Insurance Bureau of Canada deploys Community Assistance Mobile Pavilion
(CAMP) to tornado-stricken Leamington, Ontario

TORONTO, June 7 /CNW/ - In response to yesterday's tornado touchdown in Leamington, ON, Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has deployed its Community Assistance Mobile Pavilion (CAMP) to help distressed residents.

CAMP is one of a number of initiatives introduced by Canada's home, car and business insurers to help Canadians prepare for, and cope with, disasters. The national program provides disaster victims with on-site, quick-response, insurance-related information.

Trained IBC staff will be at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex on Tuesday, June 8th to answer insurance-related questions for local residents impacted by the storm.

"Fortunately, early reports indicate there were no serious injuries as a result of the storm," said Ralph Palumbo, Vice-President, Ontario, IBC. "But the property damage to homes, businesses and cars is extensive. Wind damage is usually covered by insurance."

Coincidentally, Don Forgeron, IBC President & CEO addressed the World Conference on Disaster Management this morning. His speech, entitled Insurers' Response to Disasters in the 21 Century, emphasized the need for Canadian communities to adapt to increasingly bad weather brought on by climate change, and highlighted how insurers were helping governments and consumers achieve that goal.

Palumbo added: "When disaster strikes, many people are forced from their homes and don't have their insurance information with them. That's where CAMP can help."

CAMP was officially launched a month ago as part of Emergency Preparedness Week.

About Insurance Bureau of Canada

Insurance Bureau of Canada is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, car and business insurers. Its member companies represent 90% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. The P&C insurance industry employs over 110,000 Canadians, pays more than $6 billion in taxes to the federal, provincial and municipal governments, and has a total premium base of $39 billion.

To view news releases and information, visit the media section of IBC's website at www.ibc.ca.

For further information: Pete Karageorgos at [phone] ext. 4329