10 Awesome Facts You Didn't Know About Canada

There are so many reasons why Canada is such a wonderful place to live. Whether it’s our expansive and varied landscape, our diverse culture, or our “help our neighbours” attitude, everyone can agree, Canada is the coolest. All puns aside, there are some weird, wonderful, and unexpected facts about Canada that you may not have been aware of: so read on and find out more about the uniqueness of our Country and how it helps to define us as a nation.

10 Facts about Canada you probably didn't know:

1. Canada has the safest highways for Animals! Ever drive through Banff National Park and encounter those magnificent animal crossing bridges? The structures were designed to reduce animal fatalities, increase safety for Canadian drivers, and to promote the preservation of our parks and wildlife. Who uses these bridges? Bears, wolves, moose, elk, sheep, and the odd coyote or two.

2. Parts of Canada are missing gravity! Yes, you read that correctly. Parts of Canada have lower gravitational levels (especially in the Hudson Bay area) than all other areas in the world. We’d love to explain this phenomenon in more detail, but we’re brokers, not scientists. Learn more about Canada’s lower gravity levels here.

3. We built a UFO landing pad. Canada isn’t just famous for being the home of the 90’s popular scifi series, The X-Files, but also boasts its own UFO landing pad built in 1967 in St. Paul, Alberta. Although there have been no reports of UFOs landing there, a helicopter did make a stop in 1990.

4. Canada is the largest exporter of lentils. Although lentils aren’t really the food staple for most Canadians, we do however provide lentils to over 100 Countries!

5. Canada has the most doughnut shops per capita! I know this isn't hard to believe as Tim Horton's is our nation's pride and joy, but still, that's pretty cool. 

6. 2.4 million Caribou live in Canada! That’s right, we have more caribou (AKA reindeer) than the population of people living in Calgary and Edmonton combined!

7. The residents of Churchill, Manitoba leave their cars unlocked so people can use the vehicle to escape a polar bear attack!

8.  77% of the world’s maple syrup is manufactured in Quebec. Think about that wonderful statistic when you’re oozing maple syrup on your Stampede breakfast pancakes!

9. Manitoba’s Narcisse Snake Dens has the largest concentration of Garter snakes in the world.

 

10.  It took one hundred years to get a Canadian flag! The nation was founded in 1867, but the Canadian flag wasn't officially selected until 1965!

Self-Employed in Red Deer? Here Are 3 Insurance Policies That You Should Be Covered Under

Being self-employed isn't easy. By now you've probably figured that out on your own. But what some people don't remember is that just because you are self-employed doesn't mean that you don't need to be covered under certain Red Deer insurance policies. In fact, because you are self-employed is probably the reason why you should be covered under those policies in the first place.

If you are self-employed in Red Deer, here are 3 insurance policies that you should never overlook:

1. Disability insurance. Each year, hundreds of Canadians across the country must stop working for a certain period of time because they are disabled. How do you know you won't be among them? Regardless of whether or not you work in a field in which injuring yourself is a real possibility, don't make your life harder by not purchasing a disability insurance policy. Not working for an extended period of time could prove to be disastrous to both your finances and your mental health.
2. Commercial property insurance. Here's something that you might not know: Commercial property insurance coverage isn't only reserved for big businesses in Red Deer-- or anywhere else, for that matter. People who work from home also benefit from being covered under this insurance policy. If you work from home, you too would most likely benefit from purchasing this policy... especially if you are one of these people who constantly attack bad luck. 
3. Professional liability insurance. Lastly, this type of insurance policy is a bit specific, but that doesn't take anything away from its importance. If you work in a field in which the threat of being sued for a mistake or omission exists, then what are you doing reading this article?! Go outside and purchase this policy right now. You'll see -- you might just end up thanking us down the road.

