Water Damage

Published on: September 4, 2026

Wind, Rain and Hail causing Damage and Insurance Claims

Earlier this week, parts of south western Ontario experienced a rather large storm. The storm unleashed around 20 to over 130mm of torrential rain which triggered widespread flash flooding. Destructive wind gusts topped 100km/hr along sized golf ball sized hail; which knocked out power for more than 155,000 customers. Branches and entire trees came crumbling down. Basements flooded. Fences, sheds and other structures were seriously damaged. Windows shattered causing extensive water damage. Skylights got damaged. It wasn’t pretty and the clean up job continues.

What do you do when you’ve been impacted by this storm, or another storm or property damage claim like it?

First and foremost, we’re sorry. It’s really hard dealing with property damage claims. But, look at the bright side. Hopefully, nobody was hurt and the property which was damaged can be repaired. We know that the repair job is a major headache, but things could be worse. The repairs (or replacement), will get done, one way or another. It just takes time.

Here are a few tips on what to do after you’ve experienced property damage:

Take photos/videos of the source of the damage, and of the damage/destruction right away. This is very important which is why it’s #1 on this list. The insurance company will want to see this so that they authenticate your claim. The insurance company wants to know that you aren’t trying to pull a fast one on them. They also want to know that the damages are covered under your policy of insurance. Some policies will cover claims for rain damage, but NOT for sewer overflow. This means that if the water in your house is coming from a broken window or skylight, then it will be covered under the policy. But, if the water in your house is coming from underground (like a sewer or sump pump that’s been backlogged), then it might not be covered under your policy unless a specific rider has been purchased for this sort of coverage. The photos and video of the source of the damage will help the insurer understand where the problem is coming from, and whether or not it will be covered under the policy.
Don’t wait to report your claim to the insurance company. Do this right away. Waiting will hurt your claim. You are expected to do so almost immediately. If you wait to report your claim, there had better be a good reason for this. There isn’t really any excuse for waiting to report claims anymore given that most insurers offer online reporting, or they have an app on your phone which can instantaneously make a claim. The app will be connected to your phone, and you can easily upload the photos/video of the damage which you shot in step #1 above. This makes things very easy. It’s also another example of how people who don’t have a smartphone; or who are tech illiterate will have greater problems functioning in 2026; than they would have in 1986. If you aren’t keeping up with the tech, then the world will leave you behind. But that’s a story for another day.
Get your own quote, from your own contractor(s) as soon as possible. Don’t rely on the insurance company and their contractor(s) for a quote. The insurance company will send over a remediation team and an adjuster to inspect the damage. But, you shouldn’t wait to get a quote from the insurance company’s team of experts. Do you own due diligence and get some quotes from people who aren’t associated with the insurance company. If you have a person who your trust, reach out to them. If you have a preferred contractor who you have worked with before, or who has a good reputation in your community, don’t hesitate to reach out to them. The reason for this is at some point, the work will need to get done. If the claim is approved, the insurance company will offer you one of three options:

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Published on: February 8, 2023

Springtime in February?!? Is early February the new Patio Season? Enjoy Responsibly.

By Goldfinger Injury Lawyers

February is traditionally a bitter cold month in Ontario. When I say bitter cold, I mean bitter cold. It’s on record as the second coldest month of the year, trailing only January by around a degree or so. February is dark, windy, cold, icy and snowy. It’s known to be depressing, grey and overall, a very blah month. I think everyone is glad that February is the shortest month, because the February weather in Ontario is not all that pleasant.

So, when we see weather above the freezing mark, getting up to 6 or 7 degrees; with sunshine, all we can do is smile! It’s like it’s springtime in February. Getting up to 6 or 7 degrees in February would be a record for warmest dates recorded.

But with the warm weather at such a early time, and so quick after a month or two of steady below zero temperatures, we need to be careful. The snow and ice is melting. This impacts the streets on which we drive, the walkways where we walk, the water levels of our rivers and streams, and those not so frozen lakes where we may be accustomed to ice fish or snowmobile around this time of year.

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Published on: August 17, 2022

Property Damage Claims Caused by Water or Fire

By Goldfinger Injury Lawyers

Today it rained as hard as I can remember in the Yonge/Sheppard area of North York. No thunder. No lightning. Just a lot of rain, with a sprinkle of hail for good measure.

As a result of the heavy rain, our office experienced flooding in the basement. It was pretty bad. All hands were on deck, doing our best to mop up the water and prevent further damage.

The resulting water damage got me thinking about all of those people who experience property damage on account of water, fire, wind or other natural (or unatural) causes.

What do you do when this happens to your property?

What steps should you take in order to protect your rights and preserve your interests?

All good questions.

Our law firm handles a lot of property damage claims. These are claims specifically related to damaged property. So, not cars which are damaged in car accidents. We are talking about damage to one’s home, office, or place of business; along with all of the equipment, chattel and contents contained therein. I repeat that damage sustained to your vehicle as a result of a car accident is not applicable to these claims thanks to some provisions contained in the Insurance Act.

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