melloInsurance

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seepage

Protect yourself from water runoff & spring thaw

April has come in with a very “heavy” vibe to it. Heavy – with the eerie feelings we are having doing daily “unconscious” tasks like fueling up our vehicle, buying groceries, grabbing a coffee, just breathing in public, or being aware of how “moistly” we speak. It has also brought a heavy amount of snowfall. Now that the warmer weather is approaching, we may find ourselves with a water problem or runoff issues.

Over the past few years, our provincial government has slowly transferred responsibility of their PDAP flood program and put that burden on the public to now buy flood insurance. Not all people have purchased this coverage as they feel like they are on higher ground, or do not have a basement in their home/cabin/business, or they’re generally not concerned. It is important to be prepared for these events regardless of your position, and even if you HAVE purchased the coverage, you should still take precautions and try to prevent a potential loss as not all water losses are covered; even under this new water protection coverage.

What should I do to prevent damage to my home or place of business?
As a property owner, there are a number of things you should do to help prevent water damage.

  • Remove built-up snow/ice from the roof/eavestroughs to prevent ice damming.
  • Make sure downspouts are cleaned out, connected properly and are directed away from the building.
  • Shovel snow away from the perimeter of the building.
  • Confirm slope of the landscaping around the building sheds water away from the building.
  • Install a sump pump, pipe it away from property and have a backup power supply installed for added protection. If you already have a sump pump, test it to make sure it is working and ready to go.
  • Install a backup inline valve in your sewer line to prevent sewer water backing up into your basement.

What happens if I do these preventative measures and I still end up having water in my basement?

You can do everything right and still have a claim on your property. This is why insurance exists. They are not maintenance policies, but sudden and accidental policies to protect you from the unforeseen. If you have water protection coverage on your policy, you could potentially be covered for the following:

  • Surface water – This is where water on the surface of the ground enters the dwelling through a point, at or above, the surface of the ground.
  • Flood – This is damage caused by the rising of, breaking out or overflow of any body of water. 
  • Ground Water – damage to the home caused by water entering the home beneath the surface of the ground. Coverage will be provided only when it’s sudden and accidental, and it happens at the same time as a flood or surface water incident. 
  • Sewer Backup – Water or sewage accidentally discharged or escaped from the sewer, sump or septic tank.

However, that being said, not everything is covered. There is some confusion surrounding groundwater and the term “seepage.” Seepage is not usually covered. Some companies have started to develop some type of coverage for this peril, but most continue to exclude it.  Seepage, by definition, is the process by which a liquid (water) leaks slowly through a porous substance. Ie – Concrete Foundation. It is a slow constant process and therefore, not sudden and accidental. 

This is why it is important to have water shedding away from the foundation of the home. The more the water gathers around the house, the more likely it is, that you could have water seeping through a hole in your foundation and potentially have a water loss in your home. Sump pumps are a must nowadays with the high water table in the ground. Many locations like Warman or Martensville have a higher water table and the sump pumps in those areas are actively being used this time of year. So make sure they are maintained and ready for the season.

If you do have a water issue and need to submit a potential claim, please fill out our claim form online and submit it to our office, we will pass that information along to your insurance provider and we can get the process started. Please note that if you proceed with the claim, you will be responsible to pay for your deductible as that is your portion you are responsible for. 

If you have any further questions in regards to your policy or this coverage in particular, please contact your broker or request a copy of your wordings to review the coverage you have on your policy with your insurance carrier.

Even though the world has come to a halt, it is important to not stop ourselves, but to keep moving and focusing on protecting our assets and our family. Stay safe everyone.

Do I need Flood Coverage, what is it good for?


With the warm weather, which is amazing by the way, comes the potential risks of “run-off” season. All the snow from our backyards, the roads and ditches to the top of the mountains is all going to be melting very quickly. With temperatures reaching 10 degrees by the weekend, it is safe to say this snow will all be gone in a hurry. This opens us up to the risks of flooding.

Many towns and communities are not designed or prepared for the event of a flood. Every year it seems like a new community is in distress to flooding circumstances. Recently, social media has been blowing up about the flooding in Nebraska. It is heartbreaking to see the people, homes, towns, animals that are all affected by the high waters and the damage it is causing. I’m sure nobody thought this would happen to them, and it is happening.

“So what can we do about this?”

There are small things that can be done to prevent damage to your home and vehicles. Such as removing snow from the perimeter of your home and shoveling off your roof to prevent ice damming, collapse and water seepage issues, connecting your downspouts and directing them away from your dwelling. Taking this a step further, during the spring and summer months, make sure the landscaping and slope of your yard is directed away from your home.

Another preventative measure would be to install a sump pump in your basement (if you haven’t already). By having a sump pump, it will remove the ground water from the high water table below your dwelling, and pump it out onto your lawn. This way any potential seepage issue of  water coming through your foundation, is eliminated. Adding a battery backup is important in case the sump pump is needed during a thunderstorm/downpour of rain and the power cuts out.

An in-line backup water valve is also important to prevent sewer backups. Sometimes the cities and town storm drain systems are unable to keep up with the water pouring into the system. This could cause a simultaneous backup of multiple homes around town/city. By having an inline valve, it will force shut when water comes back up the sewer pipe. This will block water from re-entering the dwelling and preventing a sewer backup.

Lastly, you can purchase sewer/water protection coverage on your home policy. This coverage is available with most insurance companies. The amount of coverage and the price varies on: your location, your previous claims history and the history of the dwelling you reside in. If the home has a history of water claims, coverage for sewer backup or flood may be difficult to obtain, so it is important to have the above preventative measures in place. If you haven’t had a claim, and you have the above measures in place, please notify your broker as you may be able to reduce your premium for the water protection coverage.

Heavy rains, spring run-off and a high water table are some common cases of flooding and seepage issues. Risk management is important to prevent these types of losses. If you have any questions about these coverages, please contact your broker or feel free to give us a call. We want to make sure you have the best coverage available to you to properly protect your assets.