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Lyndon Block

Driver’s License “Renewal Scam” Alert

A New Scam Is Targeting Seniors About Their Driver’s License — Here’s How to Stay Safe
There’s a new scam going around, and it’s unfortunately aimed at seniors. It shows up as a text or email saying you need to “redo” or “renew” your driver’s license right away. On the surface, it looks official. But underneath, it’s just another attempt to get personal information or money.
If you or someone you love is a senior driver, here’s a friendly guide to what’s happening and how to protect yourself.
How This Scam Shows Up
Most people first see it as a surprise message saying something like, “Your license is about to expire — click here” or “Immediate action required to keep your license valid.”
The scammers make the messages look authentic by using government-style wording or logos. The goal is simple: make you worry just enough to click the link without thinking twice.
But here’s the good news — you don’t need to panic, and you’re definitely not losing your license.
What Real Licensing Offices Don’t Do
Even if the message looks convincing, a few things can give it away as a scam. Real licensing authorities, like SGI, simply don’t handle renewals this way.
They will never:
  • Text or email you demanding quick action
  • Ask for personal information through a link
  • Ask you to pay through e-transfer, gift cards, or prepaid cards
  • Threaten to suspend your license immediately
Real renewals happen through the mail or in person. If someone’s trying to rush you or scare you, that’s a clear sign something isn’t right.
Why Seniors Are Being Targeted
Scammers target seniors because they assume you’ll act quickly to avoid losing your independence on the road. They count on fear, urgency, and confusion.
But once you know what to watch for, these scams are much easier to spot — and ignore.
Red Flags to Look For
Here are some simple signs that the message isn’t legit:
  • Pushy wording like “final notice” or “urgent.”
  • A link asking for your driver’s license number or health card.
  • Odd spelling or formatting — the kind you can’t quite put your finger on.
  • Payment requests of any kind.
  • An email address that doesn’t look official.
If anything feels off, trust your gut.
What to Do If You Get One
If one of these messages lands in your inbox or on your phone, here’s what you can do:
  • Delete it right away
  • Don’t open any links
  • Don’t reply with any information
  • Call SGI directly if you want to double-check your renewal
  • Report the message to local police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
A quick call to a real office is all it takes to know for sure.
Share This With Someone Who Might Need It
Scammers often succeed because people don’t know what to look for. Sharing this information with parents, grandparents, or neighbours can make a huge difference.
A simple conversation could save someone a lot of stress — and protect their personal information.

How Do Multiple Mortgages Affect My Home Insurance?

From the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), more than one-third (35.5%) of Canadians hold a mortgage. Taking a mortgage can help many people afford to buy a home, whether that’s their first or not.

Home insurance is one of the many expenses that come with home ownership. Home insurance ensures that, in the event of an unexpected disaster, break-in, or similar event, your assets are protected. Unfortunately, too few homeowners understand the ways in which many insurance carriers will look at their mortgaging habits; fewer still may know that having multiple mortgages can impact your insurance pricing.

Mortgaging and Home Insurance

Most lenders, banks, and financial institutions require home insurance before agreeing to mortgage your new asset.

On their end, this protects their investment in your home. A mortgage lender has a vested interest in ensuring that, in the event of a catastrophic loss, they aren’t losing out. Mortgages don’t disappear even if a house is destroyed, and so having home insurance protects them and you from monetary loss or even financial hardship.

In the event of a lawsuit, home insurance also provides protection. This protects both the lender and the homeowner. If the homeowner were sued for damages, their policy could pay the difference – all while ensuring they were still in a good financial position to continue paying off their loan. This isn’t the main concern for most lenders, but it does add another layer of financial security.

Different providers, different risk

Many insurance carriers will incentivize homeowners to pay off their mortgages through mortgage-free discounts. The logic here assumes that the homeowner is more financially responsible because they’ve paid off their mortgage already.

