Our blog has moved!

We will now be blogging from the Rhodes & Williams learning center!

Come check out our completely revamped website and Learning Center for the most up-to-date tips and information surrounding the insurance industry.

We hope our Learning Center will help ensure you are informed and protected.

Visit our new blog spot

Visit our Learning Center 

What you need to know this SPRING!

With the warm weather finally making an appearance, it’s time to start thinking about spring maintenance of your home.

It is important to ensure proper maintenance practices and inspect your home on a regular basis in order to avoid future claims and problems.

Here are a couple quick tips to keep your home in working condition;

1.       Check and clean your furnace air filters 

2.       Clean or replace your air-conditioning filter

3.       Check your smoke, carbon monoxide and security alarms and replace the batteries

4.       Clean your windows, screens and hardware. 

5.       Examine your foundation walls for cracks, leaks or signs of moisture. 

6.       Clear all drainage ditches and eaves troughs of debris   

7.       Ensure that your downspouts are directed away from your foundation

Stayed tuned for more great tips on summer maintenance!!!

Written by Geneviève St-Denis,
Rhodes & Williams Insurance

Who should YOU list on your automobile policy?

So, your sister is coming to visit you for a week or so and she may be driving your vehicle. You may wonder; "Should I call the insurance company to list my sister as a driver on my automobile policy?" 

For most insurance companies, the answer would be; No.

It is important to understand that you may not be required to list a driver on your automobile policy if you are lending your vehicle to a licensed friend or family member. Same reasoning applies to a short term visitor in your home who may loan the vehicle on one or two occasions during their visit. But remember, when you lend your vehicle.... you lend your insurance. If the driver has an accident while driving your car, the incident goes on YOUR insurance record.  

*Important*

"It is stated clearly in your automobile policy that as the policy holder, you have an obligation to advise your Insurance Broker of any driver(s) that have regular or frequent use of your vehicle."

If you do not disclose a driver either on the application or after your policy has been processed, it could mean major problems for you down the road when you may have to put in a claim. Your claim could either be denied or your policy could be cancelled all together.

Here are some examples that outline who should be listed as a driver on your automobile policy.

* Remember every insurance company may have different regulations so we strongly recommend that you speak with your automobile insurer* 

1.  ANY licensed drivers living in your household
2. The registered owner of the vehicle
3. ANY licensed driver who has frequent or regular use of the vehicle. For example, driving the vehicle to school or to work several times a week
4. ANY person using your car as a part of a car pooling arrangement 
5. A car that is insured on your policy, but is garaged elsewhere with another driver; this driver must also be named on your policy. For example, your child who is away at school and using your vehicle while he/she is studying. 

Please contact your local broker for any questions you may have concerning who you should list on your automobile policy.

Safe Driving! Visit our website for more tips

Written By Geneviève St-Denis, Account Executive,
Rhodes & Williams Insurance Brokers.







One Size Doesn’t Fit All

If you run your own business, you know that it’s unique. Not all restaurants, for example, serve the same food to the same people during the same hours in the same neighborhood  Some offer take out while others don’t. Some only serve breakfast and lunch while others only serve dinner. And so it goes with whatever type of business you operate and that’s why it’s critically important that your insurance broker fully understands the full scope of your operation. If they don’t, they won’t be able to ensure that your business exposures are properly covered. If your broker doesn't know your business, the consequences can be serious. 

Written By Lorne Wiebe,
Rhodes & Williams Account Executive.
Photo credit: ourhometown.ca

For example, it’s possible that a food manufacturer doesn't have insurance to cover the cost of having to recall a defective product that it has shipped to market. It’s possible that a contractor which operates at an airport doesn't have coverage for any business it conducts at the airport. And it is also possible that a wholesaler which exports a good chunk of its products to the U-S doesn't have any insurance coverage for that arm of its business. How do I know that these scenarios are all possible? Because these are just a few of the real-life situations I've discovered as I've been reviewing the existing insurance policies of potential customers.

Unfortunately, the business owners in all of these cases had no idea that there were gaping holes in their policies. When I asked them if their insurance broker fully understood their business operation, each of them admitted that they probably didn't.

The blame here lies mostly at the feet of the brokers who do not dig deep enough when they meet with their clients. Does your broker know your business?
Every time you meet with your broker (and it should be at least a couple of times a year) he or she should be asking you a lot of questions. Are your business revenue projections still on track? Have you been hiring or reducing your workforce? Is your business providing any new services or products and conversely, has it withdrawn any from the marketplace? What are your future plans? Has your business’s online activity changed? All of these questions and about a dozen more should be a part of your typical broker conversation.

