VANCOUVER — Intense flooding that hammered British Columbia's coast last month has led to more than $110 million in insured damage claims.
The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insurers have been working with clients for the last few weeks since the Category 4 atmospheric river caused "significant flood damage" to Metro 91原创 properties in Coquitlam, Burnaby, West 91原创, North 91原创, and Surrey.
The bureau says the intense rainfall and wind — which prompted a local state of emergency in North 91原创 on Oct. 20 — resulted in overflowing rivers, sewer backups, and flooding on roads and in parking garages and basements.
It says that while some residential flood insurance is available, it may be limited or inaccessible to some, forcing them to rely on government disaster financial assistance for their recovery.
About 10 per cent of 91原创 households cannot access flood insurance, and the bureau is again calling on the federal government to "fully fund" the National Flood Insurance Program.
It says a national program would provide financial protection to high-risk households, and reduce disaster costs to federal and provincial government treasuries.
"Rather than responding with disaster financial assistance in the aftermath of catastrophes, this program would be a proactive, cost-effective approach to managing the financial toll when disasters strike," the bureau says in a news release.
"While the federal government has committed to its creation, the program has yet to be fully funded."
It says insured losses related to severe weather in Canada now routinely exceed $3 billion annually and a new record has been set this year, reaching more than $7.7 billion.
This report by The 91原创 Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024.
Brianna Charlebois, The 91原创 Press