Not all insurance providers offer a mortgage-free discount. If you are mortgage-free, it’s worth discussing with your insurance broker to get the best deal possible on your home insurance premiums.

Properties with Multiple Mortgages

Like how some providers will offer mortgage-free discounts, many will price home insurance higher when a property has multiple mortgages. This is because these insurers will associate the multiple mortgages (2 or more) as increased financial risk and potentially complicated liability. Multiple mortgages may indicate higher financial strain on the homeowner, potential for higher risk property use, and a default risk.

Some insurance carriers, like Max Insurance, don’t charge additional premium whether you have one mortgage, two, etc. Multiple mortgages isn’t a reflection of the likelihood of a fire, water damage, or theft, and it doesn’t take into account the quality of the building materials. Multiple mortgages may be viewed as more of a financial detail and less of a property risk. Different providers have various interpretations of risk.

Bottom Line: Your Home’s Mortgaging Situation May Impact Your Home Insurance – But it Depends on the Insurer

In a nutshell, your home’s mortgaging situation (whether that’s having multiple mortgages, no mortgage, or one) may impact your pricing, but it also depends on the insurer that you’re with.

Working with an insurance broker opens up your options to find the insurance provider who offers the best coverage and best pricing for your needs. They’ll find a carrier whose rating system works best for your needs, while also getting you the protection that you deserve.

Understanding ‘Loss of Use’ Insurance Coverage for Farm Machinery

We understand as a farmer, your machinery is vital to daily operations. So, let’s go over some key points about ‘Loss of Use’ coverage, ensuring you’re well-informed and prepared for any unexpected machinery issues.

What is ‘Loss of Use’ Coverage?

Q: What exactly does ‘loss of use’ coverage entail?

A: ‘Loss of Use’ coverage is essentially a safety net for when your machinery is out of commission due to an event covered by your policy. It’s designed to help compensate for lost income by covering costs like renting replacement equip

ment, ensuring your farming operations can continue without significant interruption.

What Does ‘Loss of Use’ Cover?

Q: Which situations are typically covered under ‘loss of use’ insurance for farm machinery?

A: This coverage typically applies when your equipment is damaged by specific events such as fire, theft, vandalism, or certain natural disasters. It helps by covering the cost of renting or leasing equipment or hiring someone to perform those tasks.

 

Q: Are there any limits or restrictions on what this coverage pays for?

A: Yes, there are usually limits on the duration and total amount the policy will cover. For example, it might cover up to a certain number of days or a maximum dollar amount per day. In the event of a total loss of the machinery, most insurers cover loss of use until an offer is made for payment. At Block’s Agencies, we offer a solution with ‘Extended Rental Expense’ through our partner, First Acre Insurance. ‘Extended Rental Expense’ provides an increased period of time for machinery rental expenses when the delay to replace lost machinery is outside of your control. It’s crucial to review your policy thoroughly to understand these specifics. Different insurers may offer different types of coverage in this scenario.

What Does ‘Loss of Use’ Not Cover?

Q: Are there any common exclusions to watch out for in ‘loss of use’ coverage?

A: Absolutely, there are common exclusions. Typically, this coverage won’t extend to issues like machinery breakdowns due to normal wear and tear, lack of maintenance, or mechanical failures unless your policy explicitly states so.

Q: Does this coverage apply to all types of farm machinery?

A: Not always. Coverage can vary depending on the type and age of your machinery and the specifics of your policy. Some policies might exclude older models or specialized equipment, so it’s important to check what your policy specifically covers.

How to Ensure Adequate Coverage

Q: How can farmers ensure they have adequate ‘loss of use’ coverage for their machinery?

A: To ensure adequate coverage, you should regularly review your insurance policies and assess the value and types of your machinery. It’s also a good idea to consult us to make sure your coverage aligns with your needs. Remember to update your policy as you acquire new equipment or as your farm’s conditions change.

In conclusion, while ‘Loss of Use’ coverage can be extremely beneficial in minimizing disruption, understanding the details of what is covered is essential. Proper management of this insurance can help protect your finances and keep your farming operations running smoothly, even when unexpected challenges arise. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out!

