Torrential rains: what to expect

The August 9, 2024 torrential rains affected thousands of residents and caused serious damage in several Québec cities and regions.

Expect delays

To date, more than 70,000 home insurance claims have been submitted to insurance companies who are deploying all available resources to respond to policyholders as quickly as possible.

The volume of claims is 10 times higher than usual and the claims keep coming in. Insurers are deploying all resources and services possible to meet this unprecedented stream of claims. You should therefore expect delays in processing your claim.

What to do

If you’re having trouble reaching your insurer, check for other available communication channels. Some insurers offer online services where you can submit your claim electronically. 

It is crucial to remove all accumulated water without delay following water damage. Also be sure to remove all wet and water-damaged belongings from the home as they can become a health hazard. Then you need to disinfect and dry out the area.

Afterward, document all the losses incurred. You need to prepare a list of damaged or destroyed belongings including details (brand, model). Take photos of those belongings and gather all their receipts and invoices, if you have them.

If you incurred expenses related to the damages, e.g., water removal, machinery or equipment rental, keep those invoices. Also keep invoices for expenses that you had to incur for food and accommodations so you can submit everything with your claim.

Overview of claim processing 

Experiencing such a loss is stressful and this might even be the first home insurance claim for a good number of policyholders.

For a clearer understanding, a claim usually goes through the following process:

• Check the contract and coverages, including amounts to determine whether there is indeed coverage.
• Undertake emergency repairs to avoid aggravating damages: the policyholder can carry out the work but they must keep invoices for materials and services hired.
• Document the claim: the policyholder must make a list of damaged belongings by providing details on the items, plus photos, receipts and invoices.
• Get a damage appraisal: a claims adjuster will appraise the total amount of damages, including items that need to be cleaned, repaired or replaced, and sections of the home that need to be repaired or rebuilt.
• Repair and/or replace the belongings: at this stage, various companies are brought in to restore the policyholder to the same position before the loss occurred.

I don’t have insurance

Disaster victims who do not have insurance or who do not have coverage for the damages incurred may be eligible for government assistance. 

People with private insurance will first be compensated by their insurer up to the amount of insurance they purchased. They could also receive financial assistance from the government. 

To find out if you’re eligible for government assistance or to submit a claim:

Flooding or other disaster related financial support for property owners and tenants | Government of Québec (quebec.ca) 

Do you have any concerns?

IBC is there. Should consumers or claimants have any questions about property and casualty insurance:

• 514-288-4321
• 1-877-288-4321 (outside the Montréal area)
• cinfo@bac-quebec.qc.ca 

For more information on this subject: August 9 torrential rains in Québec: IBC answers your questions