Do I really need to worry about flood coverage?

You may have heard talk about coverage for floods.  You may think you have coverage in the event of a flood. You may even be thinking “I don’t have to worry; I don’t live near a river or anything”.Have you noticed that the cost for your sewer back coverage has increased? And the amount of coverage has been reduced along with an increase in deductibles? Water damage in a basement due to a sewer backup is only covered if specific sewer backup coverage has been purchased.Canadians need to educate themselves that flooding involves more than just about a large body of water over spilling its banks.  For people in Ontario, it’s about our water table and  ageing infrastructure not able to handle large amounts of water during a rainfall.Inland floods in Canada are increasing, believed to be largely due to climate change and urbanization. Urbanization is when bare land is developed due to the development of roads and homes resulting in the reduction of permeable land.  As such even a moderate rain fall can cause flooding.2012 Ontario and Quebec alone suffered $350 Million due to flood damage.This video from IBC will give you a quick education on the trend in the change in extreme weather events and why insurance companies are now offering flood coverage.[embed]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Z6kdMnTbs[/embed]Overland flooding usually occurs when bodies of water, such as rivers, dams and other watercourses, overflow onto dry land and cause damage.  It also includes water suddenly accumulating from heavy rainfall or spring thaw. This type of flooding has been traditionally excluded.Aviva Insurance  was the first to offer flood insurance Overland Water protection.  It will cover losses from the sudden accumulation or run off of surface water – including torrential rainfall as well as overflow from fresh water rivers and lakes.As of Feb 8th, 2016 Intact Insurance is also offering Overland Water Protection in their Enhanced Water Damage Package.Take a look at this link.   This is a tool to determine the cost to repair damage in the event of flooding in your home.  Remember this is in American funds, so you can appreciate the amount it would cost you in Canadian dollars.Do you really need to worry about flood coverage?  Don’t dismiss it; it’s worth taking into consideration.  Contact us at W.C. Burgess Insurance to see how your policy responds to the various types of water damage.  Be sure that your home and your personal property are covered for water damage.