As the worst of the rain subsides, the communities of Windsor and Tecumseh, Ontario, are beginning to assess the damage caused by the floods that ripped through the area after a state of emergency was declared last week.
Thousands of homes are thought to have been flooded, according to municipal officials, and restoration companies have been ‘struggling to keep up with demand’ following record-breaking rainfall.
Windsor’s chief administrative officer, Onorio Colucci, told
CBC News that both Windsor and Tecumseh received around 2,000 calls each from residents with flooded basements – but added that not everyone necessarily has insurance.
Aviva Canada said it had mobilized its catastrophe team to help customers in response to the situation on Friday.
A spokesperson for the company said that a number of field adjusters had also been deployed, and were on the ground in Windsor helping to manage the claims process, describing the situation as “all hands on deck.”
Aviva said that many homeowners have a “misconception” that they already have coverage included in their home insurance policy, and that it is important for customers to be aware of their water protection coverage by discussing it with their provider.
Burns & Wilcox said it would be “adding resources” for claims adjusting and clean-up crews in the area.
Tyson Peel, national property & casualty manager, said: “This may include hiring additional claims response teams that may not necessarily be in the Windsor/Tecumseh area normally, to provide the highest level of client service.”
Peel also stressed the importance of customers assessing their individual insurance needs based on their environment, “especially if [they] are living in a flood zone.”
The Co-Operators also said it had mobilized a team who were setting up a “catastrophe room” at the local claims office, which it said will assist clients face-to-face, 12-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.
Meanwhile, residents in the area are said to be “shocked” at the extent of the damage, and restoration companies are “slammed” with jobs.
One worker from restoration firm Paul Davis, said that the company had received over a thousand calls, telling
CBC News, “I’ve been there for a couple of years and I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Related links:
Canada must prepare for natural disasters – IBC
Ontario to pump $83m into flood protection – report
