Powerful windstorms that battered British Columbia's South Coast last month caused more than $37 million in damage to uninsured homes, businesses and vehicles, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
On Dec. 20, gusts topping 100 km/h damaged more than 3,000 homes in the region and left more than 750,000 BC Hydro customers in the dark. Some of them had to wait until New Year's Eve for their power to be restored.
Hurricane-force winds combined with heavy rainfall also toppled trees and destroyed 300 power poles across southern B.C.
In White Rock, the storm caused part of the city's historic pier to collapse, triggering a dramatic rescue of a man who became trapped on the far side as a result.
IBC said the weather event brought the total damage to uninsured property in Canada to $1.9 billion in 2018.
"As the financial cost of a changing climate rises, IBC is working closely with governments at all levels to advocate for increased investment to mitigate the future impacts of extreme weather and build resiliency to its damaging effects," the association said.
That includes investing in new infrastructure to protect communities from floods and fires and improved building codes.
BC Hydro has also said the damage left behind by the windstorm—which it called the "most damaging" in recent history—highlighted the need for improvements to mitigate the effects of similar weather events in the future.
IBC is also urging consumers to be "insurance aware" before a natural disaster strikes.
"Know what your policy covers before severe weather hits. Ask your insurance representative about what coverage is included or what you need to add on, such as overland flooding coverage," IBC said.
Anyone with questions about what their insurance does and doesn't cover can contact the consumer information desk at 1-844-2ASK-IBC.
With files from The Canadian Press
