CLIMATE CHANGE: Water damage claims surpass fire claims

 

 

Climate change and its effect on the oceans and storm systems seen as the culprit

“Water, water everywhere. Water damage has overtaken fire damage for insurance claims, and that trend looks to continue as king tides, warming oceans and more intense storms multiply the effects of sea level rise,” wrote Tracy Sherlock in the third in a three-part series on what sea level rise means for cities and future development in the Lower Mainland.

Tracy Sherlock reported that the British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) is concerned about flooding in B.C., and intends to organize a meeting of stakeholders in March 2013 to talk about updating the province’s floodplain maps.

“The impacts (of flooding) are so widespread – it’s economic, to personal to your home,” said Norma Miller, BCREA policy analyst, when interviewed by Tracy Sherlock. “It’s just so much smarter to plan ahead than to respond afterward. It’s much less expensive and disruptive.”

 

To Learn More:

To read the complete story as published in the Vancouver Sun in December 2012, click on Water damage claims surpass fire claims: Climate change and its effect on the oceans and storm systems seen as the culprits