10 Moving Tips to Make your Life Easier

Summer is the season for outdoor adventure, travel, festivals, great road trips and it also happens to be the most popular date to move. The weather is ideal, the kids are out of school, and it's the best time to do home repairs and to organize your belongings before the cold and unpredictable weather sets in.

Moving can seem like an arduous and overwhelming task, especially if you have a hectic work schedule or you are moving into your first home. As insurance brokers, we have seen a lot of do's and don'ts over the years and decided to share this with you by compiling our Top Ten Tips to save you time and to help reduce stress during your move this summer.  

Top Ten Moving Tips:

1.      Plan ahead- Try to schedule your moving truck, book your movers, and secure your boxes well in advance before everything is booked up or taken. Since it is the busiest season for moving, many of these things may not be available at the times you require them, so you may have to be flexible with your time. 

2.      Get estimates on movers- Depending on the moving company, prices may vary quite a bit. As a rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to get three estimates. Try to avoid choosing your movers based on price alone. Look up reviews online or ask friends for referrals.

3.      Insurance- Remember to check with your insurance company to see if your items in storage are covered under your policy. Most often than not, it isn’t, and you may have to purchase additional coverage through the storage company. Ask your broker about damage to your contents while they’re being transported. For example,  if professional movers damage your property, this coverage would typically come from their commercial policy, and not your own insurance policy.

4.      Move your own valuables- Transport all of your  fragile or high valued smaller items such as jewelry and special collections yourself to avoid any lost or damaged items.

5.      Clean out your house before you move- Try to go through all of your unused items with your spouse or family before you make the move. It is much easier to move without the extra weight and items.  Hold a garage sale or donate your excess items to charity. A lot of non-profit organizations offer free pick up services for donations.

6.      Personal luggage- Put all of the essential items you will need for the next couple of days such as toiletries, clothes, toys for the kids, pajamas, etc., in accessible luggage, to avoid going through mountains of boxes.

7.      Make an inventory list- This may seem like a lot of work, but it will end up saving you time and hassle. There are many online moving inventory lists that you can print and use as a guide.

8.      Pick the right moving truck- You can use the size of your current home as a guide when choosing your truck size. The last thing you want to do is make several trips across town because your truck is too small. For example a 15-ft moving truck is perfect for 2 bedroom apartments, while a 24-ft moving truck is great for 3-4 bedroom houses.

9.      Colour code your boxes- Save time unpacking by colour coordinating boxes to each room in your house. You can do this by box colour or by putting coloured stickers on boxes to denote which box is designated for which room.

10.   Don’t forget to transfer your information- Remember to send notice of your new address to the correct parties. Register your new address with Canada post, and remember to transfer over your utilities as well as your cable and internet.

 

Need insurance on your new place? Contact us and we will be happy to provide you with five different quotes from the leading insurance companies in Canada.

Home Insurance Coverage in Calgary and Cigarettes: What You Need to Know

It's really not that uncommon. In fact, you've probably heard stories like that in the news before. Stories of people falling asleep and dropping their cigarette on the floor, essentially burning the whole house down because of one simple mistake.

Of course it wouldn't happen to you now, would it?

Smokers are treated differently by insurance companies in Calgary. Since we're not here to tell you to stop smoking since (this is a personal decision that only can make), we'll be honest with you and tell you exactly how smoking impacts your home insurance coverage in Calgary. 

First of all, your insurance premiums are higher than that of non-smokers. Unfortunately there is nothing that you can do about it other than... well... stop smoking. Many insurance companies out there recognize that home fires are often caused by cigarettes and will therefore charge smokers more each month.

If you thought that only your life insurance policy was affected by your smoking habit, you should think twice before lighting up your next cigarette indoors.

Lastly, fires caused by cigarettes are covered under your home insurance policy in Calgary. This good news, however, comes with a certain downside -- the knowledge that a fire could have been avoided if you had not been smoking inside your home to begin with. We know it's cold outside, especially during Albertan winters. But is lighting up indoors really worth all the possible trouble that could ensue? We'll let you decide.

