Does anyone else get the feeling that it has been windier the past few years? Either this is true, or as a youngster I was simply oblivious to the wind while growing up. I always heard that Chicago had been nick-named “The Windy City” but I’m wondering if perhaps it is too late for Saskatchewan to steal the nick-name and adapt it as being called “The Windy Province”.
Wind can be frustrating on so many levels- sporting events can be affected, picnics can be ruined, and property can be damaged. While the wind can be a factor in how well your weekend goes based on the affect it has on the Saskatchewan Roughriders, it certainly has the power (quite literally) to ruin your day by causing property damage. Shingles can be blown off of your roof, trees can be blown over onto your new car, and siding can be ripped from the walls of your home. Fortunately, wind is one of the very basic coverages that is included in the average insurance policy. Knowing this can be a comfort to a property owner as wind is something none of us can control. Sure, we can mitigate the effect wind has, but that breeze will blow whether we like it or not.
One thing that is important to note is that wind coverage will cover your average plow winds, and even a tornado if one would happen to touch down in your area. Last summer in 2018, there was quite a wind storm in South-West Saskatchewan. There were wind speeds recorded in excess of 120 kilometers per hour. Believe it or not, any wind speed that exceeds 119 kilometers per hour is technically classified as a category one hurricane. As a result, the damage that was sustained to some of the property in that area of the province was not insured due to the increased classification of the storm type. This of course is the exception to the rule, and more of an anomaly with regards to the risk of wind damage. The point here is to always be aware of the limitations of your insurance policy. I have said it before that there are phrases thrown around the insurance community such as “all risk” that may lead someone to believe that literally anything is insured no matter what, but this simply is not true.
Should you suffer a loss this summer due to a wind storm, it is always a good idea to contact your broker and set up a claim to see what is available to you for coverage. You just might save yourself a pile of expenses and work should the worst happen to your property.