We answer your questions about home insurance

Here are the documents and information you may be asked to provide to purchase a home insurance policy:
– Proof of ownership, such as a deed, lease, or water, electric or gas bill.
– Information about the building, including its date of construction, size, structure and general condition.
– Information about the building’s equipment and fittings, such as heating, plumbing, electrical, and alarm and security systems.
– Information about the contents of your home (furniture, appliances, clothing, jewellery and other valuables).
– Your previous claims history, if you have one.
– The names and ages of the people living in your home and the nature of their relationship to you.
– Your social insurance number, name, address and telephone number.

The documents needed to apply for home insurance may vary depending on the insurance company. Your broker can guide you through the process.

As a general rule, it is recommended that you keep the following documents for a period of three years:

• Insurance contracts
• Policies
• Insurance premium bills
• Payment records
• Premium notices
• Renewal documents
• Claims reports
• Deductible payment receipts
• Invoices for repair or replacement
• Expert reports and all other correspondence

However, some documents, such as those related to major claims, may need to be kept for longer periods of time. If necessary, your insurance broker will be able to tell you the recommended retention period.

Damage caused by a water heater is generally covered by insurance companies, but certain conditions must be met. If you have any concerns about coverage for your water heater, contact your AMR broker, who can review the terms of your insurance policy with you.

As a general rule, it is recommended that you keep the following documents for a period of three years:

• Insurance contracts
• Policies – Insurance premium bills
• Payment records
• Premium notices
• Renewal documents
• Claims reports
• Deductible payment receipts
• Invoices for repair or replacement
• Expert reports and all other correspondence

However, some documents, such as those related to major claims, may need to be kept for longer periods of time. If necessary, your insurance broker will be able to tell you the recommended retention period.

If you file too many claims in a short period of time, your insurer may terminate your policy. However, the insurer must send you a written notice and the cancellation will take effect 15 days after you receive the notice. In such cases, an insurer does not have the right to charge you a penalty and must reimburse you for any overpayment of premiums.

In the event of a loss, you should contact your AMR broker right away; they will take care of all communications and procedures with your insurance company. To this end, you will need to provide your broker with:

• All the details of the accident or incident, including the date and time, location, circumstances, information about the people involved and any damage the loss may have caused.
• The names and contact information of any witnesses if applicable.
• Photos or videos if you have them. You will then need to follow your insurance company’s instructions, given through your broker, for damage assessment, repairs and reimbursements. It will also be important to keep track of all documents and communications related to your claim.

It’s actually the opposite! Insuring an unoccupied building is generally more expensive than insuring an occupied building. This is due to the fact that a building without occupants represents a higher claim risk.

Since it is unoccupied, it is more likely to be vandalized, broken into or damaged by outside elements, or to have maintenance and security problems that no one will report.

Generally, tenant insurance does not cover relocation costs. However, there are some tenant insurance options that may cover relocation costs in the event of an emergency evacuation due to a loss covered by your insurance policy, or you may wish to purchase additional insurance to cover such costs in the event of such an event.

If you want to ensure that you have such coverage in your insurance contract, ask your AMR insurance broker, who will be able to find the appropriate insurance company for this specific need.

While it is recommended to ensure adequate protection of personal property and liabilities, it is not required.

In a shared tenancy, each roommate benefit from having an individual insurance policy to cover their own property and liability.

For example, if a roommate is responsible for damage to common property, such as shared furniture or equipment, that individual’s liability insurance could cover the cost of repair or replacement.

Here are the documents and information you may be asked to provide to purchase tenant insurance:

• Your personal information (name, address, phone number, date of birth)
• Information about the property to be insured (address, size of property, type of property, value of property to be insured)
• Details about security measures in the residence (such as the presence of smoke detectors and burglar alarms)
• Information about any prior losses, including past claims
• Information on payment method
• Proof of tenancy (lease)

The documents you must provide can vary from insurer to insurer. Your insurance broker will be able to guide you through this process.

Tenant insurance is not mandatory, but landlords may require tenants to purchase it as a condition of signing the rental agreement. Tenant insurance protects both the tenant (their personal property and liability) and the landlord in the event of a claim or damage caused by the tenant.

Although it is strongly recommended in order to protect you financially, homeowners insurance is not required by law.

However, if you have a mortgage, the lending bank may require you to purchase home insurance to protect their investment. And if you live in a condominium or subdivision, this type of insurance may be required by the rules.

In general, condo insurance does not cover the cost of relocation.

However, some insurers offer an optional loss of use benefit that covers relocation costs if the owner is unable to occupy the property due to a loss covered by their insurance.

If you would like to add this coverage to your insurance contract, please contact your AMR insurance broker, who will be able to make the request to your insurer or find a suitable insurance company for this specific need.

To purchase condo insurance, we recommend having the following documents available:

• The condominium rules
• The minutes from the most recent general meeting of co-owners
• The declaration of co-ownership
• The property management contract
• Records of previous claims

The documents you must provide can vary from insurer to insurer. Your insurance broker will be able to guide you through this process.

On the one hand, in a divided condominium, each co-owner owns a private unit and a share of the common areas. Each co-owner is therefore responsible for purchasing insurance and paying the premium for their own unit, and the condominium association is responsible for covering the common areas. In the event of a claim, each co-owner is compensated in accordance with the coverage they have purchased for their private portion and the condominium association is compensated for damages caused to the common areas.

On the other hand, in an undivided condominium, each co-owner holds a percentage of an entire building. The co-owners are therefore jointly responsible for insuring the building and the insurance premium is divided among them based on their undivided share. In the event of a claim, each co-owner is compensated based on their undivided share in the building.

In Quebec, if you are a co-owner, you are required by law to at least have liability insurance to protect you in case of legal proceedings resulting from an accident in common areas. This insurance must be $1 million for condominiums of 12 units or fewer and $2 million for those with more units. The condo association may also require owners to carry condo insurance to protect common areas and to cover potential damage to the building’s structure. Mortgage lenders may also require condo insurance to protect their investment.

In Quebec, home insurance is mandatory for tenants and co-owners. In addition, the Quebec act on damage insurance requires all tenants and co-owners to carry liability insurance to cover damages caused to others.

Owners of single-family homes are not required by law to carry home insurance. However, it is highly recommended to be financially protected in case of fire, water damage and theft.

In the case of a mortgage loan, the lending bank may require the borrower to purchase home insurance as a condition of the loan.

In Quebec, it is possible to cancel your home insurance contract at any time, subject to the specific terms of your insurance contract. Some contracts require 30 days’ notice before the desired cancellation date, while others allow the cancellation to take effect immediately.

To cancel your insurance contract, you can contact your AMR insurance broker, who will take care of the procedures with your current insurance company. You may also be required to pay a cancellation fee or penalty if it is specified in your policy.