In the cases above, if the broker knew that the contractor had taken on work at an airport and that the wholesaler had begun exporting products to the U-S, they could have easily found coverage, however either the broker didn’t ask or their client didn’t think it was important for them to know. It really all comes down to the relationship that you have with your broker. That’s one of the reasons why Rhodes & Williams Ltd has a formal “Client Service Plan” which includes a mid-year client review. The free flow of information and advice throughout the year is a pretty good litmus test on how your broker relationship is going. If you don’t hear from your broker except when they want money at renewal, it’s time to find someone else. 

Planning a trip this March break?

With your vacation right around the corner, you are busy preparing everything that goes along with taking off to a sunny destination; getting the whole family packed, running around to pick up the last couple items needed and confirming your reservations with the airlines/hotels are only but a couple things that you have to do before jetting away.

But before you jump on that plane, have you thought about travel and health insurance?  

Although our provincial health plan may cover certain unforeseen costs that may be incurred while travelling it doesn’t always cover out-of-country travel.  

As an example, you and your family are travelling to a sunny destination such as Mexico and someone in your party severely injures themselves while out on an excursion. They would require immediate medical evacuation which can run upwards of $50,000. In this case, the provincial health plan will only cover part of the bill and will not pay for the expense up front.  Therefore, it is extremely important to purchase private travel health insurance and to verify the conditions, limitations and requirements of your plan before your departure.

Here are a couple things to look out for when purchasing a travel health insurance plan; 

1. The plan has 24/7 emergency contact numbers in English or French or translation services for health care providers in your destination country
2. Pays for foreign hospitalization for illness or injury and related medical costs
3. Provides coverage for health care provider’s visit and prescription medicines
4. Provides direct payment of bill and cash advances abroad so you don’t incur the expense
5. Clearly outlines deductible costs
6. Covers emergency transportation, such as ambulance services
7. Provides for medical evacuation to Canada
Be sure to carry proof of your private travel health insurance and the emergency contact numbers at all times during your vacation.

Safe travels! 

Written by Geneviève St-Denis, Account Executive, Rhodes & Williams

Recent regulations prohibit Canadians from driving in Florida - Insurance Implications??

Thursday morning February 14th, news hit that Canadians were technically no longer able to operate a motor vehicle in the sunshine state of Florida. Legislators passed a law that would require non-U.S motorists to have an international driver’s permit in addition to their regular driver’s license.  

Immediate action was taken by the federal government in order to ensure Canadians driving in Florida were protected. A decision has been made to suspend the law for all Canadian drivers. However, in March, the Florida Legislature will reconvene to view the legislation.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles are proposing that Canadians should be given an official exemption from the law, which was originally put in place to help law enforcement interpret foreign licenses in other languages.

Following the announcement of the suspension, the Insurance Brokers Association of Ontario confirmed with the majority of insurance companies that they will not deny coverage.  Please contact your local insurance broker to specifically understand how your insurer will handle this situation.

Written by Geneviève St-Denis, Account Executive, Rhodes & Williams Insurance Brokers

What YOU need to know about your Valentine’s Day purchases!

With Valentines Day right around the corner, you may be planning a trip to the jewelry store.  Getting your special someone a sparkling gem is very exciting!!  So…in light of the up coming festivities, I will be pointing out some great tips on ensuring your jewelry is adequately covered just in time for the 14th of February!!

Although basic tenants, condo or homeowners insurance might include a limited amount of coverage for jewelry, the coverage is best purchased as an extension, or floater, to your property policy.  A current appraisal is often a requirement however this is something that is commonly provided by the jeweler at the time of purchase.  

Now read very closely. THE BIGGGEST reason why you want to schedule an item is simply because, if a diamond or stone goes missing, it gets replaced and covered for the FULL appraised value.  An added bonus is that the deductible does not apply to this type of claim.

It’s important to keep in mind that jewelry should be appraised periodically to accommodate fluctuation in value and to protect your investment.

Remember, it is of utmost importance to call your Insurance Broker should the value of your item increase.

Happy Valentine’s Day to all you lovers out there!!

Written by Geneviève St-Denis, Account Executive, Rhodes & Williams

See more tips from Geneviève here!

Building a Brighter Future Part 2

Last month we posted an article on our website about one of our team memebers upcoming journey to Nicaragua. If you havent had a chance to read it you can do so here.