Here's what we recommend: Always smoke outside, and when it's not possible to do so always keep your cigarette within close distance of your body. 

Would a Jurassic Park Takeover be Covered by Your Insurance?

Dinosaur Invasion in Calgary

This may be out of the realm of reality, but let’s learn a few things about insurance through the hypothetical scenario of a dinosaur attack in the city, let’s say Calgary for example. How did the dinosaurs get there in the first place? A well-meaning grad student at the University of Calgary figured out how to clone a dinosaur from ancient red blood cells and the situation-as most dinosaur breeding projects do-got a little out of control. The city of Calgary was quickly evacuated, not a human was killed during the dinosaur attacks, but the same could not be said about homes and business in Calgary. The dinosaurs were safely captured and unharmed and were sent to live and prosper on an island where they could not hurt humans.

Imagine coming back to Calgary to find your home in shambles, with large teeth marks, scratch marks, and entire levels of your home taken out by an angry and hungry Tyrannosaurus Rex. They may have been short changed in the arms department but boy, do their bites make up for it.

Who covers the damage? Who pays to fix or rebuild your home?

This is what we call an insurance dilemma.

When Dinosaurs attack:

After much contemplation and research, we have come to the conclusion that dinosaur attacks and insurance coverage isn’t black and white and that it really depends on each individual attack scenario.

• If a T-Rex tramples through your yard, and collides with your home, on its way to find its prey, then it could be considered a “collision incident” and therefore it would be covered under your policy.
• If there were baby dinos in your home, and you did nothing to get rid of them, and they grew up and wreaked havoc on your home and your neighbour’s home, then that coverage would be DENIED. Your insurance policy excludes any coverage for damage caused by animal or insect infestation.
• Let’s use the premise of the most current dinosaur film, Jurassic World (warning, spoilers ahead!), as an example. Say there was a blood thirsty, genetically modified, super-dinosaur that feeds on destruction and power, who tramples through your neighbourhood toppling homes and business for sport, well that may be considered an act of terrorism, or foreign invasion, which is excluded from your policy.
• What if the damage to your home was caused by weapons used by the army to control the dinosaur invasion? What if a rocket launcher blew a chunk out of your home? That would not be covered. Insurance companies may see the attack as foreign hostility, and all damage caused by the decision of a government agency to control or stop attacks are excluded.
• Even so, if a T-Rex’s tail accidentally knocks over a gas line, causing a massive explosion, this damage could very well be covered, as explosion is usually covered except under a terrorist attack.
• If the dinosaurs trample through a nuclear power plant, causing instability which results in a nuclear leak or explosion, this would definitely not be covered under your home insurance policy as all damage due to nuclear causes or agents are excluded.
• If somehow a dinosaur was airborne and accidentally landed on your home and smashes it to pieces, then this could be covered under your insurance policy as all flying/falling objects that hit your home is an insured peril. 

This is of course, all speculation as there is nothing in your policy wording that specifically excludes or includes “dinosaur attacks.” The above examples are purely the opinions of the author and has no bearing or legal authority in the event of a claims settlement due to a dinosaur attack. 

High Risk Drivers and Insurance Coverage in Edmonton: How Can They Lower Their Insurance Premiums?

Have you been labelled as a high-risk driver in Edmonton? Well you aren't the only one. Each year in Canada, dozens -- if not hundreds -- of drivers are labelled as such by their insurance companies. Why this is the case, you probably already know, and really, the term "high-risk driving" is quite self-explanatory. 

