Flood insurance from Square One

Square One offers some of the best home insurance coverage in Canada. In fact, most policies include water, sewer backup and inland flood protection. An overview of Square One’s inland flood protection offered follows:

What is covered?

Most home insurance policies offered by Square One will cover damage resulting from inland flood, which is the covering of dry land by freshwater or wastewater, as well as any resulting Water Backup, that:

  • has escaped or been released from the normal confines of a lake, river, stream, natural watercourse, reservoir, canal or dam; or
  • is generated by snowmelt or rainfall.

What is excluded?

Square One’s policy does not cover damage caused by:

  • coastal flood, ground water or rising of the water table; or
  • gradual, continuous or repeated seepage, condensation, or leakage of water or steam over a period of time.

Coastal flood is the covering of dry land by seawater, including seawater caused by high tides, sea waves, changes in sea levels or storm surge.

What is the limit of insurance?

Many home insurance providers impose sub-limits for damage caused by inland flood and/or sewer backup. With these providers, clients need to select a separate, lower limit for inland flood and/or sewer backup losses. That is not the case with Square One. Its policy provides protection against inland flood or sewer backup to the full policy limits.

Is there a deductible?

Under Square One’s policy, all losses are subject to a deductible. The deductible is the amount that you must pay before your policy responds. The inland flood deductible ranges from $500 to $10,000. Depending on the inland flood risk level of your home’s area, a range of deductible options may be offered.

What is the cost?

If you are eligible for Square One’s inland flood protection, it is automatically included in your policy’s premium. The additional amount paid for this protection depends on, among other things:

  • Whether you own or rent your home.
  • The type of home you live in.
  • The location of your home.
  • The limits and deductibles you select.

On average, you can expect to pay between $2/month and $4/month extra for this protection. If you live in a higher risk area, the impact on your monthly premium will be higher.

Who is eligible?

Square One automatically includes inland flood protection in most policies. Currently, Square One serves residents living in:

  • British Columbia;
  • Alberta;
  • Saskatchewan;
  • Manitoba;
  • Ontario; and
  • Quebec.

However, Square One does not offer flood coverage to residents living in areas with an extreme flood risk (approximately 5% of households). These customers will, however, continue to receive Disaster Financial Assistance.

Want to get a free home insurance quote from Square One? You can get an online quote in just 5 minutes. Scroll to the top of this screen, enter your address and click on the “Get an online quote now” button. Or, if you’d prefer to get a phone quote, please call 1.855.331.6933. Square One’s office is open from 5:30 am to 6:30 pm (PT), Monday through Saturday.

Other residential flood insurance options in Canada

Most home insurance policies in Canada do not currently cover flood damage. There are, however, a few other providers that are offering some form of flood protection as an optional add-on to their home insurance policies.

Allstate Insurance Company of Canada

For eligible customers in Alberta, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario, This provider offers a limited sewer backup option that includes water damage resulting from certain types of sewer backup on municipal sewer systems, private septic systems, and sump pump malfunction.

For eligible customers, this provider offers an enhanced water damage endorsement that includes sewer backup, water overflow from a body of fresh water, heavy rain, or rapid accumulation of ground or surface water.

AMA Insurance

For eligible customers in Alberta, this provider offers a new Enhanced Water Endorsement that includes water damage resulting from certain types of sewer backup, surface water and torrential rain.

Aviva Canada

This provider has separated water protection in to three parts:

  • Base policy water coverage: An automatic feature that protects against damage from events like burst pipes.
  • Sewer backup coverage: An optional add-on that protects against damage related to the backup or escape of water or sewage.
  • Overland flood: Also an optional add-on but only available to certain residents in Alberta and Ontario who also purchase sewer backup coverage. Protects against damage from water entering the home from sudden accumulation of water after heavy rains, spring run-off, or overflow of lakes and rivers.

BCAA Insurance

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes, with optional coverage available for losses resulting from sewer backup. For eligible homeowners and renters, this provider now offers an optional Flood Rider to cover damage resulting from the overflow of bodies of fresh water, and the accumulation or runoff of surface water from rainfall or snowmelt.

CAA Insurance

For eligible customers in Ontario, this provider offers a new Enhanced Water Endorsement that includes damage caused by water entering a home from a range of entry points, in addition to the ordinary causes of water damage like burst pipes.

Commonwell Mutual

For eligible customers in Ontario, this provider’s Water Plus policy includes variable limits of flood and sewer backup coverage depending upon a customer’s level of risk. Depending on a customer’s level of risk, additional limits of coverage may be available for an additional premium.

