A dramatic increase in the number of catastrophic storms, floods and hail events has resulted in a surge in the number of insurance claims filed in Canada, according to one industry expert who says climate change is to blame.
Robert Tremblay, director of research for the Insurance Bureau of Canada, says the industry is now budgeting for four times the number of catastrophic weather events that were seen in the 1980s.
"The pattern of losses has changed over the past few years," Tremblay told CTV's Canada AM, noting that in the past the leading cause of insurance claims was fire damage.
That has now shifted, with floods and sewer backups now accounting for the majority of claims.
And severe weather events such as the ice storm in Quebec, the first recorded F5 tornado in Manitoba, and a catastrophic flash flood in Toronto that generated $500 million in claims -- all point to the costly impact of climate change, Tremblay said.
The increase in claims suggests insurance rates are likely to rise accordingly.
"The insurance industry is a little like the canary in the coal mine. We see the claims and therefore we deduct according to what we think we're going to see in the future," Tremblay said.
The 2009 report issued by the Insurance Bureau of Canada serves somewhat as a warning to municipalities and individual Canadians that it is in their best interest to protect against weather events such as floods. Tremblay said the fight against climate change needs to take into account more than just greenhouse gases.
Homeowners, for instance, can install a rain barrel and ensure that proper grading and drainage exists around basements, Tremblay said.
Municipalities should also take action and ensure they are prepared for the rising frequency of weather related disasters, Tremblay said.
"Our municipal sewar and surface water infrastructure is very much stressed," Tremblay said.
"Practically every city in Canada has an infrastructure deficit, our infrastructure has not been designed to handle the flash floods of the frequency and intensity that we have now."