Rachel McCully has arrived in Nicaragua where she will be helping to build a school for the community. A blog has been posted each day since the team arrived to Nicaragua, they can be read below.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

We are very proud of Rachel. We are looking forward to seeing the progress of her and the other indivuals who are helping build this school. Please stay tuned for future updates.  

"...I am very excited to be part of this amazing project and know that this will be a life changing experience"

-Rachel McCully

Going out of town? Make sure your home is protected!

Imagine coming home from a nice relaxing vacation, to find a foot of water in your house! Not a pleasant welcome home!

What happened? A pipe has burst and the water has been running out of it ever since! A 1/8-inch crack in a pipe can spill 250 gallons of water a day. That’s a lot of water where you don’t want it to be!

Why would a pipe burst? If the pipe gets cold, the water in the pipe freezes, and water expands when it freezes. This causes the pipe to burst. It can happen to copper or plastic pipes, old or new.

How would a pipe get too cold? The answer is simple--there is not enough heat in the home. The cause of the loss of heat could be the oil or propane running out, a power outage, or just having the temperature set too low.

Is it covered?  Check with your insurance company on their requirements when you are away. Some insurers require that the home be checked, but you will need to confirm with them how often. If the home can’t be checked, some insurers will require that you turn off the water and drain the pipes. To drain the system, you need to shut off the water supply and turn on every tap until the water stops running. This way, there is no water in the pipes, so they can’t freeze.

It can be extremely costly to have to replace everything ruined by the water, not to mention a health risk due to mold. You don’t want to come home to that!

Written by Sandy Bafia, Account Manager Rhodes & Williams Limited

Insurance is Just a Part of it

Lorne Wiebe has written another article about issues important to business owners, for the local online hub serving Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry - http://www.ourhometown.ca . What follows is an introduction to that article. The full article can be read in his column, "Risky Business"



Photo Credit ourhometown.ca



"..if all you are hearing from your broker is that you “need more insurance” perhaps it’s time to find a different broker"



When it comes to protecting your business from the hundreds of risks it faces everyday, you might expect an insurance broker (guilty as charged) to offer a one-word solution…insurance. But that isn’t the case – or at least it shouldn’t be. Your insurance broker needs to point out a whole list of other options for you whenever the discussion revolves around protecting your company.

We use a handy little chart at Rhodes & Williams Ltd. which spells out all of your potential protection options, including risk avoidance, risk mitigation, risk transfer and even risk acceptance. I won’t dig deep into all of these risk management options because each of them is a discussion as long as your arm and not all of them apply to every business situation but knowing just a few of them might make you think about your operation a bit differently.....

Continue Reading

Is your pet insured on your homeowner’s policy?

Some of you may remember the story of the sales associate at Home Depot who was bit by a customer’s Shih Tzu last summer.  She was bending down to pet the dog when it leaped out and bit her right in the face! The woman sustained severe injuries from the little pup and required plastic surgery in order to fix her torn off nose. 

 

The photo above is a Shih-Tzu; the same breed that is
responsible for the attack of the Home Depot Associate.
Regardless of the size, any dog can be dangerous.

 The 66-year-old customer was fined $610 by a bylaw officer and ordered to keep her 12-year-old Shih Tzu muzzled at all times in public.    

Even though the customer was reprimanded for her dog’s actions, the Home Depot employee still decided to take legal action against the dog’s owner. 

In this case, the employee would have sued against the Personal Liability portion of thecustomer’s property policy for the actions of the dog. Keep in mind that every claim is investigated on a case by case basis and that all insurance companies have different exclusions.In this situation, the insuring company did pay out the claim, however the amount was undisclosed. 

It’s important to know that a situation resulting in a liability claim can happen anywhere at anytime. Therefore, it’s important to have sufficient liability coverage on your tenants, condo or homeowners policy. In this case, it benefited the customer greatly as she did not have to bear the cost of the settlement.  

Contact your local broker for more information on liability coverage. 

*Please note that your pet is not insured on your policy as property. Meaning you would have no coverage for health benefits for your animal or coverage if they were to be stolen. 

Written by Genevieve St-Denis, Account Executive,
Rhodes & Williams Limited

Do you have signage on your vehicle? Here’s what YOU need to know!

Although signage on a vehicle may indicate that it is being used for business purposes, signage does not determine the classification of the vehicle.  The broker or insuring company would typically determine the correct use of the vehicle during the quoting process. 

