How you can help protect your home against natural disasters

• Flash floods and torrential rains
• Wildfires
• Tornadoes, hurricanes, tropical storms and high winds
• Hailstorms

Radar is here to help

Radar^TM, a severe weather alert service, is available for free on the Desjardins Insurance Home-Auto app External link.. It will notify you – in real time – of severe weather in your area. Unlike a typical weather app, Radar identifies risks such as high winds, hail, heavy rains and fire within a 500-metre radius of your home (up to 5 locations total), which gives you the opportunity to protect your family, home and vehicle before disaster strikes.

4 types of natural disasters and how you can help protect your home against them  

Extreme weather events such as floods, wildfires, windstorms and hail are becoming more frequent. They're also becoming more intense and causing more (and more expensive) damage. But whatever the weather is like where you live, there are steps you can take to prevent damage to your home. 

For example, did you know how important it is to clean out your eavestroughs? Clean gutters enable water runoff to be directed away from your home (ideally with the help of downspouts pointed at least 2 metres away from your foundation). This can help protect against flooding, which can happen during weather events such as torrential rains, hurricanes and hailstorms. At the same time, by eliminating debris such as dry leaves, pine needles and branches, you’re helping to reduce your fire risk!

Check out these tips for more ways to protect your home.

Floods are one of the most common natural disasters in Canada, and one of the costliest too.¹ Did you know that water damage is the number one type of home insurance claim in Canada?²

While some areas are considered flooding hot spots, flooding can happen almost anywhere, at almost any time of year. That said, the spring thaw is the most common root cause, followed closely by heavy rains, which are being fuelled by climate change. 

How you can help protect against flooding

If you live in a flood zone, and even if you don't, here are some steps you can take to prevent or minimize water damage to your home and property. 

3 basic steps you can take:

• Keep valuables and important documents in a waterproof container.

• Make sure your basement floor drains are clear and unobstructed.

• Reduce your water use during and immediately after heavy rainfalls. 

3 steps that require a little DIY spirit:

• Add a plastic window well cover as an extra barrier against water.

• Disconnect your downspouts if they empty directly into your municipal sewer system.

• Seal basement windows to prevent leaks.

3 steps that might require professional help:

• Install a sump pump with a back-up power supply.

• Install a backwater valve and have it cleaned out twice a year, in the spring and fall.

• Grade the ground around your home so it slopes away from your foundation for at least 2 metres (6 feet). 

How insurance can offer peace of mind against flood risks

Your standard home insurance policy covers accidental water damage to your home. This type of damage is caused by things like water main breaks and damage from an overflowing bathtub. But we offer other types of coverage you might be able to add for extra peace of mind.³

4 optional flooding-related endorsements we offer: 

• Ground water or sewer backup (Endorsement 16c): provides protection if, for example, your city sewers overflow and cause water to back up into your basement.

• Flooding from an overflowing body of water (Endorsement 16d): provides protection if, for example, a river overflows and damages your belongings.

• Endorsement 51: provides coverage for the cost of tearing up and repairing the ground to replace a broken exterior water service line on your property, for example.

• Above ground water and weight of ice, snow or sleet (Endorsement 42): offers protection if, for example, a window breaks during a storm and the water damages your floor and belongings.   

Build back better and stronger

We offer up to $1,000 to help pay for a sump pump with a back-up power supply or a backwater valve if your property is covered by Endorsement 16c and you've had losses due to a sewer back-up.³

With summers growing longer, hotter and drier, wildfires are becoming increasingly common all over the country. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to prepare your home from potential fire damage.

From simple steps, such as raking up leaves and debris around your house, to more involved measures, like installing a spark arrestor in your chimney, or even hiring a professional to help you fireproof, you can help improve safety in and around your home.

For more information on how to plan ahead, what to do in the event that a fire strikes your area, and how to react if your home suffers damage, check out our guide to wildfires. And don’t forget that your insurer can answer any questions you may have about your wildfire coverage, offering peace of mind. 

Intense winds and windstorms are on the minds of a growing number of Canadian homeowners. Most commonly occurring in the spring and summer, tornadoes affect a large portion of Atlantic Canada and the Prairies External link., while hurricanes are increasingly hitting the East Coast External link..