Credit Card Fraud: My Experience with a False Fraud Call

In today’s digital age, where convenience often comes hand in hand with vulnerability, protecting our financial information has become more crucial than ever. Recently, my family and I encountered a harrowing experience with credit card fraud that underscored just how easily unsuspecting individuals can fall victim to clever scams.

It all started with a phone call that appeared to be from our bank, CIBC. The caller identified themselves as a representative from the bank’s fraud department, informing us that there had been suspicious activity detected on our credit card. Understandably alarmed, we were reassured by the caller’s apparent knowledge of our personal details and recent transactions, which lent an air of authenticity to the call. We gave almost no information to the caller as he verified our names, address, recent transactions along with our credit card numbers.

The caller proceeded to explain that, in order to secure our account and prevent further unauthorized access, they needed to perform a multi-factor authentication (MFA) verification. This process typically involves confirming your identity through additional security measures, such as a code sent to your phone or email. In our case, we were asked to provide certain details that included sensitive information usually required for such verifications. This would have possibly raised our suspicions, but both Kayla and I had legitimate fraud instances on our accounts previously and this script and protocol seemed identical.

Trusting the caller’s authority and urgency, we reluctantly disclosed the requested information, believing it was necessary to protect our finances. Little did we know, we had just fallen victim to a sophisticated fraudster’s scheme.

Within moments of providing the MFA information, our worst fears were realized. Unauthorized activity began appearing on our accounts, and attempts were made to access our banking, credit cards, lines of credit and mortgage accounts as well. The scammers had gained enough information to breach our financial defenses, exploiting the trust we had placed in what we believed was a legitimate call from our bank.

The aftermath was both frustrating and frightening. We immediately contacted CIBC to report the incident and froze all our compromised accounts. Additionally, we placed fraud alerts with TransUnion and Equifax, hoping to minimize any further damage to our credit and personal information.

Luckily for us, Kayla had fraud training with her previous work at CIBC Wood Gundy and was able to notify the appropriate people in a very quick and effective manner. We hope that we have done everything required to prevent any future issues, but this has been a gut-wrenching experience to say the least.

Reflecting on this ordeal, several lessons emerged that are worth sharing:

  1. Vigilance is Key: Always question unexpected calls or emails requesting sensitive information, even if they seem to come from reputable organizations. Fraudsters can easily spoof phone numbers and emails to mimic legitimate sources.
  2. Verify Before You Trust: If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and independently verify the caller’s identity by contacting the organization through official channels. Never use the contact information provided by the caller.
  3. Educate Your Family: Ensure that everyone in your household is aware of common scams and understands the importance of safeguarding personal and financial information.
  4. Act Swiftly: At the first sign of suspicious activity, take immediate action to secure your accounts and report the incident to your financial institution and credit bureaus. I believe because Kayla had a
  5. Monitor Regularly: Regularly review your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. Early detection can help minimize the impact of fraud.

This recent experience with credit card fraud was a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities we face in an increasingly interconnected world. Despite our best efforts to protect ourselves, fraudsters continue to evolve their tactics, preying on trust and exploiting our desire for quick resolutions to perceived emergencies.

As we continue to recover from this incident, I hope that sharing our story serves as a cautionary tale and encourages others to remain vigilant against the ever-present threat of financial fraud. By staying informed and proactive, we can better protect ourselves and our loved ones from falling victim to similar scams in the future.

Protecting Your Business Against Cyber Threats

 

As the world becomes increasingly digital, the threat of cyber attacks and data breaches has grown substantially. These attacks can have devastating consequences for businesses, including financial losses, reputational damage, and legal liabilities. That’s why it’s more important than ever to invest in cyber insurance coverage. In this blog post, we’ll explore what cyber insurance is, how it works, and provide a hypothetical story on where the coverage was useful.

