With the recent wildfire that raged through Waterton National Park and the surrounding area you may be in a situation where you have lost property or are worried that you may lose property due to fire. If so you probably have a lot of questions. First check out our article about Alberta wildfires on how you can help protect your home prepare for evacuation and submit a claim. Below we’ve gathered some of the commonly asked questions.
Is my home farm or business covered if it is damaged or destroyed by forest or grass fires?
Yes. Your home farm or business insurance will cover basic fire damage including if it is caused by a wildfire (forest or grass).
What about my cabin or seasonal dwelling? Will that be covered?
Yes. Fire coverage is included in the basic insurance policy for seasonal dwellings and cabins.
What about smoke damage – is that covered?
Yes smoke would be covered. There may be a limit that will depend on your policy.
What do you do if you need to evacuate? Is that covered?
Please visitthis article for evacuation advice. You should follow all instructions given by local emergency services.
Expenses related to your evacuation such as transport food water and accommodation will be covered to a certain extent. Contact your broker to find out the limits on your policy. Remember to keep ALL of your receipts as you cannot get reimbursed without them.
Can I buy additional coverage to protect my home cabin farm or business?
Some insurance companies do offer additional coverage for example Fire Department Charges and forest fire fighting expenses. You can also raise your policy limits and get additional coverage for things like outbuildings. Your broker will be the best person to talk to about what is available to you when it comes to coverage.
Keep in mind that you cannot change your insurance if there is an emergency going on . For example if you have a seasonal dwelling in Waterton you’d be unable to change your insurance until after the fire has been extinguished or is no longer a threat to the area.
Are my livestock covered for fire due to natural causes?
You would need to have mortality insurance on your livestock.
If I just have pasture land is the fence replacement covered?
Yes if it is insured. You would get the actual cash value of your fencing however not the full replacement cost.
Your broker is your best resource to understanding what your policy covers and the amount of money you will be eligible to receive. Talk to them about your coverage –find your broker here.
