Having up-to-date insurance is one of the best things you can do to protect yourself from financial hardship in the unfortunate case of extreme weather events. Flooding, fire and hail can all damage your property, so it’s always a good idea to check with your insurance provider to see if you’re covered. Preventing the damage from happening in the first place is ideal. Hail, specifically, can cause a huge amount of damage to cars and homes that is by and large preventable.
Protecting your home and car against hail damage
Here are some tips to help prepare you should a hailstorm hit. Those living in Calgary, Canada’s hailstorm capital, will find following these tips particularly beneficial.
- Make sure that barbecues and other outdoor furniture or appliances are either stored indoors or secured and covered if left outside.
- If possible, park your vehicle in a covered area such as a garage or a carport.
- Ensure you have an insurance policy in place that will protect you to the level required should your home be hit by a hailstorm.
- If you live in a hail-prone area, think ahead and consider replacing your roof or siding with hail-resistant materials. These can include class 4 rated hail-resistant asphalt shingles for the roof and cement fibre board for siding.
Protecting your family from a hailstorm
In addition to protecting your home and your car during a hailstorm, it is also essential that you have an action plan in place to protect yourself and your loved ones. Ensure that you follow the 3 Ps: Prepare, Prevent, and Protect.
Prepare: As hail season (June to September) approaches, have your emergency kit ready to go in an easily accessible place. It should include a flashlight, water, snacks, first-aid supplies and batteries.
Prevent: Install hail-resistant materials in warmer months. In addition to the above recommendations, wood shakes can work as well as rubber. For tiles, they should be concrete, clay or slate.
Protect: In the event of a hailstorm, stay away from all windows, doors and skylights. If you’re out driving, keep an eye out for flooded areas and don’t drive through them. Find a safe place to pull over to the side of the road until the storm has passed. Make sure your insurance policy is up to date and you review it regularly.
Hailstorms
As the impact of climate change continues to grow, scientists predict that large-scale hailstorms may, unfortunately, become more frequent. This is serious given how much damage hailstorms can cause. The hailstorm in Canada in 2020 was deemed the fourth largest natural disaster in Canadian history and resulted in over $1.2 billion in insured damage.
Though you can’t control mother nature, you can ensure you’ve done all that you need to minimize the damage done to you, your family and your property. You can also make sure your insurance is up to date.
