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Home / Home Insurance / Safety and prevention / Water Damage Prevention

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Water Damage prevention

Last year, water damage was the number one cause of all home insurance claims in Quebec and the number of claims keeps increasing every year.  You can avoid the hassle of water damage simply through proper maintenance, regular inspections and prompt repairs.

As often as not, water damage is caused by a lack of information on the matter, which is why now more then ever, prevention is key.

Here are a few protection tips so you can keep your head above water.

At all times

• Never run your washing machine or dishwasher when you are away from home.
• Never leave the bathroom while you are running a bath.
• Regularly check the pipes under the sinks to ensure they are completely dry.
• Have a plumber install backflow valves for drains to avoid sewer backup.
• Make sure the sump pump is in good working order and plugged into a backup power source.
• Check your hot water reservoir for signs of wear.  Suspecting a leak?  Contact the supplier if the guarantee is still in force.  You may have to replace it if it has reached its 10-year maximum service life. 
• Remember to replace your water heater if it is more than 10 years old.

Fall/Winter

• Check the gutters for leaves or debris that may block water from draining off the roof.
• In late fall, turn off the water supply to outdoor spigots.
• If you have to leave, especially during winter, ask a friend, a relative or a neighbour to periodically check your home.

Spring/Summer

• Remove snow from basement windows to avoid infiltration when the snow melts.
• Make sure your roof is in good condition.  Water can easily seep in through damaged or dislodged shingles.

Most basic contracts cover losses attributable to water damage arising from an accidental and unpredictable cause.  To know the actual extent of your coverage, make sure to read your contract carefully to be aware of all protections and exclusions.  To prevent expenses and trouble, you may want to add some protections to your home insurance  policy to ensure you have adequate coverage.

Additional coverage:

High-value property

Legal Insurance

Self-employed workers

Earthquake

Additional coverage is available to protect against a wider range of losses related to water damage.  Here are the other protections available:

Protection against damage caused by seepage of surface or ground water damage, including sewer backup.

• Seepage or influx of surface or ground water derived from natural sources through basement walls and floors, foundations, or sidewalks.
• Discharge, overflow or backflow of water from a sewer, sump, septic tank, foundation drain, retention tank or holding pond.
• Limit of coverage available per $5,000 - maximum $60,000 - except when selecting the limit corresponding to the building and/or content.

Protection against above ground water damage

• Entrance or seepage of all water, rain or sleet through walls or roofs, doors and windows, located above ground.
• Discharge, overflow or backflow of water from eavesthrough, downspout or rain water leader.
• The limit of coverage corresponds to the total insurance amount for the building and/or content.

Protections against water inlet damage

• Expenses for demolitions or repair of any part of the building (or insured premises) caused by a broken or malfunctionning water inlet.
• Additional coverage for the removal, replanting or, if less expensive, the replacement of trees, shrubs plants or lawns required by the repair of the water inlet.
• Limit of coverage of $10,000.

 

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