Does your insurance cover it?

Quebec homeowners who saw their properties damaged by Tuesday’s storms are very probably covered by their insurance policies, the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) announced on Wednesday.

The IBC said in a statement that “property damage caused by this kind of natural disaster is covered under most home and auto insurance policies,” adding that policyholders should contact their insurer or broker to open a claims file as quickly as possible.

As the power comes back on and cleanup begins, the IBC advised that the following tips be followed to protect property from further damage or risk of contamination.

Clean up the damaged areas and any property exposed to water seepage, if applicable, to prevent all contamination.

Keep all invoices and supporting documents for expenses incurred.

Document losses by taking photos or videos, if possible.

The IBC noted that damage caused to vehicles is covered under the auto insurance policy, provided the policyholder chose “all perils,” “specified perils” or “perils other than collision or upset” coverage.

The IBC’s Insurance Information Centre is available to help consumers Monday to Friday from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. at 514-2884321 (Montreal area) or 1-877 -288-4321 (elsewhere in Quebec). Relevant information is also available at infoinsurance.ca.