Damages to home during extreme cold are covered by insurance: IBC

The bitter cold in Alberta has many wondering what damages are covered – and which ones are not – if something goes wrong at home.

According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), damages to your home during extreme colds are indeed covered.

“So things like freezing, wind or hail or fire – these are things covered by your insurance policy,” said Rob de Pruis, the national director of consumer and industry relations at IBC.

Frozen pipes, leaks, and any other damages to the home – or the contents in it – are covered by insurance.

But if your furnace breaks down? That’s the responsibility of the homeowner.

“One thing to keep in mind is if your furnace does go, and it results in some frozen pipes, the actual furnace itself is not covered by insurance,” said de Pruis.

Justin Penny, the officer manager at Hydro-Flo Plumbing and Heating Ltd., offers some suggestions to stay warm if the furnace breaks down.

“Well first thing you’ll do is make sure you got some space heaters,” Penny said. “You can use your oven to heat up the house. Then put the space heaters in the mechanical room near you water metre.”

Other suggestions to help minimize damage on your property due to extreme cold include not shutting your main water off to avoid it freezing; or opening your taps a bit to allow a tiny stream as running water takes longer to freeze.

“In your main common areas, yeah it may be still warm – maybe 10 or 12 (degrees). But all the little places in the corners, if there happens to be water there and you turn it back on, all of a sudden you have a frozen water line and a leak,” said Penny.