The Co-operators

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes. Depending on where you live within the country, this provider may also offer you the following:

  • Extended water: An optional add-on available to all residents in Canada. Protects against damage from sewer backup and overflow of outside drains or sewers.
  • Comprehensive water: An optional add-on available that protects against various types of water damage, including sewer backup, a buildup of water from extreme rain, and even coastal flooding. This is one of the only options for insuring against coastal flooding or storm surges in Canada.

Desjardins General Insurance

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes, with optional coverage available for losses resulting from ground water and sewer backup. Eligible customers can now request coverage for damage caused by overflowing waterways or dam breaks; customers in low-risk areas receive this new protection at no charge, while customers in medium-risk areas may need to purchase this new protection for an additional premium.

Gore Mutual

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes. Customers are also able to purchase the company’s sewer backup coverage. For eligible homeowners and renters living in Ontario, this provider also offers an expanded water damage coverage called WaterEscape Plus. This coverage provides combined overland water and sewer backup protection.

With WaterEscape Plus, homeowners and tenants are protected against fresh water flood damage resulting from the accumulation of surface water, including rainfall that enters the property.

The Guarantee Company of North America

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes and sewer backup. For eligible customers, this provider now offers an optional H2O+ water protection endorsement to cover damage resulting from fresh water flooding, ground water, surface water, and damage caused by waterborne ice.

Intact Insurance

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes. It offers an optional enhanced water damage package to all residents who own houses in Canada. This package includes:

  • Sewer backup: Protects against sewer backup or escape of water or sewage within the dwelling or detached structure through sewer backup, septic system failure, sump failure or drain.
  • Water and sewer lines: $10,000 coverage to repair or replace exterior water and sewer lines due to loss resulting from a leak, break, tear, rupture or collapse of the line.

Some house owners are able to purchase an optional overland water coverage, which protects against:

  • Sewer backup caused by surface water or flood;
  • Flood exposures such as overflow of a river or lake; and,
  • Surface water.

Those that purchase the overland water coverage are also able to purchase the optional ground water coverage. This coverage protects against the sudden and accidental infiltration of water through foundation from underground water sources.

Optimum General

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes. Customers are also able to purchase the company’s sewer backup coverage, which includes coverage for the repair of exterior water and sewer lines.

For eligible homeowners and renters living in Ontario and British Columbia, this provider also offers optional coverage for Overland Water Damage resulting from certain types of flood and surface water.

Pembridge Insurance

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes, with optional coverage available for losses resulting from sewer backup. For eligible homeowners and renters, this provider has recently upgraded their optional Water Damage Extension to include Overland Water Damage resulting from certain types of freshwater flood, ground water and surface water.

The Personal

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes, with optional coverage available for losses resulting from ground water and sewer backup. Eligible customers can now request coverage for damage caused by overflowing waterways or dam breaks; customers in low-risk areas receive this new protection at no charge, while customers in medium-risk areas may need to purchase this new protection for an additional premium.

RSA Insurance

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against water damage from a burst pipe or an appliance malfunction. It offers an optional Waterproof Coverage to select residents in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Prince Edward Island.

RSA’s Waterproof Coverage protects against damage related to storm activity and flooding from eaves, downspouts, drains, sewer backups, septic or sump. It does not protect against damage from floods related to salt water, tsunami, dam breaks or a coastal flood.

State Farm Canada

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes, with optional coverage available for losses resulting from ground water and sewer backup. Eligible customers can now request coverage for damage caused by overflowing waterways or dam breaks; customers in low-risk areas receive this new protection at no charge, while customers in medium-risk areas may need to purchase this new protection for an additional premium.

Unica Insurance

This provider’s base policy automatically protects against damage from events like burst pipes. For eligible homeowners, condominium owners and renters in Ontario, this provider has recently launched a new WATERtight Coverage to include overland water damage resulting from certain types of freshwater flood, ground water, surface water and sewer backup.

Low-cost home insurance that includes flood protection

Square One home insurance starts at $12/month. With this policy, you get comprehensive coverage that includes protection against break-ins, earthquakes, hailstorms, and fires. The policy automatically includes critical sewer backup and water damage protection. In most cases, it also protects against damage from inland flood. No paying extra.

To see how affordable Square One home insurance can be, get your free online quote now. Or, call 1.855.331.6933 for a phone quote. Square One is open 5:30 am to 6:30 pm (PT), Monday to Saturday. It only takes 5 minutes to get a quote.

Get a free online quote now