RSA Canada: How brokers should prepare clients for emergency situations

With less than half of Canadians prepared for an emergency, what do brokers need to know?

Insurance News

By Lucy Hook

Less than half of Canadians are prepared in the event of an emergency such as a blackout, new research from RSA Canada has revealed.

As we head into the winter months, extreme weather events such as storms are to be expected, and emergencies can happen at a moment’s notice.

So what can brokers do to help prepare their clients for the unexpected?

“Insurers and brokers should be urging their customers to make sure their insurance is up to date,” Brodie Bott, RSA Canada, told Insurance Business, particularly as the harsher winter months set in.

“Life changes pretty rapidly, our needs change, our possessions that we’ve worked so hard for constantly change,” Bott said – and clients’ insurance needs will change accordingly.

But brokers should also be aware of the practical steps that their clients should take to ensure they are prepared in the event of an emergency in the home.

“There are three main areas that insurers and brokers should be giving their customers advice,” Bott explained.

Emergency kits are an essential, and should be filled with at least 72 hours’ worth of supplies including water, non-perishable food items, a manual can opener, battery operated flashlights, battery powered radio, extra batteries, blankets or sleeping bags and clothing.

Brokers should also advise clients to keep some cash in their kit, Bott said, in case banks and financial institutions are closed or inaccessible.

In addition, clients should create an emergency plan by discussing possible emergency scenarios that could occur within the home, and assigning specific responsibilities to certain family members.

Families should plan how they will communicate if separated and if phones are not working, Bott suggested, and should map out meeting spots around the house as well as the routes to get there.

“Canadians are a hardy bunch, but just being prepared is vital,” Bott said. “Emergencies can strike at any time.”


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