Kenworth vehicle belonging to the City of Shawinigan [City] and insured by Compagnie d’assurances AIG du Canada [AIG] caught fire and […]

Coverage Under a Wrap-up Policy May Be Excluded When the Work Is Not Completed

In Constructions Reliance inc. (Constructions Reliance du Canada ltée) c. Compagnie d’assurances Temple, 2020 QCCA 947, recently rendered by the Court of Appeal, the Court concluded that the judge of first instance had not committed any error in deciding that the wrap-up policy issued by Temple did not cover damages caused by a painter since […]

Supreme Court of Canada Upholds Criminalization of Genetic Discrimination

On July 10, a 275-paragraph judgment (Reference re Genetic Non-Discrimination Act, 2020 SCC 17) handed down by a five-to-four majority of the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the constitutional validity of sections 1 to 7 of the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act [Act]. Accordingly, no one will be able to compel a person to undergo a genetic […]

A Snapshot of our Recent Activity — Insurance Law

A brief portrait of cases and activities of RSS’s Insurance Law Practice Group over the past few months Active Despite the Coronavirus The pandemic has not spared the legal community. However, as legal services were quickly declared essential services by the Quebec government, we were able to maintain our activities. On March 13, 2020, Quebec […]

The Judicial Clock Will Be Running Again in September

Over the last month, activities in various sectors are gradually resuming and the re-openings are occurring in phases — as has been the case for our courts. You may recall that last March, ministerial orders were issued to order the suspension of numerous delays and limitation periods until the Government of Quebec announces the end of […]

A Double First: Jurisprudence on YouTube and First Dismissal of a Claim for Business Interruption Following the Coronavirus

On July 1, Michigan Circuit Court Judge Joyce Draganchuk heard a motion by teleconference via Zoom. However, the hearing and the summary judgment rendered on the bench were broadcast live on YouTube on behalf of Judge Draganchuk. It is therefore a first and it will be interesting to see if our Quebec Courts will admit […]
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