Author: Omolara Oladipo

Insurance agents and brokers may want to revisit/confirm their practice, especially with policy renewals.

Douglas R. Mah, J. in Duraguard Fence Ltd v Badry, 2019 ABQB 783, found that a failure by an insurance broker to provide adequate coverage was a breach of a duty of care, but NOT a breach of fiduciary duty. The court relied on Fine’s Flowers Ltd v General Accident Assurance Co of Canada Ltd, 17 OR (2d) 529, 1977 CanLII 1182 (ONCA), and G.K.N. Keller Canada Ltd. v Hartford Fire Insurance Co. (1983), 1 C.C.L.I. 34 (Ont. H.C.) for the definition of the duty of care applicable to insurance brokers.

• Introduction

In Windsor v. Portage La Prairie Mutual Insurance Company, 2017 ABPC 316, the Plaintiff claimed indemnification under a residential insurance policy by the Defendant when unknown persons broke into her garage and stole some items including some prop guns. 

As a brief background, Mr. Wendland who was not named in the Action, signed a promissory note on June 19, 2014, pursuant to which he agreed to pay the Plaintiff $25,000.00 and interest at an unspecified rate, to secure a repayment of funds later loaned to Wendland in an amount totalling $24,175.81.  Wendland had given the prop guns to the plaintiff as security for the loan.