But here's the thing: Being labelled as a high-risk driver is not the end of the world. Yes, you will pay more on your insurance premiums; unfortunately there is no way around it. But the good news is that lowering your premiums is doable. Here's how you can do it:

• Raise your deductible. As you already know, a deductible is a fixed amount of money that you have to pay before submitting a claim to your insurance company. But what some people don't know is that the higher the deductible is, the lower their monthly premiums are. If you are interested in raising your deductible to save money, make sure that you have a few hundreds of dollars put aside in the event of something bad happening.
• Brush up on your driving skills and keep your car away from thieves. You'd be surprised how much money you can save monthly by installing an alarm system on your car! Also, some companies offer discounts to people who have enrolled into and successfully passed driving lessons. You might want to give your insurance company a call this Monday.
• Lastly, keep a clean driving record. This might not do much to save you money in the short term, but in the long term it certainly will make a difference! As we said above, being labelled as a high-risk driver is NOT the end of the world... and it's not a lifelong sentence either. Keep a clean driving record for at least two years and you should soon be able to go back to your normal monthly premiums.

How to Share the Road with Cyclists

Summer is the best time of year for many Albertans who enjoy being in the outdoors. This is especially the case for cyclists who reclaim their cycling ways after a long, cool winter. This is the best time of year to freshen up on your bike safety driving skills. You may have already noticed a lot more cyclists on the road, making your early morning commute that much more interesting. It is important to always be mindful of cyclists as you have a metal cage to protect you, and they only have the helmet on their heads. Here is a list of road safety tips that could help you avoid any mishaps this summer.

Road Safety Tips:

Lookout for cyclists: Always look for cyclists on your right side. Yield to cyclists in order to let them out of your way, especially if you are pulling away from a curb into a right turn.

Signal: Remember to signal your turns a head of time to give cyclists ample notice to adjust accordingly.

Passing: Never pass a cyclist unless it is completely safe to do so. According to the Highway Traffic Act, all vehicles must give a cyclist at least one meter of space when passing.

Blind spot: Many cyclists are not aware of a vehicle's blind spot, if you suspect a cyclist may be near your vehicle, assume they are in your blind spot, especially when making a right turn.

Stoplight: Never pass a cyclist at a stoplight especially when making a right turn.

Bike lane: Never drive in, or infringe upon a bike lane.

Space: Do not follow a cyclist too closely.

Watch: Cyclists can be unpredictable; always be aware of where they are and provide cyclists with lots of space to maneuver. 

Following these safety tips is good practice and may help to prevent future accidents. All tips were provided by www.staysafestayback.ca

Fort McMurray Car Insurance Coverage: What If Someone Else is Driving My Car?

In the world of car insurance coverage, one of the most commonly asked question is this one:

What happens if someone else is driving my car and they get into an accident?

Before answering this question, Sharp Insurance would like to clarify one thing. In Fort McMurray, car insurance coverage encompasses MANY different policies.This is something that tends to confuse newcomers a lot. In other words, there is no such thing as "car insurance coverage" by itself.

We say this because the policy under which you specifically are protected might be different from the one that your friend is protected under. And as you might have guessed by now, which policy you have can change the answer to the question above.

Since there is no "one-size-fits-all" answer to that question, let's take a look instead at some of the most common car insurance policies in Fort McMurray and how those policies view someone else driving your car and getting into an accident:

Liability insurance policy: This policy covers a driver and not a car. Before allowing your friend to drive your car, we highly recommend that you ask whether they are protected under this policy or not.

Comprehensive auto insurance policy: This policy is linked to your car. But does it also cover the damage that has been done to it when another person was behind the wheel? Unfortunately, we can't answer this question either. Instead, we recommend that you call your insurance company and find out for yourself.

Collision insurance policy: This policy covers damage related to collisions. But just like the policy above, we can't say for sure whether a friend driving your car might hinder your claim. If you own this policy, talk to an insurance agent instead. 

Top 5 Gifts for your Car-Loving Dad

Does your dad spend his Sundays meticulously washing his car, checking or changing the oil levels, or finding any excuse to go for a drive? Do you have fond childhood memories driving around with the windows rolled down listening to classic rock on those warm sunny evenings, with your dad? If so, then it is more than possible that your dad is an auto-enthusiast, a hobbyist who enjoys quality time with his wheels and tools. We did some research to compile a list of the top 5 gadgets that will make your car-loving dad happy this Father’s Day.

