Volume 53, numéro 4, 1986

EN :

In the past, a large number of small mutual insurance companies existed in Quebec. Servicing the rural community, these mutuals were necessarily of local interest. But then, the need to strengthen them was felt and the movement had to be reorganized. With the passing of a new law (Chapter 17) assented to 20th June 1985, mutuals were grouped into a federation. The founding of a reinsurance company capable of sustaining the movement's development represented the final stage in the implementing of this organization, thus providing it with the tools necessary for growth. It is from this perspective that the author examines the new status of mutual insurance in Quebec.

EN :

1985 was a good year for the Canadian economy, as economic activity increased by approximately 4% in real terms and inflation remained below 5%. This was achieved despite an almost complete lack of leadership in fiscal policy as an unusual number of Government budgets were not even voted during the year and as a banking system crisis absorbed most of the attention of the Bank of Canada. The author finds that the cyclical position of the Canadian economy is adequate and actually more favourable than that of the United States.

EN :

In recent years, there have been numerous articles and judgments dealing with article 2474 of the Civil Code with regard to deceitful representations in insurance claims. Some judgments invalidate the deceit-tainted claim completely, others invalidate it in part only while others still are limited to substracting from the claim the object of deceit. M^e. Faribault takes a new look at this problem and suggests that a liberal interpretation is unwarranted.

EN :

Following is a summary by Mr. Jean Robitaille on the guarantee fund proposal which the Insurance Bureau of Canada presented to the Federal Government. Here are some of the highlights: following an insurer's bankruptcy, the fund will pay to the insured the balance of a claim's settlement provided certain specific conditions are met. Providing up to $200,000 per insured, this fund is designed to prevent the insurer from incurring any loss once the insurer's assets have been liquidated. It seems likely that some provincial governments will soon adopt this proposal which is fully supported by the Federal Superintendent of Insurance and the Ministry of Finance.

FR :

M. Christophe J. Robey présente ici une étude des résultats de l’assurance au Canada en 1984 et, sous certains aspects, en 1985. Il montre que, dans l’ensemble, l’exercice a été plus mauvais que le précédent, car si les tarifs ont été augmentés, l’effet n’a pu se produire immédiatement. Ce n’est que petit à petit, au cours des mois suivants, qu’il se fait sentir. Dans une deuxième partie, l’auteur apporte des précisions intéressantes sur les principaux événements de l’année 1985 et sur certaines dispositions prises ou étudiées par les gouvernements intéressés.

EN :

Mr. Peter Bedford participated in a lecture and discussion at the Rendez-Vous de Septembre in Monte Carlo on Tuesday, September 10, 1985. The discussion dealt with the various aspects of the British market. Following we are pleased to present Mr. Bedford's text which gives the point of view of a British broker. As may be noted, the problems he discusses are common to all countries.

EN :

In this article, Mr. Outreville studies certain aspects of rationalization, following the merger of enterprises in the province of Quebec. At the same time, he provides an abundant documentation on the subject, principally originating from American sources. For their part, Messrs. G.P. and D.L. present a specific case of rationalization at the administrative level from a holding, gathering different insurance, reinsurance and actuarial enterprises. The two papers appeared complementary to us, even though they have been conceived from different perspectives.

EN :

The main theme of this work is the ethical problem of patient's consent to clinical testing.

EN :

The author briefly comments on certain lawsuits published in Jurisprudence Express in 1985. This summary, intended for the broker or layman, does not aim to give full details of the lawsuits examined; rather it focuses on the main facts and the sentence rendered. This article is a work tool which may prove useful in helping readers understand the sentence and its ramifications.