Canadian winters can quickly become dangerous with winter storms striking with little to no warning. Low temperatures, high winds, and increased precipitation can all cause significant damages to your property and vehicle.
Having a storm readiness plan in place can save you time when severe weather strikes. Knowing in advance what your insurance policies cover is your best defence when damages ensue. We’ve put together 7 tips to help you prepare for the next big storm:
- Know what winter storm warnings mean and familiarize yourself with the four types of wintertime weather alerts in Canada.
- Make sure you have a loss prevention plan in place that safeguards your business from exposures such as extreme weather conditions, as well as other risks like fire, theft, and cybercrime.
- Create an emergency preparedness plan so that you’re well-prepared in case a storm hits. Make sure this includes checklists for communication, heating, lighting, food and safety, water, and vehicle.
- Have a roadside emergency kit in your car at all times, as well as a full-size shovel. They can be lifesavers if you find yourself stranded on a highway in the middle of nowhere.
- Minimize slip and fall incidents on your property. They’re the leading cause of claims in Canada.
- Winter season means it’s time to store away your recreational vehicles (RVs). With proper maintenance, you can avoid costly repair bills resulting from weather damage, and keep your RV running well into next winter. Check out our guide to winter RV care.
- Sudden and accidental bursting of plumbing pipes is very common under extreme cold weather, and the resulting damages to your property can be costly to fix. While you can’t control the weather, you can control the chance of basement flooding happening to you by taking these preventative measures.
Having a contingency plan in place can go a long way to getting your business back on track when disaster strikes. With proper preventative measures and insurance coverage in place, weathering the storm can be manageable.