Top Automotive Toys for your Dad:

1. Toolbox: This may seem a little utilitarian, but really, what dad wouldn’t want a box with compartments where he can organize all of his special tool collection? Models and prices vary depending on your father’s needs and well…his tool collection.

             Mastercraft Vertical Rolling Toolbox

              $64.99

        Canadian Tire

2. Hands Free Device: Stay in touch with your dad without having to worry about distracted driving. There are a lot of options out there now for hands free sets. Does your dad like to listen to talk shows or like audio books? Perhaps downloading podcasts or audio books to go along with the hands free set may be an added bonus for your dad!

Veho-VBC-001-BLK SAEM Bluetooth Car Kit

$45

Best Buy

 3. Remote Car Starter: For those cold Alberta winter days, give your dad the luxury of getting into a warmed up car that’s ready to go! There are a lot of different options out there which are more or less compatible with all car types, even so, do your research to ensure it will work with your dad’s vehicle. Remote starters are a little on the pricey side, so you may want to split the costs with some of your other family members.

CompuStar-Remote Start Kit for Most Vehicles

$279.99

Best Buy

1. 
   

    4.   Vehicle Diagnostic Reader: Ever wonder what all those mechanical lights mean? Well wonder no more, with a handy vehicle code reader, your dad will know exactly what’s going on with his car.

CarMD Handheld Vehicle Diagnostic Device for up to 4 vehicles

$49.99

Amazon.ca

     5.Trunk Organizer: Help your dad stay organized with a handy trunk organizer. Stop objects from rolling around, and know where your car essentials are at all times.

 Auto Trends Cargo Bag Trunk Organizer

  $23.99

  Canadian Tire

        

5 Ways To Stay Safe On Your Motorcycle in Calgary

When you are on a motorcycle, how often do you think about staying safe? Hopefully, a lot, and hopefully, you are already familiar with the common practices of staying safe on a motorcycle. But to refresh your memory and to make sure that you know exactly what to do in order to avoid accidents, Sharp Insurance has compiled a list of 5 safety tips for you to go over. Here they are:

1. Clear your mind. Just like driving a car while tired, angry or distracted can be fatal, so can driving a bike in those conditions. Before hitting the road on your motorcycle, make sure to be as zen as possible -- but also make sure to always be alert. Good drivers are able to draw the line between those two extremes.
2. Don't speed up. We know it's enticing. We know you love the thrill of freedom. But it's not worth it. Follow the speed of traffic and you are already well on your way towards surviving your next trip.
3. Practice, practice, and practice more. Emergency braking will happen. How you deal with it will depends on how often you practiced it. Train your body (and your brain) to know exactly what to do in emergency situations. 
4. Keep your eyes open wide. This is especially important in intersections where the majority of bike accidents happen. Keep your eyes open wide for vehicles and be wary when proceeding through intersections.
5. Lastly, stay up to date with your insurance coverage. This might not go a long way towards ensuring your safety on the road, but trust us, remaining on top of your insurance coverage will save you a ton of headaches in the event that staying safe is impossible. If you live in Calgary, plenty of insurance companies such as Sharp Insurance offer free insurance quotes. Make good use of them!

3 Reasons Why Owning an Edmonton Home Insurance Policy Is Necessary

Under Canadian laws, you are obligated to insure your home. Yet failure to do so can actually lead to trouble later the down the road. As such, more and more people are beginning to understand that insuring their house is a necessity and not something that they should underestimate, let alone ignore. Unfortunately, the term "insurance" tends to have a negative connotation among some people. If you are among these people, understanding the importance of Edmonton home insurance coverage is more crucial than ever.

