Insurance bureau estimates $110 million in damages from October storms in B.C.

Multiple homes are seen surrounded by debris left by flooding from torrential rain in Deep Cove in North Vancouver, on Oct. 22, 2024. (Ethan Cairns / The Canadian Press)

Intense flooding that hammered British Columbia's coast last month has led to more than $110 million in insured damage claims.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says insurers have been working with clients for the last few weeks since the Category 4 atmospheric river caused "significant flood damage" to Metro Vancouver properties in Coquitlam, Burnaby, West Vancouver, North Vancouver, and Surrey.

The bureau says the intense rainfall and wind — which prompted a local state of emergency in North Vancouver on Oct. 20 — resulted in overflowing rivers, sewer backups, and flooding on roads and in parking garages and basements.

It says that while some residential flood insurance is available, it may be limited or inaccessible to some, forcing them to rely on government disaster financial assistance for their recovery.

About 10 per cent of Canadian households cannot access flood insurance, and the bureau is again calling on the federal government to "fully fund" the National Flood Insurance Program.

It says a national program would provide financial protection to high-risk households, and reduce disaster costs to federal and provincial government treasuries.

"Rather than responding with disaster financial assistance in the aftermath of catastrophes, this program would be a proactive, cost-effective approach to managing the financial toll when disasters strike," the bureau says in a news release.

"While the federal government has committed to its creation, the program has yet to be fully funded."

It says insured losses related to severe weather in Canada now routinely exceed $3 billion annually and a new record has been set this year, reaching more than $7.7 billion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 15, 2024.