Thankfully, there are many things homeowners can do to help limit the impact of these storms. By making your home more resilient to strong winds and heavy rains, you help reduce risk and work to prevent severe damage to your property.

Whether it’s cleaning out your gutters, reinforcing your roof and windows, or firmly anchoring outside structures in your yard, each preventive measure you take can go a long way to helping keep your home safe. And good insurance makes a big difference, too!

Check out our article for practical tips on how to face strong winds.

Canada has been increasingly impacted by hailstorms in recent years, and their ability to cause rapid and significant damage to homes and vehicles should not be underestimated. Despite being short-lived, their sudden onset makes hailstorms particularly tough to predict.

Luckily, preventive measures, from simple steps you can take on your own to hiring professionals, can be done in advance to protect your property. And when damage does occur, your home and auto insurance should usually cover it.

To learn more about hailstorms, preventive and protective measures you can take to limit the damage they cause, how insurers can help and more, check out our full article on this extreme weather phenomenon.

General tips to stay safe during a natural disaster

To keep your family safe in the event of a natural disaster, it's important to have an emergency plan, and an emergency kit to go with it. Knowing what to do makes everyone—even kids—feel empowered. 

Keep your family safe – have an emergency plan

One of the most important things you can do to prepare for an emergency is to have a plan for how to stay safe. With an emergency plan, everyone will know what their responsibilities are, they'll know where to go to be safe and to meet up, and they'll have the tools they need to take care of each other.

Keep your family safe – prepare an emergency kit

It's a good idea to set aside enough supplies to take care of yourself and your family for 72 hours after an emergency. Some key items to include in your emergency kit External link. are:

• Water (2 to 4 litres per person)

• Canned food and an opener, energy bars and other non-perishable foods

• A flashlight and extra batteries

• A first-aid kit

The Insurance Bureau of Canada External link. has a detailed checklist you can use to create your own emergency plan and kit.

Prepare for the worst (but hope for the best!)

As you've probably noticed, many of the steps you can take to protect your home against a given climate event can actually protect against multiple events. So why not start today? Small improvements to your home's safety can pay off big time. 

Prevention tools

There are also prevention tools, such as Radar, available, that can help you get ready for severe weather. Radar is a weather alert service that can pinpoint severe weather risks for up to 5 specific addresses and send you alerts so you can prepare.

Filing a home insurance claim

If, despite your best efforts, you do have to file a claim, don't worry. We make it easy and are here to guide you through the process. 

If you bought your insurance through a Desjardins Agent, they can take care of your claim for you. You can file a claim online, if that's easier, or over the phone. We know it's a stressful time, so it's our goal to help however we can.

One thing you can do to make the process easier for yourself is to keep a good home inventory checklist. It’s a detailed list of everything you own, and ideally is backed up by receipts, descriptions, or pictures of all your things. 

Weather the storms

By informing yourself of the kinds of climate events that are common in your region, staying on top of weather alerts, and making your home more resilient, you can improve the odds of your home's survival.

These tips are provided for information and prevention purposes only. They are general in nature, and Desjardins Insurance cannot be held liable for them. We recommend using caution and consulting an expert for comprehensive, tailored advice.

In Quebec, Desjardins Insurance refers to Desjardins General Insurance Inc. In Ontario and Alberta, Desjardins Insurance refers to Certas Direct Insurance Company, underwriter of automobile and property insurance.

Some conditions, exclusions and limitations may apply. The conditions of the coverages described are set out in the insurance policy, which always prevails.

Radar^TM is a trademark of Desjardins General Insurance Group Inc., used under licence.

¹ Floods: Information & Facts - Canadian Red Cross External link.

² Water damage – Infoinsurance.ca (infoassurance.ca) External link.

³ Certain conditions, exclusions and limitations may apply. Rates and discounts are subject to change or termination without notice. Rates and discounts are based on each client's profile and are subject to eligibility conditions.

⁴ Wind and tornado protection (ibc.ca) External link.

⁵ Certain conditions, exclusions and limitations may apply. Rates and discounts are subject to change or termination without notice. Rates and discounts are based on each client's profile and are subject to eligibility conditions.