So without further ado, here are 3 reasons why owning an Edmonton home insurance policy is necessary:

1. It can save you money. And we're not talking about small money either -- we're talking about hundreds, potentially thousands of dollars. While home policies don't and won't protect you from everything, they do and will protect you from many things, among them arson, theft, vandalism, certain natural disasters and many other things that could leave your finances in complete shambles.

2. It gives you a good name among mortgage lenders. Mortgage lenders can be tricky to deal with, but in our experience, they become less tricky to deal with once you can show them that you are properly insured.

3. Lastly, it gives you peace of mind. And it's totally priceless. Why worry when something has an easy solution? Being protected under a home insurance policy in Edmonton will give you a peace of mind that can't be bought elsewhere. We all know that Edmonton is one of Canada's largest cities, and as a result living in this city doesn't come without its fair share of risks. Diminish those risks by purchasing an Edmonton home insurance policy.

What to do in a Hailstorm

As many Albertans are well aware of, there have been more and more hailstorms in the past five years than ever before. This has to do with changing weather patterns and its effect on storm frequency in Canada. Alberta has been the hardest hit from hail and wind damage. In fact, insurance companies paid out over 450 million in hail damage in 2014 alone, and 4 billion since 2011! That is a 650% increase of hailstorm claim payouts in the last decade alone.  

What are Insurance Companies doing to help?

Insurance companies spend billions on hail claim payouts, which tend to result in premium increases for everyone in order to mitigate the costs. What many people do not know, is that insurance companies actively try to minimize the damage of hail storms by investing money into a process called cloud seeding.

What is Cloud Seeding?

Cloud seeding is a weather modification process whereby pilots fly over dense cloud regions that are likely to produce hail, and release a chemical called silver iodide. The chemical will stimulate the elements to release hail stones while they are still small and premature, before the larger, more disastrous stones are given the opportunity to develop and wreak havoc on homes and vehicles.  

What to do in the event of a hail storm?

While insurance companies invest millions of dollars each year on cloud seeding, you too can avoid severe damage on your home in the event of a hailstorm.

Here are some easy steps you can do to avoid catastrophic damage to your property:

1)     Pay attention to weather alerts

·        Gives yourself time to pack away your things such as bikes, motorcycles, vehicles, and recreational vehicles.

·        Close all doors and windows and draw curtains to avoid damage or injuries due to shattered glass.

2)     Maintain and inspect your property

·        Inspect your roof for signs of shingles lifting and repair these areas to avoid having hail stones puncturing or further damaging an already compromised area.

·        Trim your trees-property should be well maintained to prevent falling or flying branches from damaging your home or vehicle.

How to protect your vehicle from hail damage

1)     Seek cover immediately

·        If you are driving try to park under a covered area.

·        Keep blankets in your car, use this to cover the vehicle if you do not have access to a covered area.

2)     Park Vehicle in the garage during hail season

·        Hail storms can be sudden and unexpected; if you know you aren’t going to be home, park your vehicle in your garage.

·        If you do not have a garage, use a blanket or purchase what is called a “hail protector”, a patent product that is a portable, balloon like tent, which shields your vehicle from hails storms.

       

Hail insurance options:

There are many types of insurance coverage out there for wind and hail. It is important to do your research or ask a broker, like us, to do the research for you, in order to find you the best insurance coverage for your home or auto.  For example, you can get enhanced coverage on your insurance that will not only repair your hail damage, but upgrade your housing material to be hail resistant! Ask one of our brokers about this great coverage before hail seasons officially begins!

Is Car Insurance Coverage Mandatory in Lethbridge?

Car insurance coverage. Three little words that some people absolutely dread to hear.

But is car insurance coverage absolutely mandatory? It depends on where you live.

Under Canadian laws you are required to register your vehicle and purchase car insurance coverage before hitting the road. So if you live in Lethbridge, Alberta (or any other part of Alberta for that matter), car insurance coverage is indeed mandatory.

This might come as a surprise to you if you are a new driver, but you should remember that car insurance policies exist for a reason: To help people. They might have a bad reputation among certain people, but at the end of the day, insurance policies will ALWAYS be more helpful than not.

