As you have likely seen, there were tornadoes that recently touched down by the Meadow Lake Provincial Park. We have had some wild windstorms across Saskatchewan which have been accompanied by some decent sized hail as well. These aren’t huge surprises as we live in Saskatchewan and these storms seem to be an annual occurrence. However, when it does strike your area, it can not only be terrifying, it can be devastating as well.
What can I do to protect my family and my assets in these storms?
Having a proper emergency protocol is always important. Whether you have a designated room in your basement or you just hide under your staircase, it is important that your family knows what to do in the event of a storm. Avoid going near any windows as broken glass can cause serious injury.
Having your roof secured with “hurricane straps” to the trusses helps keep your roof firmly attached to your dwelling. For your outbuildings, making sure your bins are anchored and any other structures are on a solid foundation and anchored down is important as well.
If the winds are strong enough, it may not matter how secure your buildings are. In this case it is important to carry the proper insurance coverage to insure your property from these types of windstorm claims.
Tornadoes and Plow Winds can do serious damage, whether it is by causing direct damage to the buildings, vehicles or equipment, or indirectly, by blowing trees down and then the tree severely damages your property. Having an insurance policy for your home, buildings, vehicles & equipment can make sure your property is covered so you are not in a serious financial loss after the storm subsides.
Wind & Hail are covered on majority of insurance extensions as it is a named peril. Make sure you confirm with your broker what coverage you actually have on your policy. In some instances, people assume they have coverage and cancel their license plate insurance off their trailers/RVs when they are parked in a year-round seasonal site. Make sure you phone your broker to make sure your extension auto pak covers you during this time, as some policies need to be amended for such a scenario.
Shingles are commonly damaged when it comes to these elements. It is important to note that insurance companies have started depreciating your roof, if the shingles are over 15 years old, as they wear over time. Doing an annual inspection of your roof (whether it is you or a professional) would be a good thing to do, to maintain and fix any small amounts of damage and make sure your roof is still in good condition for another year of wind, rain, hail, ice & snow. It would be a good idea to clean out your eavestroughs at the same time as these can get blocked up by debris and prevent water from draining properly.
Keeping your property maintained and well looked after, is very important, not only to you, but to your insurance company as well. By looking after your property, you reduce the chance of having a claim and that can benefit your relationship with your insurance company and result in accumulating claims free & loyalty discounts.
These storms can be very scary and can cause an exorbitant amount of damage. Make sure you have measures in place to keep your family safe, and policies in place to keep you financially safe. Take care out there.