Alberta homebuilder adopts hail-resistant roofing as standard feature in new homes
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) recognizes Homes by Avi as the first large-volume homebuilder in Alberta to make hail-resistant roofing standard on all its new single-family homes, beginning August 1.
This type of roofing is designed to better withstand severe hail and wind, helping reduce damage and improve the long-term resilience of homes. Further, the use of hail-resistant roofing and siding can reduce home insurance premiums by up to 50% in high-risk areas, such as Calgary, because they reduce the risk of damage and the likelihood of insurance claims.
“Homes by Avi is demonstrating the kind of leadership we need to better protect homeowners and families from the new weather reality Albertans are facing,” said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific and Western, IBC. “The use of hail-resistant materials should become standard practice for all new home construction in hail-prone areas to help improve the resilience of homes and the affordability of insurance coverage.”
The announcement comes as Alberta continues to be the disaster capital of Canada. So far this year, the province has experienced eight catastrophic weather events causing hundreds of millions of dollars in insured damage. Alberta has seen a major hailstorm every year for the past decade, causing more than $8 billion in insured damage and putting significant pressure on home, auto and business insurance premiums.
For years, insurers have been calling on all orders of government to better protect Canadians from natural disasters. In Calgary, that must include efforts to:
Revive Calgary’s Resilient Roofing Rebate Program, which provided homeowners with financial assistance to retrofit their homes to protect them from hail damage
Mandate the use of hail-resistant roofing and siding for all new construction in high-risk areas
Improve hail notification services so that residents are better able to prepare and move vehicles out of harm’s way when a storm is coming.
As Alberta continues to experience frequent and costly hailstorms, some insurers are offering financial incentives to homeowners to support the retrofitting of their homes with hail-resistant materials.
“With insurers stepping up to make it more attractive for homeowners to invest in hail-resistant retrofits, IBC is strongly encouraging the government to come to the table with additional financial supports for homeowners to make these improvements,” said Sutherland. “Building more resilient homes and communities will not only protect Albertans, it will also save them money.”
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