Flood Damage is on the Rise

New Extended Water coverage options protect against increasing water events

 

As you can see in this video by Intact Insurance, it used to be that fire was the biggest cause of significant damage. Now, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reports that “extreme weather events that used to happen every 40 years, now occur every 6 years in some parts of the country.” And most of these events involve water damage in some form.

These extreme weather events mean that if you have a basement, it’s more likely to flood. And, now that more people are making living spaces in finished basements, damage caused by flooding is costing more to fix.

Up until last year, the type of insurance that covered overland flooding wasn’t even available in Canada, but this increase in natural disasters, especially such high profile examples in 2013 in Toronto and  Calgary, illustrated how important it is to have this coverage and to make it affordable and accessible.

That’s why many insurers have introduced this coverage as part of a group of complementary water coverage options. Some of the names of the coverage make them hard to tell which is which, so we’ll explain them below:

Water, Water (coverage) Everywhere

 

Sewer backup coverage protects you against water that suddenly and accidentally backs up from the sewer or septic system and flows into your home, this has been available for a while now and you may already have it on your homeowners policy. But, depending on your location, you may have the option to add extended coverage for Overland Water and Ground Water.

 

What’s the difference? Overland Water coverage covers water that travels over land to reach your house. This includes lakes or rivers that overflow, rain downpours or snow melting too quickly. Ground Water is when the water table rises and enters through your basement, foundation or floor. In order to qualify for a ground water claim, the damage needs to have happened suddenly and accidentally, so “leaky” basements wouldn’t qualify.

We are also able to offer Water and Sewer Line coverage which looks after the repair or replacement of damaged water and sewer lines.

How do I get extended water protection?

Most houses in the province are eligible for at least some form of enhanced water coverage, but a lot of it depends on where your house is located and other geographic factors such as proximity to water, the grade of land your house is built on and the claims history of your house. Since this coverage is new, the variety of coverage offered by each insurance company varies, but if you have specific concerns or just want to know what options are available to you, talk to your Real Insurance broker. Feel free to call us at 1-888-567-7546. We’re here to help.