Weathering the Storm in Alberta – Part 3
Picture this: You arrive home after a long day, only to find water pooling in your basement. The panic sets in, where did it come from? Is this covered by your insurance? Understanding the different types of flooding and water damage is essential for protecting your home and ensuring peace of mind.
TL;DR
Flooding in Alberta includes river overflow, heavy rainfall, melting snow, sewer backups, and surface water accumulation. Standard policies often don’t cover these scenarios uniformly, making it crucial to distinguish between flood, overland water, surface water, and sewer backup coverage. Proactive risk management and clear policy knowledge are essential.
Understanding Different Types of Water Damage
Flooding and water damage can take several forms, each treated differently by insurance. An often overlooked aspect to home and commercial insurance is coverage from water damage. Most policies in Alberta do not automatically include flood, sewer backup or the most often missed: overland water. Here’s how they differ:
Flood
Overflow of natural water bodies such as rivers, lakes, or streams. For example, the devastating floods in Calgary and High River in 2013 caused extensive property damage when rivers overflowed their banks. The estimated property damage was in excess of $1.7 billion and forced 100,000 people from their homes.
Overland Water
Water entering your property directly from sudden rainfall or snowmelt runoff, not involving river or lake overflow. Imagine heavy rains overwhelming street drainage and causing water to enter through your foundation or basement windows.
Sewer Backup
Occurs when sewer or drainage systems are overloaded, resulting in wastewater flowing back into homes or businesses through plumbing fixtures or basement drains. A common scenario is wastewater entering basements during heavy rainfall or infrastructure failures.
Surface Water
Typically caused by water pooling on the ground after heavy rainfall or melting snow, especially where the ground can’t absorb the excess. For example, water pooling in your yard or driveway that eventually seeps into lower levels of your home.
What’s Typically Covered?
Knowing Your Coverage Details is Key
Standard Home Insurance usually excludes flood damage from river overflow. Overland Water Coverage is often an optional add-on protecting against runoff from heavy rain or melting snow.
Sewer Backup is another add-on covering damage from sewage entering through your plumbing or drains. Surface Water Damage may or may not be included in overland water coverage.
Essential Questions for Your Broker
- Which types of water damage are covered under my policy and what is excluded?
- Are there separate deductibles for flood, overland, surface water, or sewer backup claims?
- What preventive measures or improvements could lower my premium or deductible?
Managing Your Water Damage Risk
Insurance coverage is essential, but it’s also vital to be proactive. Taking preventive steps can significantly reduce the potential impact of water damage, protect your home, and might even help lower your insurance costs.
Reduce your risk proactively:
- Install backwater valves to protect against sewer backups.
- Ensure proper grading around your home so the ground slopes away from the foundation
- Regularly clean gutters, eavestroughs, and downspouts.
- Consider sump pumps equipped with battery backups in basements.
- Elevate or relocate valuable items stored in lower levels or basements.
Image source: https://www.iclr.org/flooding/
In addition, it’s always prudent to take photos and have documentation of valuables prior to a loss occurring. If damage occurs, document all damage thoroughly with videos and photos and notify your broker immediately. Begin mitigation where safely possible, removing standing water and drying affected areas quickly.
How Cornerstone Can Help
Understanding water damage coverage shouldn’t be complicated but when it comes to water damage and what’s covered, clarity is necessary. Our brokers can explain your current protections, identify coverage gaps, and recommend improvements tailored to your property.
More in the ‘Weathering the Storm in Alberta’ series:
Part 1 – Hail Damage in Alberta: What Homeowners Need to Know
Part 2 – Wildfire Preparedness: How to Protect Your Alberta Home or Business
Part 4 – Wind & Tornado Damage: Protecting Your Alberta Home and Business
