Arborfield residents irate over flood insurance

After flood waters ravaged the community of Arborfield, Sask. in July, some residents are irate that more insurance companies do not cover floods in Saskatchewan.

The Insurance Bureau of Canada says it's unaware of any company offering flood insurance in the province presently.

As a result, many people living in Arborfield, which is about 260 kilometres northeast of Saskatoon, were not covered for flood damages.

That isn't sitting well with area resident Lynn Mortimer.

"It's stupid. Illogical. There's been a few more stronger words used in this area because it's not just us who won't be covered," she said.

Mortimer feels there were loopholes in her coverage she was unaware of.

"You put on these happy little commercials about having our backs and when we really need you, you find a loophole in your coverage and say we're going to have to deny your claim," said Mortimer.

Mortimer's basement was submerged by more than a metre of water after heavy rainfall saturated Arborfield and Carrot River.

Her water heater, washer, dryer, along with many of her collectibles, are complete losses.

She said it all adds up to about $40,000.

Mortimer had been with her insurer, Wawanesa Insurance, for nearly 25 years. A company representative said overland water insurance was not available as part of the coverage with Wawanesa, but it was targeting to include the option by mid-2017.

The company said it had a heightened level of empathy for its policyholders.

But Mortimer said she was now looking for a different insurance company.

"You do for one, you do for all, right? And if one insurance company can see their way through to covering somebody for flood damage, then I think another company can step up and say, yeah, we got your back," she said.

Mortimer, along with many other residents in the community, have applied for payments under the province's disaster assistance program.