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Sewage Floods: Homeowner Faces $120K Repair Bill
23 Oct
Summary
- Summer severe weather claims cost insurers $3.7 billion.
- Raw sewage flooded a basement, requiring costly cleanup.
- Homeowner faced repair quotes up to $120,000.
Severe weather events this past summer resulted in $3.7 billion in insurance claims, marking it as the third costliest on record in Canada. St. Catharines residents experienced a state of emergency due to massive flooding from intense rainstorms.
One homeowner reported his basement filling with six to eight inches of raw sewage, causing extensive damage. Specialized cleanup services were employed, with initial estimates for the two-day process reaching $27,000, a figure later adjusted to $20,000.
Despite the cleanup costs, the homeowner faced significant challenges in restoring his basement, with repair quotes escalating as high as $120,000. He was left with only $23,000 from his $50,000 basement insurance limit for the actual restoration.
Following discussions, the insurance provider confirmed that the full policy limit of $50,000 was allocated to the homeowner for cleanup and restoration. The insurer emphasized that initial estimates are not final and are subject to verification and review, assuring a suitable resolution was found.
