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Lyndon Block

Starting a New Build? Get Construction Insurance Before Breaking Ground

Why Construction Insurance Should Be Arranged Before Building Begins

Building a new home, shop, garage, cabin, or major addition is an exciting project. Between securing permits, hiring contractors, and ordering materials, insurance is often one of the last things on a homeowner’s mind.

Unfortunately, waiting until construction is already underway can create significant challenges when trying to obtain insurance coverage.

Insurance Companies Want to Review Projects Before Construction Starts

Over the past several years, many insurance companies have tightened their underwriting requirements for homes and buildings under construction.

Today, many insurers require construction insurance to be arranged before work begins. In some cases, once a foundation has been poured or framing has started, standard insurance companies may decline the risk altogether.

The reason is simple: insurers want the opportunity to evaluate the project before construction begins.

This review often includes:

  • Who is acting as the general contractor
  • The experience and reputation of the builder
  • Whether licensed electricians and plumbers are being used
  • The scope and value of the project
  • Construction timelines
  • Overall project management and risk controls

Insurance companies know that projects managed by experienced and reputable contractors tend to experience fewer claims, fewer construction defects, and fewer costly delays. By reviewing these details upfront, they can better assess the risk and provide appropriate coverage.

Why Starting Before Arranging Insurance Can Create Problems

Once construction is already underway, insurers lose the ability to assess the project from day one.

At that point, they may have questions such as:

  • Who completed the work that has already been done?
  • Were proper inspections completed?
  • Were licensed trades used throughout the project?
  • Has any damage already occurred?
  • Has the project been managed according to industry standards?

Even when nothing is wrong, these unanswered questions create additional uncertainty for the insurer.

As a result, many standard insurance companies simply won’t accept projects that have already started.

Specialty Insurance Often Means Higher Costs

When traditional insurance markets decline a partially completed project, homeowners are often forced to seek coverage through specialty insurance providers.

While these insurers can often help, the coverage typically comes with:

  • Higher premiums
  • Larger deductibles
  • Additional underwriting requirements
  • More restrictive coverage terms

What could have been a straightforward builders risk policy arranged before construction began can quickly become much more expensive.

What Is Builders Risk Insurance?

Builders Risk (also known as Course of Construction insurance) is designed to protect a project while it is being built.

Coverage may include protection against:

  • Fire
  • Wind and hail
  • Theft of building materials
  • Vandalism
  • Certain types of water damage
  • Damage to materials stored on-site

The policy protects the value of the project as construction progresses and can be one of the most important pieces of risk management during a build.

The Best Time to Call Your Broker

The best time to discuss insurance is before any work begins.

Whether you’re building a new home, a detached garage, a shop, a cabin, or a major addition, arranging coverage before construction starts gives you access to the widest range of insurance options and the most competitive pricing.

A quick conversation before the first shovel enters the ground can save considerable time, money, and frustration later.

Planning Ahead Protects Your Investment

Construction projects represent a significant investment of time and money.

Before the excavation equipment arrives, before the foundation is poured, and before the framing begins, make sure insurance is part of your planning process.

Getting coverage in place early allows insurers to properly evaluate the project, helps ensure you qualify for standard market rates, and provides peace of mind from the very beginning of the build.

If you’re planning a construction project this year, contact our team before construction begins. We’ll help ensure the proper coverage is in place from day one.

, and greater peace of mind throughout the project.

If you’re planning a construction project this year, reach out to our team before construction begins. We’ll help make sure the proper coverage is in place from day one.

Why Winter Tires Matter More Than You Think

When winter hits in Saskatchewan, driving conditions can change fast. Snow packed roads, icy intersections, and sudden temperature drops are just part of everyday life. While many drivers rely on all season tires year round, winter tires are designed specifically for these conditions, and the difference they make is bigger than most people realize.

Here are three important facts about winter tires, and why they play such a critical role in winter driving safety.

      1. Winter Tires Help You Stop Faster

        One of the biggest safety benefits of winter tires is reduced stopping distance. On snow and ice, winter tires can shorten stopping distances by up to 30 percent compared to all season tires. That difference matters. In winter conditions, a few extra feet can be the difference between a close call and a collision. Winter tires are designed to grip snow covered and icy roads more effectively, giving you more control when braking, turning, or reacting to sudden changes in traffic.

