To say the pandemic has resulted in financial pressure for just about everyone goes without saying. But is this the year to cut corners and skip the purchase of excess insurance over and above your mandatory $1 million professional liability coverage? That’s a business decision. Each lawyer and firm has to assess their own risk and risk tolerance and financial situation. Attached you will find a bulletin directly from CLIA outlining some things to think about when considering excess insurance.

CLIA’s Voluntary Excess Program (VEP) application process for 2020-2021 is opening on June 1st, 2020 to ensure that you have time to complete the application and submit premium payments prior to the July 1st policy renewal.

NEW THIS YEAR:

• We are very pleased to offer retired lawyers a 25% discount off the excess liability coverage rates. Details on how to qualify are supplied in the online application.
• A 10% discount to any firm referring a new client to CLIA for excess coverage will be applied to the referring firms 2021/2022 renewal.
• An additional level of excess liability coverage, $6.5 million has been added! This new level is being offered in addition to our existing levels of coverage.

CLIA will be contacting those who purchased excess insurance in the past. Again this year, firms will complete their application online which will automatically send the application directly to CLIA for review and approval. Firms will be able to login by using their email address and password from last year to access their application, with an option to reset password, if necessary.

Rates for the 2020-21 renewal period are as follows. Please note the premium discount will be 10%.

• $1 million excess premium rate = $ 425
• $2 million excess premium rate = $ 624
• $3 million excess premium rate = $ 730
• $4 million excess premium rate = $ 774
• $6.5 million excess premium rate = $ 958
• $9 million excess premium rate = $1,083

New firms and new retirees will need to register for user access before they are able to complete the application online at https://www.clia.ca/vepapplication.html