What is Cyber Insurance?

Cyber insurance, also known as cyber liability insurance or data breach insurance, is a type of insurance that helps businesses mitigate the risks associated with cyber threats. Cyber insurance policies typically provide coverage for a range of losses related to cyber incidents, including:

  • Business interruption losses
  • Data restoration costs
  • Legal and regulatory expenses
  • Notification costs
  • Public relations expenses
  • Cyber extortion losses

How Does Cyber Insurance Work?

Cyber insurance policies can vary widely in terms of coverage, limits, and premiums. Generally, businesses can choose from two main types of coverage:

First-party coverage: This type of coverage provides protection for losses suffered by the insured business directly, such as lost income or data restoration costs.

Third-party coverage: This type of coverage provides protection for losses suffered by third parties, such as customers or vendors, due to a cyber incident involving the insured business.

Most cyber insurance policies also include a range of additional services, such as risk assessments, breach response planning, and incident response services.

Where Cyber Insurance Coverage Was Useful?

Let’s consider a story of a small e-commerce business that sells handmade goods online. The business had been running smoothly for a few years until one day, a cyber attack hit, resulting in a data breach of customer information.

The cyber attack had a devastating impact on the business, causing it to shut down temporarily to investigate the breach and assess the damage. The business also had to notify all affected customers, which resulted in a significant loss of goodwill and reputation. Furthermore, the business had to pay for credit monitoring and identity theft protection for all affected customers, which proved to be a significant financial burden.

Fortunately, the business had purchased a comprehensive cyber insurance policy a few months before the cyber attack. The policy covered the business for the following expenses:

  • Business interruption losses due to the temporary shutdown
  • Data restoration costs
  • Notification costs
  • Credit monitoring and identity theft protection for affected customers
  • Public relations expenses to mitigate reputational damage

Thanks to the cyber insurance coverage, the business was able to recover quickly from the cyber attack without incurring substantial financial losses. The policy also provided the business with access to expert incident response services, which helped the business get back on its feet.

Cyber threats are an ever-present risk for businesses of all sizes. Cyber insurance can help mitigate the risks associated with cyber incidents, providing businesses with the protection they need to weather the storm. By investing in a comprehensive cyber insurance policy, businesses can ensure that they are prepared for the worst, and can recover quickly and effectively from any cyber attacks that may occur.

What are the most common causes of fire damage to your home or business?

For many years, it has been called “Fire Insurance” for a reason. Up until recently, Fire was the number one cause of insurance losses in Saskatchewan and Canada. More recently, water losses have surpassed this peril, however, it is still one of the primary reasons for loss.

Whether it is your home, business, vehicle, equipment, hay/feed, machinery, fire can occur and directly impact almost everything. Concrete, steel, wood, asphalt, styrofoam, and almost every other material (if hot enough), can be destroyed by fire.Too often we hear about someone removing insurance off of a structure built out of steel or concrete with the idea that it can’t burn. However, as we have seen time and time again, if it gets hot enough, or there is an accelerant nearby, everything and anything can be severely damaged.

What are the most common losses when it comes to fire?