      2. It Is Not Just the Tread. It Is the Rubber

        Many people assume winter tires are just all season tires with deeper tread. In reality, the rubber compound is what sets them apart. Winter tires are made from a softer rubber that stays flexible in cold temperatures. All season tires begin to harden as temperatures drop, which reduces traction, even if the road looks dry. Winter tires stay pliable, allowing them to grip the road surface more effectively in cold weather. This flexibility improves traction during acceleration, braking, and cornering, helping your vehicle respond more predictably in winter conditions.

      3. Winter Tires Perform Best Below 7 Degrees Celsius

        A common misconception is that winter tires are only useful when there is snow on the ground. In fact, winter tires outperform all season tires whenever temperatures fall below 7 degrees Celsius, even on dry pavement. Cold temperatures alone affect how tires perform. Once the temperature drops, winter tires provide better grip and stability, making them a smart choice well before the first major snowfall and well into early spring.

Winter Tires and Peace of Mind

Insurance is there to help after something goes wrong. Winter tires help reduce the chances of something going wrong in the first place. By improving traction, shortening stopping distances, and enhancing overall control, winter tires help protect you, your passengers, and everyone else on the road. They also reduce the likelihood of winter related claims and costly repairs, making them a smart investment for both safety and peace of mind.

Final Thought

You cannot control winter weather, but you can control how prepared your vehicle is for it. Winter tires are not just an upgrade. They are one of the most effective ways to drive more confidently and safely through the winter months. If you have questions about winter driving, coverage, or how to stay protected all season long, your insurance advisor is always a great place to start.

Driver’s License “Renewal Scam” Alert

A New Scam Is Targeting Seniors About Their Driver’s License — Here’s How to Stay Safe
There’s a new scam going around, and it’s unfortunately aimed at seniors. It shows up as a text or email saying you need to “redo” or “renew” your driver’s license right away. On the surface, it looks official. But underneath, it’s just another attempt to get personal information or money.
If you or someone you love is a senior driver, here’s a friendly guide to what’s happening and how to protect yourself.
How This Scam Shows Up
Most people first see it as a surprise message saying something like, “Your license is about to expire — click here” or “Immediate action required to keep your license valid.”
The scammers make the messages look authentic by using government-style wording or logos. The goal is simple: make you worry just enough to click the link without thinking twice.
But here’s the good news — you don’t need to panic, and you’re definitely not losing your license.
What Real Licensing Offices Don’t Do
Even if the message looks convincing, a few things can give it away as a scam. Real licensing authorities, like SGI, simply don’t handle renewals this way.
They will never:
  • Text or email you demanding quick action
  • Ask for personal information through a link
  • Ask you to pay through e-transfer, gift cards, or prepaid cards
  • Threaten to suspend your license immediately
Real renewals happen through the mail or in person. If someone’s trying to rush you or scare you, that’s a clear sign something isn’t right.
Why Seniors Are Being Targeted
Scammers target seniors because they assume you’ll act quickly to avoid losing your independence on the road. They count on fear, urgency, and confusion.
But once you know what to watch for, these scams are much easier to spot — and ignore.
Red Flags to Look For
Here are some simple signs that the message isn’t legit:
  • Pushy wording like “final notice” or “urgent.”
  • A link asking for your driver’s license number or health card.
  • Odd spelling or formatting — the kind you can’t quite put your finger on.
  • Payment requests of any kind.
  • An email address that doesn’t look official.
If anything feels off, trust your gut.
What to Do If You Get One
If one of these messages lands in your inbox or on your phone, here’s what you can do:
  • Delete it right away
  • Don’t open any links
  • Don’t reply with any information
  • Call SGI directly if you want to double-check your renewal
  • Report the message to local police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre
A quick call to a real office is all it takes to know for sure.
Share This With Someone Who Might Need It
Scammers often succeed because people don’t know what to look for. Sharing this information with parents, grandparents, or neighbours can make a huge difference.
A simple conversation could save someone a lot of stress — and protect their personal information.

How Do Multiple Mortgages Affect My Home Insurance?

From the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), more than one-third (35.5%) of Canadians hold a mortgage. Taking a mortgage can help many people afford to buy a home, whether that’s their first or not.

