Protect your home from water damage

How to file an insurance claim

THORNHILL, ON, July 9, 2013 /CNW/ - A record amount of rainfall has left residents in some parts of the Greater Toronto Area with flooded basements and without power. As the cleanup continues, CAA Insurance is reminding homeowners how best to make an insurance claim:

• Contact your insurance company immediately. If you are insured with CAA Insurance, call 1-800-387-2656 or 1-877-222-1717 to report your claim any time of the day or night on any day of the week.
• Have your policy number ready. This is one of the first pieces of information you'll be asked for.
• Document and take photos of the water damage. Adjustors will need as much information as possible.
• Ask questions about your home insurance coverage and deductible.

"Our main priority is to make sure our members are looked after right away," said Matthew Turack, Vice President, CAA Insurance Company (Ontario). "Dealing with sudden water damage is stressful for our members. We are mobilizing all our resources to get more adjusters out there to take care of them as quickly as we can."

Water damage caused by sudden, heavy rains, which are becoming more and more frequent during the spring and summer months, can be avoided through the following tips:

• Install flood shields on all basement windows above ground level.
• Extend downspouts so that rainwater flows away from your home.
• Call your local city works department to see if your home is located in a flood plain.
• In older homes, ensure you have a properly installed backflow valve to prevent sewage back up in your home.

Backflow valves are designed to automatically close when they detect water trying to enter your home from the sewer, stopping potential water damage.

To determine what type of sewer system services your area contact your local government office or website.

CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club offering roadside services, automotive care, travel and insurance. There are more than 1.9 million CAA members in South Central Ontario and over 5.6 million members in Canada. We're more than Roadside Assistance. We're Life-side Assistance.

Follow @CAASCO_News on Twitter for regular updates on wait times, other news and information.

SOURCE: CAA South Central Ontario

Media contact: Silvana Aceto, Media and PR Consultant, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone] or Jeff LeMoine, Communications Consultant, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].