“There has been an unprecedented increase in communications from our customers,” said Stephen Darling, President, Stan Darling Insurance and A.W. Shier’s Insurance Brokers. “We’ve been inundated with calls, drop-ins and emails from people inquiring about coverages or reviewing options.”
The wave of client calls aren’t limited to coverage. The broker’s role as an expert advisor is crucial for consumers who’ve never gone through an event like this and need some guidance.
“We’ve had a number of people that know they don’t have coverage from their insurer, but still want our advice on how they should go about cleanup or who we’d recommend they contract to help,” said Stephen.
This is the unfortunate reality for many affected by this flood. The percentage of uninsured in this flood is much higher than average.
“The vast majority do not have coverage for this type of water event,” said Stephen. “Although the flooding we’ve experienced is nearly unprecedented, it has taken place in an area long known to be a flood risk, making availability of coverage nearly impossible.”
Brokers have been speaking with media to get the word out to consumers about different types of coverage, best practices and next steps. Ottawa Insurance Brokers Association Vice-President Jenny Desroches made several appearances on CTV Ottawa. Stephen spoke on NewsTalk 1010 radio and was interviewed by Canadian Underwriter along with Adam Caswell, Owner, Hutcheson Reynolds & Caswell Insurance. Other brokers have also communicated through blogs like 2018 Brokerage of the Year Mitchell & Whale, posting resources on social media like Will Marshall Insurance Brokers.
In the coming weeks and months there will be a lot of opportunities for brokers who’d like to offer their support. For a good place to start, brokers can reach out to their local affiliate. Stephen, who also serves as President of the Insurance Brokers Association of Muskoka Parry Sound, has contacted the mayors of both Huntsville and Bracebridge and offered assistance on behalf of his brokerages and the IBAO.
If you’d like to donate funds to assist those affected, The Canadian Red Cross is appealing for emergency flood support.
