With many Quebecers planning to spend their spring in cottages and using recreational watercraft, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada has issued an advisory cautioning vacationers to be mindful of water safety.
Allstate released its advisory after finding that there had been a surge in customers taking out policies for their recreational watercraft.
“Allstate customers in Canada took out more policies for boats and recreation properties in 2020 than they did in 2019. There was also an increase in Allstate customers in Quebec adding a pool endorsement to their home insurance policies in 2020 compared to 2019,” said Allstate agency manager for Montreal-East area Carmine Venditti. “This could mean that more people are planning on spending more time on or around water this year, so it’s important to remind people of all ages to adopt safe behaviours and wear a lifejacket, even if they can swim.”
Citing data from a 2020 report from the Quebec division of the Lifesaving Society, Allstate noted that 80 of the 95 drownings recorded last year involved a watercraft. The same Lifesaving Society report also found that not wearing a lifejacket is one of the biggest risk factors of drowning involving watercraft, and that 81% of those involved in a watercraft-related drowning incident were not wearing one. Another 5% of those involved in drowning incidents were wearing their lifejackets improperly.
The report also revealed that in 34% of the drowning cases wherein passengers in a watercraft were not wearing a lifejacket, there was a lifejacket present in the boat, but they were unable to put it on during the incident. It also noted that for children, 85% of drownings occurred while the child was unattended. The same is true for people aged 65 and over, where 85% of drownings occurred while they were unsupervised.
Allstate conducted a separate survey with Leger, in which only 42% of respondents aged 18 to 34 said they always wear a lifejacket when on a watercraft.
“Coroners’ investigation reports show that drowning is almost always preventable,” said Lifesaving Society Quebec executive director Raynald Hawkins. “Swimming, boating, water boarding or skiing and other water activities are supposed to be fun. Taking the necessary precautions, such as maintaining constant supervision of those swimming in the water and wearing a flotation device, can make the difference between having great memories of your time at the cottage or having a traumatic experience.”
