Living in Canada, we experience different weather conditions across the provinces. Extreme weather conditions can seriously damage your home and wreak havoc in the area. Depending on where you live, some conditions are prone to certain locations, so having the proper home insurance coverage is key to protecting you and your property.
But, be aware that not all damage due to extreme weather conditions are covered under your typical home insurance policy. Just like when you get home insurance, where you live matters.
If you are in a high-risk region for wildfires, floods, or earthquakes, you will most likely need specific coverage for that peril. A peril is an event, like a fire or break-in, or earthquake that may damage your home or belongings. The perils covered by your homeowner’s insurance are listed in your policy.
Since your standard home insurance policy will not cover damage from specific extreme weather events that occur in high-risk areas, you will need to purchase additional coverage (separately) as an add-on to your existing policy. It may be subject to a higher deductible than coverage for other perils; but, that extra coverage, and cost, can help you save in the long term.
Let’s look at what happens if you were unfortunate to have your home damaged during a storm. Here are a few steps you should take before filing your claim:
- Safety first — Once the storm is over, make sure you and your family are in a safe location. Stay away from downed electrical lines, buildings with structural damage and don’t swim or wade in flood waters. Listen to advisories for future instructions.
- Document the damage — take lots of pictures and document any and all damage. Keep all receipts related to the storm as well as the cleanup. Receipts for hotels, food, pet boarding, and supplies.
- Storm cleanup — Once it’s safe to do so, you can start removing wet rugs and carpeting, cover leaky roofs, and remove unsafe tree branches. Stick to little things that can prevent future damage from happening before the major cleanup and repair.
Filing an insurance claim
When you need to file a claim, contact your insurance company and once the loss and damages are reported, a claims adjuster will be assigned to you.
It could be beneficial to go over your homeowner’s policy to see what is and isn’t covered before contacting your insurance provider. Your photos of the damage and any receipts for cleanup and supplies will help at this stage as well.
Understanding your home insurance coverage
Your homeowners insurance generally includes three types of coverages that help protect your home, belongings and other structures on your property: Dwelling, Other Structures and Personal Property coverage. They protect against certain types of perils, but obviously, not all of them.
Here is a list of perils (or hazards) that your homeowner’s insurance would typically cover damage from:
- Fire and smoke
- Wind
- Hail
- Explosions
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Falling objects
- Damage caused by the weight of snow, sleet, or ice
- Water damage caused by a household appliance or burst pipe
- Power surges
- Civil unrest or riot
This is why the optional add-on coverage is important to add to your current home insurance policy, especially if you know you live in an area prone to earthquakes or floods and they are not on the list above.
What natural disasters are covered?
In Canada, certain types of extreme weather are covered under the homeowner’s policy, which usually include:
- Wildfires
- Ice damage
- Hail storms
- Wind storms
- Tornadoes
- Hurricanes
- Water damage within the home
These are known as unexpected events, and insurance companies refer to unexpected events as “perils”. Unexpected events can range from a minor problem, such as a plumbing pipe that bursts, to more serious ones with devastating damage.
Expected events, or predictable events, are different and home insurance policies do not cover these. An example of this would be the shingles on your roof wearing down over time and need replacing. Your homeowner’s policy will not cover these repairs; it is not meant to cover maintenance costs around your home.
If your home is damaged due to lack of maintenance then that is the responsibility of the homeowner to repair and fix those damages.
Which natural disasters are not covered?
There are certain types of extreme weather events that are not covered by your home insurance and will require you to get additional coverage. They include:
- Overland flooding (including flash floods)
- Earthquakes
- Landslides
You especially need to consider getting additional coverage if your area is considered “high risk” for these specific natural disasters.
Otherwise, another option you may consider is getting all risk home insurance coverage for your home. It covers a wide range of potential causes of damage and tends to be more expensive because it’s the most comprehensive kind of property coverage.
Protect your home and belongings:
There are measures you can take to lower your risk from potential storm damage and protect your home from unexpected events. Here are some examples:
For water damage (floods):
- Try to keep your valuable items off the basement floor, or on a higher level, in case your home is flooded.
- Installing a sewer backwater valve can help prevent sewer backup from flowing into your basement
- When you know a storm is coming, disconnect downspouts from the sewer system
- Try to slope the land to help redirect any run-off water from your home
For wind damage (hurricanes):
- Installing hurricane straps on the roof to help strengthen it to stay in place
- Replacing your garage door with a stronger one can help reduce risks
For structural damage (earthquakes):
- Install earthquake strapping for your water heater can help reduce the risk of water damage as well as fire
- Try to strengthen your home’s foundation to help prevent shifting, especially for older homes
If you live in an area prone to certain extreme weather conditions, then getting the proper insurance coverage and separate add-ons is highly beneficial. This will help ease your mind knowing you are fully protected if something were to happen.
Also, taking precautionary measures to protect your home and belongings before a storm comes will help minimize any potential damage.
If you’re ever unsure, you can talk to your insurance advisor about what you can do to help minimize damage and go over your current home insurance coverage and review what you need moving forward.
Here is a complete step-by-step process on how to file a home insurance claim in Canada.
