August 9 torrential rains in Québec: IBC answers your questions
While the impact of the record number of claims related to the August 9 torrential rains is still being felt, the property and casualty insurance industry is extremely busy and putting all the measures in place to respond to policyholders as quickly as possible. IBC has put together a series of practical Q&As that address the most common concerns to help claimants who are having trouble reaching their insurer.
1. I’ve been waiting a few weeks for a claims adjuster to get back to me and I’m unable to reach my insurer. What can I do?
If you already left a message or submitted a claim, your insurer will give you an update as soon as possible. There is no need to call them back. The volume of claims is so high – 10 times more than usual – that delays are inevitable in receiving and processing all the claims.
If you were affected by flooding, you must complete all the necessary work to avoid aggravating damages while waiting for a call back. In particular, you need to remove the water and damaged belongings, and then disinfect and dry out the area. Be sure to properly document your claim: photos of damage to the property and list of damaged items (brand, model, price paid, photo or receipt), expenses incurred since the loss occurrence (time and costs spent cleaning up the home to avoid aggravating damages, additional expenses for accommodations, food, etc.).
2. I need to find my own contractor to do the repairs to my home. How do I get started?
IBC recommends that people with flood damage ask a contractor for an estimate for the repair work and to make sure the contractor is licensed with the Régie du bâtiment du Québec (RBQ) and to forward everything to their insurer (with photos and videos of damages).
As a policyholder you may also decide to do the work yourself or have the work done by a trusted person. In such case, IBC suggests that you discuss with your insurer to agree on the terms and conditions.
You can also try getting referrals through associations, trade corporations or some websites for different types of contractors. It’s an extra option to consider.
In all cases, be careful not to sign a contract or pay a deposit without first establishing trust with the contractor you have chosen.
3. I was unable to hire the services of a disaster clean-up company. Is that normal?
Considering the volume of claims – over 10 times the usual – the insurance industry and various partners working in recovery cannot respond to requests within the usual times. You need to be patient.
Rest assured that insurers are doing everything possible to respond to claims from every policyholder.
The following work must be carried out immediately, if not already done, to avoid aggravating damages:
- Remove the water
- Tear out parts of the basement that was flooded (flooring and walls)
- Take out of the contents from the home that was damaged by water and take photos
- Disinfect
- Dry out
4. My insurance coverage is not enough to cover my damages. What do you suggest?
As a policyholder, you decide how you want to use the coverage amount. However, it is critical to carry out the cleaning, disinfecting, and drying to prevent any hazard to your health.
Afterward, you can do some work yourself if you’re capable of doing it. Identify your priority areas: repair the flooring or walls? Replace the damaged belongings? These decisions are up to you.
If you believe a waterway may have caused the damages, you may be entitled to financial assistance from the Ministère de la Sécurité publique for any amount exceeding your insurance coverage. The Ministère’s website explains the terms and conditions of the program and how to make a claim.
5. When do you think the situation will go back to normal?
At this time, it is difficult to provide a date when things will go back to normal. Given the sheer volume of claims, the industry will be busy for several months processing them. A good number of claims are settled every day, some more easily than others, but the volume and nature of the damages will require some time.
Although the situation has gradually improved, the unprecedented scale of losses has created significant challenges for the insurance industry, disaster clean-up companies and building contractors. However, rest assured that ongoing efforts are being made to help every policyholder during this difficult time.
Should you have any general enquiries about property and casualty insurance, the Insurance Information Centre can help you:
- (514) 288-4321 (Montréal region)
- 1 877 288-4321 (elsewhere in Québec)
- cinfo@bac-quebec.qc.ca
For more information on this subject: Torrential rains: what to expect
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