Debunking a myth

Many people believe that damage caused by natural disasters is never covered, but that’s a myth.  Most home insurance policies automatically cover damage caused by these “unpredictable” weather events. 

For example, if a hailstorm damages your lawn furniture and the siding on your house, this is generally covered. The same is true if a tornado tears off part of your roof.  You may recall the ice storm of 1998, considered by many experts to be the largest natural disaster Canada has seen: policyholders received more than $1.8 billion in benefits.

Good news, lighting is generally covered on all auto and home insurance policies, often with no deductible.

For some property, you may need to purchase additional coverage, called an endorsement. For example, above-ground pools or outdoor spas have to be named on the contract and covered by an endorsement. Similarly, some events, such as earthquakes, need to be covered in an extra clause in the policy.

Floods

Until recently, home insurers woull generally not cover damage caused by flooding. Why not? Because this phenomenon was considered predictable.  Flood-risk areas are well known and listed by municipal, provincial and federal governments.  

Discuss it with your insurer

The important thing is for you to have all the facts on the damage that will be covered by your home insurance in the event of a natural disaster. Would a rain of frogs be covered? Play a trick on your insurer, ask them the question!

Asking your insurer about it takes only a few minutes and could save you a lot of trouble down the road. Look into it.