This has been quite the testing period for Canadian weather. From the wildfires in Alberta, to the flooding in Toronto, it seems that Canada has been bombarded in recent times – and Quebec was no exception, as the latest figures from the Insurance Bureau of Canada serve to prove.
It was back on August 9 that 200 millimetres of rain fell on Montreal and a host of regions across the province in just a 24hr period. The aftermath saw power outages, washed-out roads and flooding across numerous areas. This was followed by further downpours just this past weekend, with Environment Canada issuing rainfall warnings across several areas of the southwest.
However, it is the first event that the IBC is just picking up the pieces from – wrapping its head around some 70,000 home insurance claims.
“After more than a week, approximately 70,000 home insurance claims have been received by Quebec insurers. That’s more than 10 times the usual volume and claims continue to come in. People should expect longer than usual processing times for their claim,” said Line Crevier, supervisor, technical affairs and the insurance information centre, in an official statement.
The body wants claimants to know that it will take longer than usual to work through the claims and there is massive pressure being placed on the industry as it deals with post-disaster services across numerous provinces.
In preparation for claims, here are some tips, via the IBC, that brokers in the region can pass on to their clients.
Any thoughts on the barrage of weather events that have hit Canada in recent times? Leave a comment below.
