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The best way to recover from an emergency, is through insurance

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Published: Wednesday, 10 August 2022 13:59

In the case of a house fire, wildfire, car accident, or hurricane, insurance is the best way to recover following unexpected events. 

Whether you are a homeowner, business, tenant, landlord, or recreational owner you can suffer devastating losses due to an emergency. Insurance isn’t meant to cover predictable events like regular home maintenance, it is there to help you cope with the financial burden of unpredictable events that are sudden and accidental.

Some insurance tips:

• Not all policies are equal. Coverage options vary, some may be less expensive however compare the policies to ensure your property is adequately covered.
• If you are evacuated from your home and need to stay at a hotel and get food and clothes, most insurance policies provide Additional Living Expense (ALE) coverage that can assist with these additional costs. Ask your insurance company in advance what they need when you file a claim. Do they need receipts that you must keep throughout the year, a video of your belongings and property, and replacement items purchased for reimbursement? Knowing this in advance helps prepare for a claim.
• Review your insurance at least annually or anytime you make a substantial change to your property, like a renovation. This helps ensure you have appropriate and adequate insurance coverage for your home, business, and family needs.
• Some coverages like sewer backup and overland flood are optional; check your policy or speak with your insurance rep if you want to add these to your policy.
• Keep copies of your policies and insurance company claims contact information in your emergency kit.
• The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has information on home, auto, and business insurance. Contact IBC at 1-844-227-5422 or visit Insurance Bureau of Canada. 

Definitions of common types of insurance:

Homeowner

Covers the dwelling, outbuildings, contents, and personal liability of your family. Consider the rebuilding costs, replacement value over the years, and coverage for all your belongings.

Businesses

Protects you from losses that may pose a significant threat to your business operations. There are many different factors to consider for businesses such as coverage, deductibles, and policy limits.

Tenants

Covers the cost to replace your belongings due to theft, fire, or water damage after a loss. The landlord insures the building, you insure your belongings. Insurance also protects you if someone gets hurt or someone else’s property is damaged because of your negligence.

Landlords

Landlord insurance can help cover the cost of damage to your property as well as replace rental income.

Recreational Owners

Seasonal or secondary property insurance is different than home insurance. Seasonal properties are primarily used for recreation at certain times of the year. Don’t forget to consider the sheds, boats, and recreational vehicles as well. 

To learn more about insurance go to Review Your Insurance and Know Your Policy.

Summer Cottage Safety Tips from REMO

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Published: Wednesday, 10 August 2022 13:52

The Lunenburg Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO) is urging residents to ensure they add safety preparations into their cottage opening plans.

Wintertime can cause unsafe conditions at cottages. The first thing you should do when reopening is check and change batteries in all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and check all chimneys. Doing these things will ensure a safe and fun summer for all cottage and cabin owners.

Other important reopening safety tips:

• Have smoke detectors on every story and outside of all sleeping areas in cottages, cabins, and homes.
• Install carbon monoxide detectors outside of all sleeping areas if your cottage, cabin, or home has a fuel-burning appliance, fireplace, or an attached garage.
• Create and practice an escape plan to ensure all those in your cottage or home know what to do if either detector alarms sound.
• Clean and check barbecues before use and keep lighters, and matches out of sight, and reach of children.
• Inspect all heating appliances and chimneys before use.
• Always check the Burn Ban Stats at Check before you burrn to verify if open-air burning is permitted before having a campfire or burning brush.
• If open burning is permitted, fires should be built on bare soil or on exposed rock.
• Clean brush and leaves from around structures to reduce the risk of ignition from flying embers.
• Never leave a fire unsupervised and ensure you have a bucket of water or sand along with a shovel close by.
• When putting out a fire, it is important to ensure it is completely out - soak it, stir it, and then soak it again.
• If burning candles, make sure they are in sturdy, class shade-covered candleholders that are not at risk of tipping over and always check to see if they are blown out before leaving.
• If you are drinking, do so responsibly and do not operate heavy machinery or vehicles.

Be Prepared for Flooding

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Published: Wednesday, 09 February 2022 13:36

• Clean grates and culverts removing any debris obstruction to assist water flow.
• Put weather protection sealant around ground-level windows and doors.
• Install drainage for downspouts to ensure that water moves away from the buildings.
• Clean eavestrough so rain can drain into downspouts.
• Consider installing a sump pump and zero reverse flow valves in basement floor drains.
• Do not store your important documents in the basement. Keep them at a higher level, protected from flood damage.
• Set aside a supply of drinking water in case your drinking supply becomes contaminated.
• If your property is close to water, consider piling sandbags.
• Put away lawn furniture, planters, picnic tables, small boats or anything that could be swept away in a flood.
• Obtain insurance and review coverage annually to ensure you are protected. All insurance policies are different–review your insurance with your broker.
• Know who to call for assistance. Not all fire departments assist with flooding or flooded basements as it can damage equipment. Research local disaster restoration companies to have their contact information handy.

• Turn basement furnace off and shut off outside gas valves.
• Turn off electrical power. If your main power box is not in a dry, safe location, do not attempt to turn it off. Contact Nova Scotia Power at 1-877-428-6004 or your electric utility provider.
• Do not stand or wade in water where contact has been made with electrical equipment.
• Do not use well water for drinking, cooking, or bathing until the water has been tested and determined to be safe. If you have questions about your water, contact your local Nova Scotia Environment office by calling 1-877-9ENVIRO (936-8476).

Were you prepared for the back-to-back winter storms?

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Published: Wednesday, 26 January 2022 10:57

Were you prepared for the back-to-back winter storms?

January sure has brought some wild weather to Lunenburg County so far. The January 14/15 storm brought snow, freezing rain, high winds, and extended power outages, all while experiencing cold weather. The January 17/18 storm brought more snow, rain, high winds, and power outages, followed immediately by much colder weather the next day freezing the mess on the ground.

• Did you lose power?
• Did you have an alternate heat source?
• Did you have food?
• Did your pipes freeze?
• Were you unable to travel due to impacted roads (trees, snow, power lines, etc.)?
• Did you check on your neighbour?
• Did your neighbour check on you?
• Did you go to a comfort centre, or know you could go to get warm and charge devices?
• Did you lose landline or cell service?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, with another storm forecast for this weekend, it’s a good time to think about how you might be able to better prepare for a future storm or emergency.

Some options to prepare for future emergencies may include:

• Having an alternate heat source, wood stove, generator, or an indoor portable heater. If you are using an alternative heating or cooking source, ensure they are approved for your type of household and there is a battery-operated carbon monoxide detector in your home for additional safety. To get more information visit https://novascotia.ca/lae/fuelsafety/.
• You can go to a neighbour, family member, or a comfort centre. The list of comfort centres can be found here https://lunenburgremo.ca/comfort-centres.html and will be updated when facilities open. These are run by volunteers and are open based on resource availability.
• Purchasing food in advance and having non-perishable foods like canned meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, granola bars, cereal, crackers, etc. A camp-like stove or BBQ to heat food outside – do not bring these cooking instruments indoors.
• Insulating your pipes in the event of a power outage to keep them from freezing.
• With roads unable to be plowed in some areas due to power lines or trees on the road, it made it difficult to get out for assistance. Being self-sufficient or coordinating with a neighbour can make these events easier. Neighbour networks are the best and most efficient way to check on each other and share equipment between households.
• Having a cell phone is an additional option instead of just a landline, but they can go down in bad weather. If you have a cell phone, having a backup charger can assist to keep it charged, and texting reduces bandwidth. If phone lines are down, checking on your neighbour in person is helpful if safe to do so.