The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday, Aug. 15, edition that hundreds of Canadian homeowners have lost their homes to wildfires this summer and will rely on insurance for rebuilding and replacing contents. The Globe's Om Shanbhag writes that those without insurance will face costs for debris cleanup and repairs. Even insured homeowners may find their coverage insufficient for recovery.
Underinsurance, where an insurance policy fails to fully cover home repair or replacement costs, presents a serious risk to homeowners, particularly due to rising construction and home prices. For every dollar of insured costs, two to four dollars of uninsured costs are incurred.
In general, a standard home insurance policy covers fire damage, including from wildfires, which isn't an optional add-on like flood coverage, said Insurance Bureau of Canada's Rob de Pruis.
Costs for standard insurance policies are going up, as severe weather is exerting increased pressures on premiums, Mr. de Pruis said.
Between 2016 and 2025, the insurance industry in Canada paid out over $8.1-billion in wildfire-insured damages, compared with the previous decade which saw $734-million in damage from all weather events, Mr. de Pruis said.
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