Amid wildfires raging in the western and eastern provinces, Insurance Canada Bureau deputy chief Craig Stewart shares what residents should know about police coverage of wildfires.
In an interview with Your Morning Channel on Friday, Stewart confirmed that almost all insurance policies in Canada cover wildfire risks.
“The first thing you need to do is call your insurance company and start your claim as soon as possible once it’s safe,” Stewart says.
For those who must leave and relocate, Stewart says, most insurance policies include a provision for additional living expenses.
“Policies generally cover two to four weeks of living expenses while away from home. Know this, and be sure to keep receipts and hand them over to your insurance company,” says Stewart.
According to Stewart, no policies were revoked because the homes were built near a wooded area in Nova Scotia — cases that occurred after the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire.
“There were more than 200 homes that had insurance coverage, and almost all of those people were in contact with their insurance companies,” Stewart says.
Stewart revealed that some homes in Nova Scotia were not insured this year.
After burning 2.7 million hectares of land in Canada, according to the National Forest Database, Stewart says we’re still far from seeing people who live in fire-prone areas not agree to insurance.
“Fire is always an accident in this country,” Stewart said. We cannot predict where homes will burn. Certainly at Tantallon, just outside Halifax, it was a complete surprise not only to the residents, but also to the insurers. also. »
“We don’t believe wildfire insurance is limited in any way across the country. There are over 200 P&L insurers operating in a very competitive market. We haven’t heard of any insurance company seeking to withdraw from any part of the country at this point. time Adds Stewart.
Stewart explains that although most of the fires are man-made, they do not affect police coverage.