Making sure your vehicle is being properly rated is very important regardless of signage. If you’re using your vehicle for business purposes but fail to disclose the correct use of the vehicle to your broker, this could result in a potential claim being denied.

Here’s an example to help illustrate this point; 

A stay-at-home mom has a small home-based business baking sugary sweets. She uses her vehicle to deliver her homemade treats to local businesses. Her vehicle is only being rated as personal use. If she were to be involved in an accident while commuting to a location to deliver her baked goods, the insurance company may deny her claim seeing the vehicle wasn’t properly rated. In this case, her vehicle should have been rated for occasional business use. The annual mileage used for business purposes will also determine the correct classification for business use of the vehicle.

Contact your local broker for any questions concerning personal or business use on your vehicle.

SINKHOLE INSURANCE!!! GET YOUR SINKHOLE INSURANCE HERE!

The recent sinkhole on the 174 east, close to Orleans, has generated some interest about insurance…… yes, you read that right - INTEREST ABOUT INSURANCE!.  Various comments appeared on twitter and facebook like a few samples below:

Facebook comment

Sooooo…. Let’s see if we can shed some light on the situation.  Remember that every situation is unique, you should talk to your insurance broker, and we only know the details about this specific case, that we can read in the newspaper.

Although the ultimate decision about claims rests with the particular insurance company, in this type of situation, we would expect the claim would handled under the loss or damage section of the policy as a collision.

If the person in question did not have collision insurance at the time of the accident, they would be financially responsible for the loss of the vehicle. They would also have to pay for their own rental vehicle (if required) and have to purchase a replacement vehicle at their own expense. They would also be responsible for the costs involved in recouping the lost funds from the province, if that was an option they wished to pursue. This would take time and money.

If the person in question had the full, appropriate physical damage coverage on the policy at the time of the accident, the insurance company would cover the loss of the vehicle, according to the terms of the insurance policy. They would also pay for a rental vehicle (assuming that coverage had been purchased), giving the client sufficient time to find a replacement vehicle. The claim would be subject to the policy deductible.

Since the collision was a single car accident, it is technically considered to be an at fault claim. However, in situations such as these, the outcome of the claim would be handled on a case by case basis. A thorough investigation would take place in order to properly negotiate the settlement with the claims adjuster.

If the insured sustained injuries (which fortunately in this case, I understand that they were only very minor) from the accident he/she would be entitled to compensation under the accident benefits portion of the policy up to a certain limit. The option to increase accident benefits on an automobile policy is available for all licensed drivers in Ontario. Increasing this coverage comes with a minimal cost but could help protect you and your loved-ones in the event of a catastrophic accident.

Free, Public Wi-Fi Can be Dangerous to Your Health

This guest blog comes from Steve Anderson. Steve provides useful tips and information that can help generate revenues and prevent loss.

A few days ago I was sitting at a local coffee shop and watched a young lady come in with her laptop. She sat down at the table, connected her laptop to the free wireless network, and proceeded to log into her online bank account. I remember thinking at the time, "That is a dangerous practice."

I then received an email from Steve Aronson, an agent in Massachusetts, highlighting the same issue. He suggested I write about how to protect your information when using free public Wi-Fi.

Wireless access to the Internet has become a necessity for many people so they can stay connected. Whether you're on vacation at a resort, waiting in an airport or sitting in a coffee shop, it's likely you will be able to connect to the Internet through a wireless network provided by the property owner. Sometimes these will be offered for a small fee and sometimes they will be free.

But be careful: sometimes free Wi-Fi can be a scam perpetrated by criminals hoping to steal your personal information. You could end up being the target of a "man in the middle" attack, in which a hacker is able to steal the information you send over the Internet, including usernames and passwords. And you could also have your files and identity stolen and end up with a spyware-infested computer. The attack could even leave your laptop open to hackers every time you turn it on, by allowing anyone to connect to it without your knowledge.


How the attack works

You go to an airport or other hot spot and fire up your PC, hoping to find a free hot spot. You see one that calls itself "Free Wi-Fi" or a similar name. You connect. Bingo -- you've been had!

The problem is that it's not really a hot spot. Instead, it's an ad hoc, peer-to-peer network, possibly set up as a trap by someone with a laptop nearby. You can use the Internet, because the attacker has set up his PC to let you browse the Internet via his connection. But because you're using his connection, all your traffic goes through his PC, so he can see everything you do online, including all the usernames and passwords you enter for financial and other websites.