Home insurance is one of the many expenses that come with home ownership. Home insurance ensures that, in the event of an unexpected disaster, break-in, or similar event, your assets are protected. Unfortunately, too few homeowners understand the ways in which many insurance carriers will look at their mortgaging habits; fewer still may know that having multiple mortgages can impact your insurance pricing.

Mortgaging and Home Insurance

Most lenders, banks, and financial institutions require home insurance before agreeing to mortgage your new asset.

On their end, this protects their investment in your home. A mortgage lender has a vested interest in ensuring that, in the event of a catastrophic loss, they aren’t losing out. Mortgages don’t disappear even if a house is destroyed, and so having home insurance protects them and you from monetary loss or even financial hardship.

In the event of a lawsuit, home insurance also provides protection. This protects both the lender and the homeowner. If the homeowner were sued for damages, their policy could pay the difference – all while ensuring they were still in a good financial position to continue paying off their loan. This isn’t the main concern for most lenders, but it does add another layer of financial security.

Different providers, different risk

Many insurance carriers will incentivize homeowners to pay off their mortgages through mortgage-free discounts. The logic here assumes that the homeowner is more financially responsible because they’ve paid off their mortgage already.

Not all insurance providers offer a mortgage-free discount. If you are mortgage-free, it’s worth discussing with your insurance broker to get the best deal possible on your home insurance premiums.

Properties with Multiple Mortgages

Like how some providers will offer mortgage-free discounts, many will price home insurance higher when a property has multiple mortgages. This is because these insurers will associate the multiple mortgages (2 or more) as increased financial risk and potentially complicated liability. Multiple mortgages may indicate higher financial strain on the homeowner, potential for higher risk property use, and a default risk.

Some insurance carriers, like Max Insurance, don’t charge additional premium whether you have one mortgage, two, etc. Multiple mortgages isn’t a reflection of the likelihood of a fire, water damage, or theft, and it doesn’t take into account the quality of the building materials. Multiple mortgages may be viewed as more of a financial detail and less of a property risk. Different providers have various interpretations of risk.

Bottom Line: Your Home’s Mortgaging Situation May Impact Your Home Insurance – But it Depends on the Insurer

In a nutshell, your home’s mortgaging situation (whether that’s having multiple mortgages, no mortgage, or one) may impact your pricing, but it also depends on the insurer that you’re with.

Working with an insurance broker opens up your options to find the insurance provider who offers the best coverage and best pricing for your needs. They’ll find a carrier whose rating system works best for your needs, while also getting you the protection that you deserve.

Understanding ‘Loss of Use’ Insurance Coverage for Farm Machinery

We understand as a farmer, your machinery is vital to daily operations. So, let’s go over some key points about ‘Loss of Use’ coverage, ensuring you’re well-informed and prepared for any unexpected machinery issues.

What is ‘Loss of Use’ Coverage?

Q: What exactly does ‘loss of use’ coverage entail?

A: ‘Loss of Use’ coverage is essentially a safety net for when your machinery is out of commission due to an event covered by your policy. It’s designed to help compensate for lost income by covering costs like renting replacement equip

ment, ensuring your farming operations can continue without significant interruption.

What Does ‘Loss of Use’ Cover?

Q: Which situations are typically covered under ‘loss of use’ insurance for farm machinery?

A: This coverage typically applies when your equipment is damaged by specific events such as fire, theft, vandalism, or certain natural disasters. It helps by covering the cost of renting or leasing equipment or hiring someone to perform those tasks.

 

Q: Are there any limits or restrictions on what this coverage pays for?

A: Yes, there are usually limits on the duration and total amount the policy will cover. For example, it might cover up to a certain number of days or a maximum dollar amount per day. In the event of a total loss of the machinery, most insurers cover loss of use until an offer is made for payment. At Block’s Agencies, we offer a solution with ‘Extended Rental Expense’ through our partner, First Acre Insurance. ‘Extended Rental Expense’ provides an increased period of time for machinery rental expenses when the delay to replace lost machinery is outside of your control. It’s crucial to review your policy thoroughly to understand these specifics. Different insurers may offer different types of coverage in this scenario.

What Does ‘Loss of Use’ Not Cover?

Q: Are there any common exclusions to watch out for in ‘loss of use’ coverage?

A: Absolutely, there are common exclusions. Typically, this coverage won’t extend to issues like machinery breakdowns due to normal wear and tear, lack of maintenance, or mechanical failures unless your policy explicitly states so.