Lethbridge car insurance policies are no exception to that rule.

(Also remember that insurance policies are neutral. Insurance companies, on the other hand... well that's a different story!)

Here's the thing: It doesn't matter how good of a driver or how many years you've been driving. You don't control the road and you don't control other drivers. In other words, you can never truly prevent an accident from happening, regardless of how carefully you are driving.

And when that happens, you have to deal with the repercussions yourself. Or do you?

This is when being protected under a car insurance policy comes into play. Unfortunately. the benefits of insurance coverage are often overlooked by people who have not had the misfortune of experiencing them.

But is this really a bad thing? You be the judge.

Fort McMurray Motorcycle Insurance Coverage: How Much You Should Expect to Pay

It is no secret that Fort McMurray motorcycle insurance coverage can be expensive. But just how "expensive" is "expensive"? If you are  new to the world of motorcycle insurance policy, this is a question that you would probably like to have answered, but the truth is that there is no "one-size-fits-all" answer to it.

Motorcycle insurance policies in Fort McMurray are much like other insurance policies -- they vary from insurance company to insurance policy. But that's not the only thing. Just like new drivers can expect to pay more on their monthly car insurance premiums, so can new motorcycle drivers.

As you will soon come to find out, there are many factors that can affect how much you end up paying on your monthly Fort McMurray motorcycle insurance rates. One of them is your experience level. Generally speaking, motorcyclists with at least one year of driving experience can expect to pay lower premiums. So can motorcyclists who have completed a motorcycle course in Alberta. (Keep in mind, however, that the course has to be approved by your insurance company.)

Another thing to keep is mind that the type of motorcycle that you drive also plays a HUGE role in how much money you end up paying to your insurance company each month. The bigger and (more expensive) your motorcycle is, the more money it costs to insure. Unfortunately, there is nothing that you can do about that, other than buy a smaller, less expensive motorcycle and insure it. (But we don't blame you if you don't want to do this, of course.)

The good news is that many companies like Sharp Insurance offer affordable and reliable Fort McMurray insurance policies. If you're shopping around for the best rates, don't forget to request a free insurance quote or two as well!

How to prepare for a flood emergency

What to do in the event of a flood:

The Alberta flooding of 2013 reminded us of how unpredictable our environment can be, and how important it is to be prepared for natural disasters. The following is a guide provided by Intact Insurance on how to prepare for an emergency and what to do when it happens.

Preventative loss measures:

·        Check sump pumps and back-flow valves

·        Remove personal items from basement and place on higher ground

·        Remove access snow from property

·        Ensure home has good drainage around property, for example, loose soil has better absorbency for standing water than clay soil

·        During spring melt: Install rain barrels attached to the downspouts

·        Sand bag around your property if rising waters are threatening

·        Back up all computers and remove from the area

Preparing for Flood or Rising waters

·        Turn off water valve, furnace, gas and electricity in the event of needed evacuation. (sump pumps usually do not work without electricity)

·        Have an emergency evacuation plan in place including an emergency kit

·        Have working battery powered radio for news and updates

What happens after a flood?

·        Return to home only when authorities have stated it is safe to do so

·        Check perimeter of house for structural damage

·        Safety first: Avoid electrical shocks where rubber boots/gloves. If electricity was not shut off before leaving premise, call electrician to ensure safe to enter

·        If you detect vapors such as gas leave home immediately and contact fire department

·        Remove water from the building using a pump and a generator

·        Remove dirt and debris from building. Where protective gear such as gloves, safety goggles, and ventilation masks

·        Throw out all items that cannot be salvaged/cleaned

·        Dry out building and contents naturally with all windows and doors open or use a dehumidifier

Fresh Water Flood Insurance is now available across Alberta. For questions regarding flood insurance, or for a quote, please visit www.floodinsurance.ca