DAMAGE RINGS IN AT $124M

The recent flooding in the Windsor area caused more than $124 million in insured damages, the Insurance Bureau of Canada has reported. A storm on Aug. 28-29 that saw over 200 mm of rainfall in certain areas of Windsor and Essex County has led to over 6,400 complaints of damage to residences and businesses due to sewer backups, basement flooding and overland water damage in Windsor alone. Parts of Tecumseh, Lakeshore, LaSalle and Essex also suffered considerable flooding. “Climate change is causing severe weather events to happen more frequently and with greater intensity, especially storms involving floods,” said Kim Donaldson, the insurance bureau’s vice-president for Ontario. “While the insured damage from these floods is significant, the total cost to homeowners and government is not yet known.” Since flooding can cause significant damage in a very short amount of time, he said it was “critically important” for consumers to know what is included in their insurance policies and whether they have sewer backup or overland flood protection. Sewer backup coverage is widely available as an add-on product to most standard home insurance policies, while overland flood protection is also available across the province from several insurers, Donaldson said. “Consumers in high-risk areas and areas prone to frequent floods may run into difficulty finding affordable coverage,” he said. “Consumers should check with their insurance representatives to see what options are available to them.”