Personal Property Insurance can include things such as:

• Furniture, clothes, plates, pots and pans, electronics, jewellery, bikes, plants, garden tools
• Appliances that are not built-in, including the BBQ if permitted
• Some items such as jewellery, bicycles or wine have maximum coverage limits, but they usually can be scheduled to the full replacement value for additional premium
• Clean up and removal of contents after a covered loss

Your policy will indicate the amount of coverage on the declaration page. The limit is usually determined by you estimating the amount of contents you have that would need to be replaced in a total loss. The contents amount you choose is important as it directly impacts Additional Living Expense coverage.

Betterments and Improvements are any change made to the inside of your unit. This would include flooring, kitchen, bathrooms and any other similar types of changes.

Your condominium insurance policy provides Betterments and Improvements coverage for your unit. This covers the replacement value of the improvements made by you or the prior owner which include labour, materials and supplies.

Have you made upgrades to your condominium or townhome?
If so, you should speak with your Allwest broker to confirm if you need to make any changes to your current policy.

You will continue to pay your normal monthly living costs; Additional Living Expenses will add the difference to those normal everyday costs.

• Typical costs covered include moving expenses, additional rent, damage deposits, and in certain cases meals and costs to set up your new temporary living situation
• Coverage can be short or long term depending on the loss
• Coverage limit provided is a percentage of the personal property coverage outlined on your insurance policy

Additional Living Expenses do not cover your normal ongoing day-to-day expenses. You would continue to pay your mortgage and associated costs. Additional Living Expenses would pay for new and unforeseen incurred expenses resulting from your loss if you are required to move out of your residence while the repair or rebuild is completed.

Coverage provides defense and settlement costs if you are deemed legally responsible for the loss.

• Your liability coverage includes property damage and personal liability protection
• Personal liability will provide you and the covered residents financial protection for claims of bodily injury and personal property damage against others
  • For example, if someone slips on the stairs, or driveway, you could be deemed legally responsible for their injuries
  • Or, if you are riding a bike and accidentally hit someone or something and you could be sued for damages – your personal liability would respond
  • Or, a water or fire loss that originates from your suite as a result of your negligence
• Liability claims are complicated and can be lengthy, but the insurer will help you through the process

Sewer Back-Up coverage will clean up and fix resulting damage including:

• Clean up of grey and black water damaged areas
• Removal and disposal of damaged materials
• Repair and rebuild costs to make you whole again

Coverage will usually include damage from:

• Rising waters from fresh water sources that enter at ground level through windows or doors
• Rain water, runoff and melting snow or ice
• Rivers/lakes that overflow their banks
• Coverage can vary from insurer to insurer so it is important to speak with your broker about your coverage needs

This coverage for Condominium or Townhome would provide protection for:

• Damage to contents stored in a storage lockers located on the condominium premises
• Building that is non-inhabitable
• Damage to your property or unit when water enters your unit from a deck
• Can provide coverage for valid strata deductible assessments

Note, there is no coverage for salt water flooding including tsunamis, waves or tidal waves. This is not available on a condo or townhome policy.

*This is optional coverage, but Allwest always recommends it be included in your policy.

Earthquake insurance protects you for:

• Personal Property – Your Personal Property is protected when damaged by an earthquake

Earthquake coverage is subject to percentage deductibles that range from 5-25%. This deductible is calculated on the coverage limit of your contents. These deductibles will vary depending on where you live in BC.

*This is optional coverage, but Allwest always recommends it be included in your policy. This coverage is sometimes not offered by the insurer for various reasons.

In most cases a strata policy deductible will be assessed against the unit owner who is responsible for the loss to strata common property. The condominium’s strata building insurance policy will often have varying deductibles for different types of losses. The most common deductible assessments are due to losses from Water, Sewer Back up, Sprinkler Discharge, Fire and Earthquake.

Your strata building insurance policy may not cover an insured loss when it is under the strata policy deductible. In situations like this, your Loss Assessment coverage will pay for the repairs. This coverage helps close gaps between the strata building insurance policy and your condominium insurance policy.

The BC Strata Act requires that a building be rebuilt or replaced after a loss. In cases where there is insufficient or no insurance, each owner will be assessed their share of the shortfall. If valid, your Condominium Insurance Contingent Liability coverage will respond to this assessment.