Financial Insurance FAQs

Damage to your home caused by falling objects, including trees, is a common coverage under a homeowners policy. If the tree simply falls in the yard, and does not cause any damage to the home, there is typically no coverage for the cost to remove the tree. The removal of the tree from the yard is the responsibility of the homeowner. Your Broker can certainly review your policy to explain your coverage and responsibilities further.

The circumstances of every home claim with vary by the severity of the damage. Generally speaking, you should be contacted by your claims adjuster within 24 hours of a claim being reported. If the claim was reported during a major weather event, such as an ice storm or flooding caused by rain, your adjuster may be delayed in responding. Claims are processed in the order they are received. But a priority is also given to those that have suffered an immediate catastrophic lose.

A home insurance policy requires that a policy holder submit all receipts for damages within 2 years from the date of the loss.

Water is the most common cause of home insurance claims. In order to determine coverage, a claims adjuster will need to determine the source of the water damage.

If you suspect a burst pipe or a plumbing connection is the cause of the leak, locate the water shut off valve for your home.

Protect your property from further damage. If safe to do so, move your property to another area that was unaffected by the water. Place property into storage bins, and keep off the floor.

Insurance coverage for property damaged after a major weather related event can be purchased for an additional cost under your home insurance policy. If the water damage was a result of a storm or weather event, contact your Broker to review the insurance coverage you purchased.

Ongoing seepage is typically an indication that repairs to the foundation will be required. Deterioration, as well as wear and tear,are common exclusions under home insurance policies. Seek the advice of a licensed contractor to assess the cause of the leak. It is good practice to ask for proof of insurance, references, and seek more than one estimate before hiring a contractor.

Your broker remains available to talk about your insurance coverage to help you decide if an insurance claim should be filed.

Our most important job is to be here for you when a claim happens. If possible, call our office to speak a Broker first. Your Broker will ask you details about what happened. They will review the insurance coverage you purchased and the amount of the deductible stated on the policy. A Notice of Loss will be prepared and sent to the insurance company on your behalf to open a claim.

If you experience an emergency after our office hours, please click on this link for a list of our insurance partners Emergency Afters Hours phone numbers.

No matter how your claim is reported, we are here for you, our client. If you are have a concern or question during the claims process, your Broker remains available to help.

Your safety, and the safety of your family, is our top priority. Preventative steps, such as shutting off the supply of power or water in your home should only be done if you deem it safe to do so. In some situations, you may need to contact your municipal utility company (such as Hydro or Water Department) to come to your home for 24 hour emergency shut off services.

If you can do so safely, the insurance policy does require that you take reasonable steps to prevent further damage of your property until a representative from the claims department can be dispatched to your location.

DO: Take photos of the damages and make a list of property damaged.

DON’T: Discard any damaged property unless absolutely necessary.

Call your broker as soon as you are able. If the claim arises after business hours, please follow this link to our after ours claims directory

If there have been injuries, or there is a concern of fire, call 911.

As far as your insurance company is concerned, no. The paint colour of your vehicle is not a question that is asked on an automobile insurance application

If you are a registered owner of a car, you are legally responsible for any injury or damage caused by your vehicle. Anyone operating your vehicle must have a valid driver’s license and a legal capacity to operate the vehicle. There is a saying “If you lend your car, you lend your insurance”. If a guest has an accident while driving your vehicle, your car insurance will typically respond. It is always a good idea to discuss with your Broker before lending your car.

Dozens of variables will be considered by your auto insurance company to calculate your individualized premium. Your age, the type of vehicle you drive, your years licensed and insured, claims history, conviction history, where you live, and the use of your vehicle are all examples of factors your auto insurance company will consider. Your Broker will ask you a variety of questions so that they can obtain the best car insurance rate based on your individual profile.

If the property is not physically attached to the car, the car insurance will not cover personal or business property stolen from your vehicle. You will need to speak to your Broker about filing a claim under your home insurance or business insurance policy. If you have contents normally stored in your vehicle, it is important to advise your Broker. You may need to purchase additional protection.