In addition, because you've directly connected to the attack PC on a peer-to-peer basis, if you've set up your PC to allow file sharing, the attacker can have complete run of your PC, stealing files and data and planting malware on it.

You can't actually see any of this happening, so you'd be none the wiser. The hacker steals what he wants to or plants malware, such as zombie software, then leaves, and you have no way of tracking him down.

All that is bad enough, but it might not be the end of the attack. Depending on how you've connected to that ad hoc network, the next time you turn on your PC, it may automatically broadcast the new "Free Wi-Fi" network ID to the world, and anyone nearby can connect to it in ad hoc peer-to-peer mode without your knowledge -- and can do damage if you've allowed file sharing.

Security company Commtouch (previously Authentium Inc.) has found dozens of ad hoc networks in Atlanta's airport, New York's LaGuardia, the West Palm Beach, Fla., airport and Chicago's O'Hare. Internet users have reported finding them at LAX airport in Los Angeles.

Commtouch did an in-depth survey of the ad hoc networks found at O'Hare, visiting on three different occasions. It found more than 20 ad hoc networks each time, with 80% of them advertising free Wi-Fi access. The company also found that many of the networks were displaying fake or misleading MAC addresses, a clear sign that they were bent on mischief.


How to protect yourself

The easiest way to protect yourself from Wi-Fi fraud is to not connect to any free wireless networks. If you're in a coffee shop, airport or hotel that has a legitimate Wi-Fi connection for a small fee, it's worth the price for peace of mind. Ask the business' staff if there is a hot spot available and get the name from them.

Mobile device users should make sure they have downloaded all the security updates for their operating systems.

If you function in a wireless environment on a regular basis, you are better off spending the money on a wireless card that you get through AT&T, Verizon or Sprint. This way, you have your own relatively secured wireless connection. This is what I do for access.

If you choose to take advantage of free Wi-Fi availability, here are some things to keep in mind.

• Never connect to a "computer-to-computer" network. When choosing a wireless network, check out the description of each one. A normal wireless network is simply called "wireless network" not a "computer-to-computer" network.
• Use HTTPS to access webmail and avoid protocols that don't include encryption.
• Turn off your computer's file sharing capabilities. The instructions will vary slightly depending on what computer system you're using (Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, etc.).
• Use a software firewall to further control who can connect to your computer and how.
• Avoid conducting financial transactions or accessing any sensitive websites if you aren't using an Internet connection that you know and trust.

It pays to be vigilant whenever you are connecting to a wireless network. If you have any doubt about the Wi-Fi connections, then don't connect. It's just not worth the potential problems.

The City Did What?!

Lorne Wiebe has written another article about issues important to business owners, for the local online hub serving Cornwall, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry - http://www.ourhometown.ca .  What follows is an introduction to that article. The full article can be read in his column, "Risky Business"

Have you ever surfed a city’s official website? If you own a business, check out the section covering their building bylaws. It’s enough to make your head spin. Every town and city has a seemingly endless list of construction does and don’ts and that list gets longer every year.

PHOTO CREDIT - OurHometown.ca

Have you ever surfed a city’s official website? If you own a business, check out the section covering their building bylaws. It’s enough to make your head spin. Every town and city has a seemingly endless list of construction does and don’ts and that list gets longer every year.

PHOTO CREDIT - OurHometown.ca

 It’s all well intentioned of course, as city planners try to manage commercial development and keep it as orderly as possible.  As businesses become more complex, so do the rules which govern them. The scary part for a business owner is trying to keep up with it all.  Usually you can’t and that can lead to a serious business risk ...

Read the rest of the article here: "Risky Business"

Please come a Callin’ before the ground starts a Rockin’!

Many people aren’t aware of one of the biggest risks to their assets, which is not covered under most home insurance policies. Earthquake is not covered under home insurance policies, but that coverage is available as add-on coverage.

Did you know that the Ottawa Valley is part of the Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben, a rift valley formed about 175 years ago when a huge block of land fell hundreds of meters between the Petawawa Fault and the Mattawa Fault?

Did you know that the faults are still active and occasionally release stress in the form of earthquakes?

So the risk is definitely there! If clients have considered the risk and decided not to purchase Earthquake insurance, and thereby have chosen to take on that risk themselves, then they are making an educated decision, but here are my concerns:
• Someone might think that they are covered in the event of an earthquake (which they ARE NOT unless they have specifically added earthquake insurance to their coverage) or
• Someone hasn’t even considered it, or
• Someone is not even aware that the coverage is available, or
• Someone thinks it is too expensive, without considering it.

