Good Morning,
With the flooding over the last week we are expecting a high volume of calls to be coming in, as are all the brokerages and insurance companies. We thought that we would be proactive and let you know about the coverages on your policies regarding flood coverage.
For business and commercial property policies – these policies can have flood coverage on them, if it was purchased on the policy prior to the flooding occurring.
For Commercial and personal auto policies – if your vehicle has comprehensive coverage on it, then your vehicles should be covered for flood/rising water damages.
For home, tenant and condo policies – unfortunately these policies specifically exclude flood coverage. However, we still recommend that you put a claim into the insurer as there may be sewer back up damages as well. As such, if you carry Sewer Back-up coverage on your policy, then some of the damages may be claimable. Additionally, usually the insurer must respond to the claim first – before you are able to put a claim into the government for assistance.
One of our major insurers, Intact Insurance, is sending out the below messages to all of their clients:
As the City of Calgary and surrounding area continue to be impacted by severe weather and flooding, we are getting many calls from customers about what to do next.
Our teams are ready to start assisting customers and we have mobilized additional resources from other Intact offices across the country in the event we need their support. In the event you get calls from customers, you should make note that:
Customers should take the proper precautions to keep themselves and their families safe and follow all instructions from local government and police,
- We have a larger than normal call volume and we are working hard to get to every customer as quickly as we can. We need all details from customers so that we can expedite the claim process,
- We will need to wait until the situation stabilizes before we can get out to homes and businesses,
- Once we are able to visit homes, we are in a better position to assess how we begin the process of getting customers back on track.
In the meantime, please remind customers to:
- Stay away from rivers and creeks as the water is rising and moving quickly, and banks may be unstable.
- Avoid storm water ponds and storm drains, and do not let children play near them.
- Do not drive through flooded areas such as underpasses.
- If you or someone else is in imminent danger, call 9-1-1. Remember that 9-1-1 is for emergencies only; 3-1-1 can be used for reporting non-emergency issues.
Additionally, if homes have not been evacuated, it is important that customers take preventative action against damage caused by flooding. This includes:
Moving valuable items from the basement to upper floors. Do not stack wet items on dry items just to get them off the floor.
- Dry the flooded area within a few days to prevent mould growth. Industrial-sized air dryers are often used in these instances and are typically available for purchase or rent at one of the major hardware stores.
- If the water is from a freshwater source, quickly retrieve from the flooded area any valuables. If the flood source originates from the septic system, avoid contact with the water and do not cross-contaminate unaffected areas by walking in and out of the contaminated areas.
Here are a few ways to keep informed and find out where you can help:
City of Calgary news blog – most up-to-date information on road closures and evacuation zones
Volunteer Calgary website has a list of drop off zones and wish lists for in-need communities and organizations
Arriving Home: Flooding in Calgary – this PDF by the City provides information on what to do when you arrive back home, and tips on how to clean up after a flood
YYCHelps.ca – connects volunteers and provides updates on communities in need of support
Do not hesitate to “Collis” if you should have any questions regarding any of the foregoing.
In the meantime, we trust that you and your family are safe and dry and we look forward to helping you in the near future.
Kind regards,
Andrea Collis