Re: Excess Insurance Options

As you know, practising lawyers in Newfoundland and Labrador have mandatory insurance coverage of $1 million.

Recent claims experience demonstrates that $1 million in insurance coverage is no longer sufficient, especially when the mandatory limit not only includes damages but also defence costs. Costs to defend claims are ever-increasing.

Lawyers and law firms without excess insurance have to satisfy any claims over $1 million out of their own pockets.

Excess coverage can be purchased through the Canadian Lawyers’ Insurance Association (CLIA) in amounts from $1 million to $9 million. The annual premium rate structure per lawyer is as follows:

$1 million per occurrence/and aggregate = annual premium of $ 343
$2 million per occurrence/and aggregate = annual premium of $ 504
$3 million per occurrence/and aggregate = annual premium of $ 589
$4 million per occurrence/and aggregate = annual premium of $ 624
$9 million per occurrence/and aggregate = annual premium of $ 873

The new policy period starts July 1.

Please contact Janice Ringrose, Insurance Administrator, at 726-6008, email at insurance@lawsociety.nf.ca or complete an application for excess insurance at http://www.clia.ca/eng/docenglish/VepApplications/NL-2016-17.pdf