Howie, Sacks & Henry LLP partner Kaitlyn MacDonell was featured in Insurance Business Canada, explaining how Ontario’s shift to optional auto coverage could widen coverage gaps for accident victims and draw brokers and insurers into litigation alongside at-fault drivers. As policyholders trade thinner coverage for lower premiums, Kaitlyn expects claims to increasingly run up against policy limits, pushing plaintiff and defence lawyers to scrutinize what brokers knew about their clients’ needs before recommending reduced coverage.
Kaitlyn flagged cyclists, pedestrians, and workers without disability benefits as most exposed, since their recovery often depends on someone else’s coverage rather than their own. Weighing the modest premium savings against the risk of claimants exhausting their coverage and falling back on public systems, she was direct: the trade-off isn’t worth it. Read her full comments in Insurance Business Canada.
