Image: Tara Clow
It has been more than two weeks, but cleanup continues from Fiona.
Insurance will help to help with the damages, but for some, policies may not have offered coverage.
Insurance Bureau of Canada spokesperson Graham Little recommends knowing exactly what you’re covered for.
“Flooding could very well be covered. The storm surge part is not generally covered for housing, certainly not in our region. On the automotive side, water damage to vehicles can be covered. There is also coverage for wind and debris damage,” Little says.
He recommends sitting down with your policy advisor to go over the details, so you know exactly what you are covered for.
“Every policy is different. Some people opt for more coverage and then they have a variety of avenues available to them. Some people opt for bare bones, which will be just general liability,” Little says.
“That’s what insurance professionals are for. They can walk you through, and describe different types of events that would be covered, and the different types of events that wouldn’t. You’ll understand your own risk and your own liability. It’s really an education.”
It’s also advised you document all of the belongings in your home, car, or trailer, and include those documents in your 72-hour emergency kit.
“If you find yourself in a situation where you have to leave your home for a period of time, you’ll want to make sure you have some of those files with you,” Little says.
At the height of the storm, more than 600,000 people across Atlantic Canada were without power, and damage estimates are in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
