The best way to enjoy consistently low rates on your home insurance in Calgary is to remain claim-free, and that means brushing up on your safety and accident prevention tips. This is especially important in winter, when slips and fall occurrences are at their peak. Remember: if someone hurts themselves on your property, you’re liable for the incident and you may need to file an insurance claim if the victim requires emergency medical attention or rehabilitation.
Home Insurance Calgary: Preventing Slips and Falls
Here are some important measures you can take outside your home to reduce the chances of someone slipping and falling:
- Keep all walkways clean and free of debris or clutter
- Remove accumulated snow, ice and slush promptly
- Spread salt or sand on slippery areas covered by ice or snow, particularly those on which visitors or household members might walk (driveways, pathways, porches, etc.)
Also, don’t forget about accident prevention inside your home:
- Secure floor coverings (mats, rugs, etc.) that do not naturally lie flat
- Ensure all staircases are structurally sound and well-lit
- Keep floors dry and free of debris, especially during high-traffic times of day
- Use rubber mats or tub grips inside bathtubs and showers
- Keep all entryways and exits clear of clutter and easily accessible
Remember, too, that according to City of Calgary bylaws, property owners are responsible for removing accumulated ice and snow from sidewalks adjacent to their property. Ice and snow buildups must be addressed within 24 hours, or you may be subject to fines and penalties in addition to being held liable if someone falls and injures him or herself.
Home Insurance Calgary: Property Maintenance
It’s important to remember that your home insurance policy does not double as a maintenance policy. In other words, if your home suffers damage as the result of neglect, or because you failed to perform a routine maintenance task, your insurance policy may not cover damages.
During the winter months, heavy snowfall and high winds and weaken and break tree limbs, potentially causing damage to your home or injury to occupants or passersby. If a tree on your property suffers a broken branch that could potentially damage your home or hurt someone, it is your responsibility to remove the hazard. It’s best to do this promptly, as there’s no telling when a precariously hanging branch might reach its breaking point.
Similarly, weather elements can cause roof damage during the winter, particularly if you have an older roof with a history of repair problems. If heavy snowfall, hail, or broken tree branches damage your roof, do not wait until spring to have the problem fixed. Leaving such a problem unaddressed can lead to a whole host of potentially costly issues, including unchecked home heat loss and increased attic humidity. High levels of attic moisture can cause structural damage and allow toxic mold to grow, which presents a serious health hazard as well as requiring a great deal of money to remediate.
Just as your insurance policy may not protect you if your home suffered damage due to negligence, your home insurance in Calgary may not cover you if your home was damaged but you failed to submit the claim promptly. For example, consider a scenario in which high winds knocked a heavy tree branch onto your home, causing a hole in your roof. Your insurance policy would cover the damage to your roof caused by the tree branch, but if you did not repair the damage right away and wound up with toxic mold in your attic as a result, your insurance policy would not cover the mold remediation costs — it would only reimburse you for the initial damage.
As such, it’s vitally important that you pay careful attention to hazards around your home during the winter months, when we in Calgary experience frequent bouts of severe weather.
Home Insurance Calgary: Protect Yourself with Lane’s Insurance
Lane’s Insurance is a leading Alberta-based brokerage, offering excellent rates on home insurance in Calgary and a comprehensive range of other insurance products. You can bundle and save on all your insurance needs!
If you have any questions about winter accident prevention, or if you would like a free quote or a fresh set of eyes to review your current coverage, please contact us at Lane’s Insurance. We work closely with the province’s leading insurance companies to deliver comprehensive protection to our clients, at prices they can afford.