  • Cooking
    1. This is the leading cause of home fires and fire injuries, causing over 20% of home fires, according to the Canadian Firefighter data of 2012. It is also the leading cause of loss in restaurants.
    2. Grease vapour produced from cooking can accumulate throughout the kitchen and cause a high exposure for fire. Grills and deep fryers can contribute to the spread of fire and how easily it can engulf a restaurant kitchen. This is why insurance companies require an automatic fire extinguishing system and regular maintenance on the extinguishers and ventilation systems.
  • Heating
    1. Heating equipment fires account for 10-15% of all home fires, following cooking losses.
    2. The leading factor contributing to home fires was failure to clean and maintain the unit and chimney (primarily solid-fueled heating equipment, aka. Woodstove, wood fireplace, outdoor wood boiler).
    3. A main contributor to ignition of these home fires, is having equipment too close to combustible materials, such as furniture, clothing, mattress or bedding.
  • Arson / Intentional Fires
    1. These are important to mention as your insurance can be handled very different in this situation. If they prove that you were intentionally set fire to your property, they can deny your insurance coverage. If you were vandalised and you had no connection to the arson, your insurance would cover the loss. The fire inspector will do a thorough investigation to see the cause of the fire and if he sees that there were accelerants used or other signs that may point to arson, this will open up a serious investigation into why.
  • Electrical 
    1. This happens in many outdated structures. Sometimes the wiring or breaker boxes are old and the connections have started to wear and have become faulty. This can cause arching issues. 
    2. Sometimes people use high wattage appliances in outlets that don’t support that wattage.
    3. Plugging in too many appliances into one extension cord. This happens frequently, especially around the Christmas holidays as people will plug in lights and christmas trees into one extension cord. If the cord is worn or tattered, these should be replaced as well.
    4. Using older appliances. These use more power and can sometimes overheat and start a fire.
    5. Space Heaters – Make sure these units are kept away from flammable material and objects. If these are your primary heat source for your home or building, unless they are hard-wired into your building, most insurance companies will not allow them as a primary heating source.
  • Smoking
  • Candles
  • Appliances
  • Child fire-play
  • Combine / Baler Fires – Commonly due to heat from dry straw gathering near hot bearings, belts or wiring. 

How can I help prevent these major types of losses?

Not all of these items are easy to prevent. If you are subject to an act of vandalism such as an arson fire, there is little you can do to anticipate such an incident.

Here are some things you CAN DO, to help prevent a fire in your home.

  • Cooking
    1. While cooking, make sure you always stay in the kitchen when frying on the stovetop. If you see wisps of smoke or the oil smells, immediately turn off the burner and carefully remove the pan from the burner. Smoke is a dangerous sign that the oil is too hot.
    2. Always cook with a lid beside your pan. If you have a fire, slide the lid over the pan and turn off the burner. This will help smother the fire. Do not remove the cover because the fire could start again. Let the pan cool for a long time. NEVER THROW WATER ON THE FIRE.
    3. For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed.
    4. If the fire has become uncontrollable, GET OUT and call 9-1-1. Close the door behind you to help contain the fire.
  •  Heating
    1. Proper cleaning and maintenance of your heating system will prevent most potential fires. Having your chimney swept, your furnace filters changed frequently and having an inspection from a licensed heating contractor is a great way to keep your heating systems in good working condition.
  • Electrical
    1. Updating your electrical is a good idea if you have an older home or building. Some homes have knob and tube wiring (which is very dangerous) and others have  aluminum wiring in them, and even though this is still allowable by code, aluminum wiring is softer and is easier to damage or “nick” which can cause hot spots in the conductor causing overheating and a potential fire risk.
    2. Updating your breaker panel. Over time, connections can become loose and fail. So it is important to check your panel and your wiring to make sure things are connected correctly.
  • Machinery Fire – Keep your equipment clean (as clean as you can). By frequently blowing out the machine with an air compressor and checking your equipment for any hot spots, this could help prevent a future fire on your machinery as you harvest this year.
  • Other helpful tips
    1. Fire extinguishers – have them in your home and in your business. Placed or hung up in an easy area to access.
    2. Make sure you keep combustibles or flammable materials are kept at a safe distance away from any hot appliances or open flames.
    3. Have an exit plan. If you do have a fire (especially at night), make sure you and your family understand what the protocol is when exiting the house. Have the exits well lit in your place of business so people know how they can exit your business.

These aren’t the only ways a fire can get started. Grassfires, wildfires, forest fires are some well known causes, especially in BC or California. We have seen them close by in northern Saskatchewan & Alberta (Fort McMurray, Slave Lake). This is why insurance is important. No matter how much you do to prevent a loss, you can still be exposed by elements outside your control. Please contact us if you want to know more or would like some information on fire insurance. Take care!

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