Make the call before the ground starts shakin’ so you can make an educated decision.

For more information, take a look at recent press on Earthquakes in the Ottawa area, on the Ottawa Citizen:
• http://ottawacitizennews.com/quakes/
•http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Business/Streeter+Life+earthquake+zone/1549085/story.html

The Newest Battlefield Between Independent Insurance Brokers and Banks

Battles between insurance brokers and the banks are nothing new. Current legislations states that banks can only promote insurance “outside of a branch”. Restrictions have been in place against banks for a very long time and for very good reason.

At issue this time is that the banks’ current attempts at expansion into insurance is a violation of the spirit of the legislation set up by the federal government in 1991. Obviously the government sees the need for such regulation since time and time again, the banks have tried to get them to reverse it, but it simply isn’t the right thing for the customer. A couple of the strongest reasons against banks retailing insurance in their branches are:

• Fear of tied-selling – If you were at a bank looking for a mortgage, which has an insurance requirement built in to it, would you be comfortable saying “NO” when they offered the insurance with it (which of course has all the requirements of the mortgage built in)? Forget about the “fair competition” dilemma this brings, is it the right thing for the consumer?
• Competition – Competition is healthy for business and results in fair treatment of the consumer. This might sound like an argument for allowing banks in to insurance, but it is quite the opposite. The big six banks already dominate Canada’s banking sector, making ours one of the least competitive banking sectors in the world. If those same institutions were allowed to offer insurance through their branches, they would also come to dominate the insurance brokerage market by virtue of their current size and power. Competition would be diminished and consumers would suffer.

There are many more reasons, but this is not a rant about why banks should not be allowed to retail insurance from their branches … that has already been looked at time-and-time again and the federal government recognizes that it is not the right thing for the consumer.

This is a discussion on what constitutes a bank branch. I can’t comment for all bank customers, but I personally can’t think of the last time I visited a teller in a branch, for my banking needs. The majority of my banking is done at bank machines, or in most situations, over the Internet. Logic would state that those bank machines and websites for banking purposes would be considered a “bank branch”. The same logic for protecting the consumer would apply to these “locations” just as much as they would standard bank branches, which is where most transactions took place when this legislation was written. It's really during the credit application process that consumers are most vulnerable and open to coercion. And as it turns out, you can also apply for credit on-line. Therefore the same threats to consumers exist whether it's in a branch or on-line. Times have changed and it appears that the banks are once again trying to skirt the rules and intent of the legislation by using the Internet, and not considering it a bank branch. What about the virtual banks that now exist? They don’t have “bricks and mortar” branches. Does that somehow make it any more acceptable for them to use unfair competitive advantages and potential tied-selling to the detriment of the consumer?

I sure hope the government decides to put an end to this skirting of the spirit and intent of the law to protect consumers. The same sound logic for not allowing banks to retail insurance products from their bricks and mortar branches applies to their virtual branches as well. Please enforce the intent of the law, or if need be, amend the law to avoid this loop-hole.

Rental Car Insurance Coverage - Are you Covered

If you have rental car coverage on your automobile insurance policy, and you go and rent a uhaul cargo van or pick-up truck - are you covered? What do you think?

This is not an easy question and is misunderstood by most. The safest route is to talk to your insurance broker before assuming anything is covered ... that is what we are here for. That being said, here is the basic answer:

The rental car coverage on your auto policy is designed for when you rent a personal vehicle, and not for most trucks and vans that you might hire for a move. As a result, there are some exclusions that would apply. Here are the main ones that would apply:

1. The coverage would not apply to any vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating over 4500kg (that would exclude most moving trucks and large vans) (check your specific policy wordings to confirm exclusions)
2. The coverage would not extend to carrying passengers or commercial use of the rented vehicle, in case you were running errands for your business.
3. The coverage is restricted to only those people named on the underlying policy.
4. Note that there is also a dollar limit to the coverage that might be an issue.

So as mentioned, every situation is unique, so give us a call to make sure.

Of note, one of the recommendations put forth in the Report on the Five Year Review of Automobile Insurance, presented to the Financial Services Commission of Ontario is as follows:

"The superintendent intends to amend the OAP 1 to provide a limited amount of coverage for vehicles with a GVWR over 4,500 kg's."

This is just a recommendation and has not been adopted, so ensure you are properly covered.