Q: Does this coverage apply to all types of farm machinery?

A: Not always. Coverage can vary depending on the type and age of your machinery and the specifics of your policy. Some policies might exclude older models or specialized equipment, so it’s important to check what your policy specifically covers.

How to Ensure Adequate Coverage

Q: How can farmers ensure they have adequate ‘loss of use’ coverage for their machinery?

A: To ensure adequate coverage, you should regularly review your insurance policies and assess the value and types of your machinery. It’s also a good idea to consult us to make sure your coverage aligns with your needs. Remember to update your policy as you acquire new equipment or as your farm’s conditions change.

In conclusion, while ‘Loss of Use’ coverage can be extremely beneficial in minimizing disruption, understanding the details of what is covered is essential. Proper management of this insurance can help protect your finances and keep your farming operations running smoothly, even when unexpected challenges arise. If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to reach out!

Credit Card Fraud: My Experience with a False Fraud Call

In today’s digital age, where convenience often comes hand in hand with vulnerability, protecting our financial information has become more crucial than ever. Recently, my family and I encountered a harrowing experience with credit card fraud that underscored just how easily unsuspecting individuals can fall victim to clever scams.

It all started with a phone call that appeared to be from our bank, CIBC. The caller identified themselves as a representative from the bank’s fraud department, informing us that there had been suspicious activity detected on our credit card. Understandably alarmed, we were reassured by the caller’s apparent knowledge of our personal details and recent transactions, which lent an air of authenticity to the call. We gave almost no information to the caller as he verified our names, address, recent transactions along with our credit card numbers.

The caller proceeded to explain that, in order to secure our account and prevent further unauthorized access, they needed to perform a multi-factor authentication (MFA) verification. This process typically involves confirming your identity through additional security measures, such as a code sent to your phone or email. In our case, we were asked to provide certain details that included sensitive information usually required for such verifications. This would have possibly raised our suspicions, but both Kayla and I had legitimate fraud instances on our accounts previously and this script and protocol seemed identical.

Trusting the caller’s authority and urgency, we reluctantly disclosed the requested information, believing it was necessary to protect our finances. Little did we know, we had just fallen victim to a sophisticated fraudster’s scheme.

Within moments of providing the MFA information, our worst fears were realized. Unauthorized activity began appearing on our accounts, and attempts were made to access our banking, credit cards, lines of credit and mortgage accounts as well. The scammers had gained enough information to breach our financial defenses, exploiting the trust we had placed in what we believed was a legitimate call from our bank.

The aftermath was both frustrating and frightening. We immediately contacted CIBC to report the incident and froze all our compromised accounts. Additionally, we placed fraud alerts with TransUnion and Equifax, hoping to minimize any further damage to our credit and personal information.

Luckily for us, Kayla had fraud training with her previous work at CIBC Wood Gundy and was able to notify the appropriate people in a very quick and effective manner. We hope that we have done everything required to prevent any future issues, but this has been a gut-wrenching experience to say the least.

Reflecting on this ordeal, several lessons emerged that are worth sharing:

  1. Vigilance is Key: Always question unexpected calls or emails requesting sensitive information, even if they seem to come from reputable organizations. Fraudsters can easily spoof phone numbers and emails to mimic legitimate sources.
  2. Verify Before You Trust: If you receive a suspicious call, hang up and independently verify the caller’s identity by contacting the organization through official channels. Never use the contact information provided by the caller.
  3. Educate Your Family: Ensure that everyone in your household is aware of common scams and understands the importance of safeguarding personal and financial information.
  4. Act Swiftly: At the first sign of suspicious activity, take immediate action to secure your accounts and report the incident to your financial institution and credit bureaus. I believe because Kayla had a
  5. Monitor Regularly: Regularly review your bank and credit card statements for any unauthorized transactions. Early detection can help minimize the impact of fraud.

This recent experience with credit card fraud was a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities we face in an increasingly interconnected world. Despite our best efforts to protect ourselves, fraudsters continue to evolve their tactics, preying on trust and exploiting our desire for quick resolutions to perceived emergencies.

As we continue to recover from this incident, I hope that sharing our story serves as a cautionary tale and encourages others to remain vigilant against the ever-present threat of financial fraud. By staying informed and proactive, we can better protect ourselves and our loved ones from falling victim to similar scams in the future.