A weekend ice storm that left up to 350,000 people without power is the exclamation point on a year that bore witness to Mother Nature’s wrath.
For brokers, the best advice to offer clients who are still without power is to avoid the temptation to heat the house with barbecues, and to avoid fallen power lines when outside.
“Never use a stove or oven to heat your house. These devices are not designed to heat the room or home,” says Ralph Palumbo, vice president, Ontario, for the Insurance Bureau of Canada. “The misuse could potentially cause injury through fire or carbon monoxide. If you have to go out in the storm be sure to watch for downed power lines. Report any downed lines to your hydro company”
Brokers who may be swamped with calls can advise clients who have general insurance questions can contact IBC's Ontario's Consumer Information Centre at 1-800-387-2880.
Rick Orr, president of Orr Insurance brokers in Stratford, Ont., feels fortunate that his community escaped the worst of the damage.
“While we did have freezing rain it wasn’t as thick and damaging as in other areas,” says Orr. “We had some trees down and we had some power failures but most were restored pretty quickly. There are still some more rural areas without power but Hydro One continues to work at restoring their power.”
But the first step should always be to advise clients to assess the damage, document it, and then report it, says Palumbo.
“When it is safe to do so, it is important to assess and document any potential damages you need to report to your insurance representative,” he says. “Also in a power outage inside your home either keep a tap running or turn the taps off and drain pipes to keep from freezing.” (continued.)
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An IBC checklist for clients to ensure liability obligations are met include:
- Keep your sidewalk and the front stairs of your house clear of snow and ice to prevent falls and injuries;
- Keep snow and ice clear of gas meters, gas appliance vents, exhaust vents and basement windows;
- Water frozen in pipes can cause your pipes to break at their weakest point. To prevent freezing, fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping;
- Trim and remove tree branches that hang close to the house or electrical wires; and;
- If you need to drive, make sure all snow and ice is cleared from your vehicle.
