HALIFAX – The Atlantic division of the Canadian Red Cross is having a busy 2016 already. Not even a week has passed in the new year and the organization has already responded to seven home and apartment fires across the region.
The organization’s humanitarian program assists people affected by disasters and provides basic needs such as shelter, clothing and food so they can get back on their feet while coping with being displaced from their homes.
Ancel Langille, who works as the disaster manager with the Atlantic team, says many of the people they help aren’t protected ahead of time.
“The majority of responses that we go on and the assistance we provide to clients is the people that tend to not have either homeowners or tenant insurance,” he said.
It’s the kind of risk that could lead to a hefty financial loss for people already dealing with an emotional ordeal.
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Stephen Olmstead of the Insurance Bureau of Canada stresses that taking comfort in knowing you’re insured in case of an emergency is invaluable.
“It’s important that you have the peace of mind to know that if something does happen, something unfortunate, you have the opportunity to get back on your feet in a pretty reasonable time frame,” he said.
Tenant insurance will help cover personal belongings and can also help if you encounter a lawsuit.
“If you’re responsible for causing a fire, or for a slip-and-fall, or someone getting injured some other way, it’s hard to say what the cost would be,” said Olmstead. “That’s why having the liability portion in your policy would be very helpful.”
Many people neglect to get insurance because of the price tag involved, but Olmstead suggests there is an affordable plan for everyone.
“The beauty of it is that you can buy as little or as much as you want, so it depends on your situation and what you would like to have covered.”
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