April showers can bring headaches for homeowners

Spring rain may be good for our gardens, but excessive rain can be disastrous and costly for homeowners. Water damage is the leading cause of home insurance claims, with extreme weather costing Canadians nearly $10 billion in insurance claims in the last twenty years.¹

Here are some tips to minimize water damage to your property and to ensure safe driving during heavy rain:

Preparing Your Home

• Extend downspouts so that rainwater flows away from your home.
•  Install flood shields on all basement windows above ground level.
• Ensure the grading around your yard slopes away from your home.
• In older homes, make sure you have a properly installed backflow valve to prevent sewage back up in your home. Backflow valves are designed to automatically close when they detect water trying to enter your home from the sewer, stopping potential water damage.
• Review your insurance policy. Know what is and isn’t covered.

Driving in Heavy Rain

• Do not drive through standing water. Attempting to drive through flooded streets may cause your engine to stall, your brakes to fail and even result in severe damage if you try to restart the engine. Even if the water appears shallow enough to drive through, don’t try it.
• Plan your route to avoid low-lying areas whenever possible.
• If you don’t have to drive, stay off the roads.

Members save 10%² on home insurance with CAA Insurance. To get a quote, visit caaniagara.ca/insurance, contact an Agent, or call 1-877-222-1717.

If you have an existing CAA Insurance property policy and need to make a claim, or to make sure you have the proper coverage, call 1-877-665-1222.