IBC reminds Canadians to prepare as hail, hurricane seasons begin

The Insurance Bureau of Canada is sending out reminders and tips for preventing property damage as hail season and the Atlantic hurricane season begin this week.

Hail season begins now and generally runs until September in the Prairie provinces, IBC notes. Alberta is hit particularly hard by storms, the organization says.

In 2012, severe storms there resulted in more than $700 million in insured losses and the year before, storms and hail accounted for another $380 million in insured losses. Severe storms with crop-damaging hail have also had a significant impact in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. 

“It’s a fact that the frequency, severity and cost of severe weather are on the rise all across Canada,” Bill Adams, IBC’s vice president for the Western and Pacific regions noted in a statement.

“We’re certainly seeing this in Alberta and the Prairie provinces where homes are being damaged more frequently by hail, heavy rainfall and strong winds, which makes it critical for people to know how to protect themselves and their property,” he adds. 

Meanwhile, the Atlantic hurricane season is also beginning and runs until Nov. 30. “Although forecasters in the U.S. are predicting a ‘near-normal or below-normal’ hurricane season for the Atlantic coast this year, there is still the potential for up to 13 tropical storms,” IBC says.

IBC’s website has information on its website for consumers about what is covered in the event of hail storms or hurricanes, as well as emergency preparedness tips.