Why Insurance Rates Go Up

Why Insurance Rates are Rising

As reported by Canadian Underwriter at the beginning of 2022, home insurance policyholders were expecting an average 5% rate increase in 2022.

The average cost for home insurance in Ontario in 2021 was $1,342, per RatesDotCa. A 5% increase would translate into a rise of $67 per year, making the average cost $1,409 annually.

The main reasons for the 2022 increases come down to several things, including renovations, rebuilds, and climate change. Although RatesDotCa and the Insurance Bureau of Canada issue a caveat that home insurance rates are extremely difficult to predict. So, what is causing these 3 drivers to create a rise in home insurance?

Climate Change

Extreme weather caused by climate change has resulted in millions worth of insured damages, pushing up premiums.  Many provinces saw extreme weather hit them and this caused a major rise in claims.

Although 2021 marked a year of many catastrophic weather events, two notable ones include the tornadoes that tore through Barrie, Ont., in July 2021, costing $100 million in insured losses. Also. flooding in B.C. in November 2021 cost more than $450 million, per IBC’s estimates.

“There was significant severe weather across the country last year and, in fact, it’s over $2 billion dollars in insured losses,” says Rob de Pruis, director of consumer and industry relations at Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). “That includes all kinds of events, from tornadoes in Ontario, flooding and wildfires in BC, a big hailstorm in Alberta, and another hurricane event on the east coast, as well as many others across the country.”

Renovations

With people bunkered down during the pandemic and not travelling, insurers note that more people were staying home and making improvements to their home.

However, home renovations increase the cost of rebuilding, which in turn drives premiums up. According to Statistics Canada, Canadians across the country applied for 212,523 residential alteration and improvements permits from January to November 2021.

If your replacement cost is increasing, your premiums just fall in line with replacement costs.

Rebuilds

Pandemic-induced supply chain disruptions and changes in consumer purchasing behaviour have led to rises in building material costs such as lumber, RatesDotCa said, which in turn drives up insurance rates.

Insurance rebuilds are often more expensive than the construction costs arranged through private contractors, since insurers must rebuild quickly to move the homeowner back into their home. Depending on the policy, insurers may also be paying homeowners for accommodation costs during the rebuild.

De Pruis lists inflation costs of materials, the age of your home, your postal code, and fluctuations in crime rates as other factors that affect home insurance premiums.

Insurers issue a note of caution about predicting home insurance rates.

As the article notes, since home insurance pricing is unregulated in Canada, it’s difficult to determine exactly how much home insurance premiums will rise by, but premiums are definitely on the way up.

Canadian Underwriter also reported that it is hard to predict rates. “It’s almost impossible to predict future home insurance rates, because there’s so many factors and influencing and pressures that are on premiums, and they vary across the country as well,” the article noted.

How to Save Money

Some insurers offer discounts that can help bring down premium prices, including discounts for properly installed and monitored security systems, fire alarms and claims-free discounts. Also, insurers can run a soft credit check that may lead to lower premium prices if a homeowner has good credit. Another option for people is to Increase their deductible. Normally, the higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premium would be. Policyholders should choose a deductible that they are able to pay in case of an insurance emergency.  With the rising cost of living, including insurance, it’s important for us all to spot ways to save money. One way individuals and companies can save money on insurance is through group discounts. Some companies and professional organizations offer group rates for insurance. This is true if you are an alumni of a specific university or part of an association. Consumers can save by bundling home and auto insurance together with the same provider. The article highlighted that it’s important for policyholders and insurance representatives to connect and review their policy on an annual basis.

At Leaders, we pride ourselves on the relationships we have with clients. We want to help you find the right insurance for a competitive price. We always try our best to ensure that you have the right level of protection for your needs, and we survey a range of providers to find you the best rate. Contact us today to learn more and for us to provide you with a free quote and consultation for your insurance.


3 Questions to Ask Your Insurance Agent

3 Questions to Ask Your Insurance Agent

One of the best things about working with the same insurance broker on a regular basis is that you can build a rapport with them. Having ‘insurance rapport’ means you have trust that your agent will set you up with the best insurance for your business.

Not someone else’s business - your business.

Ok, so how do you go about building this rapport? A good place to start is by asking your insurance agent some important questions pertaining to your specific needs.

For example, you could start off by asking them ‘Do Transformers buy life insurance or car insurance?’… and while this is most certainly a totally valid question, it won’t necessarily get you the answers you need at this point in time.

Here are 3 questions you can ask an insurance agent when developing a relationship with them.

  1. What exactly does my insurance policy cover?

Let’s say, you have been recommended to go with certain insurance products for your business. It is important to make sure you ask the agent to explain in detail, what the policy covers. This can help you make sure the policy meets your needs, as well as that you understand what your responsibilities are in order to maintain this coverage over time.

An added benefit of working with the same agent over time, is that they can provide ongoing support and be in touch with you should any changes come up – or there are any other details that require your attention.

2. Can I take advantage of a multi-policy service?

Another great question to ask relates to the idea of having one or more policies through the same broker. For example, if you already have your business policy through the broker, you may also want to add in vehicle insurance and even home insurance. This way your broker can help you manage all of these policies ‘under the same roof’

Sometimes, bundling is also an option, and there is an opportunity to receive discounts and reduced fees by doing so. It never hurts to explore this possibility by asking, as it can have many benefits for you.

3. Do I need to extend my coverage based on where my property is located? (ie. flood zones, wild fires, etc).

Last, but not least is the question of extending your coverage. With all of the extreme weather events we have seen across Canada in recent years, another key piece to your insurance is taking into account if you reside or work in a region that is susceptible to floods, fires, and other potentially damaging seasonal conditions.

Making sure you have added the necessary coverage can help to give you the extra peace of mind you need. And should anything like this happen, your business – and your livelihood is well protected.

At Leaders Insurance, we highly value the relationships we have build with our clients.

And while our Transformers query from earlier may remain a mystery for now, your insurance agent can answer all of your other equally important questions.


Why it Saves you Time to Find a Good Insurance Broker for all Your Insurance Needs

Why it Saves you Time to Find a Good Insurance Broker for all Your Insurance Needs

Why does it always feel like we have so much on our plate? Simply put, running a business is a lot of work. While you are focusing on the day-to-day running of your business, mixed with the future demands, this can certainly leave you with very little extra time to spare.

Add managing your various insurance policies on top that, and the pile keeps getting bigger. As a result, you are likely always trying to find new ways of doing things more efficiently.

That said, have you thought about the possibility of saving time by working with one insurance broker for all of your insurance needs?

If the answer is ’No’ or ‘Not Yet’, then you have come to the right place. Turning to one insurance agency for multiple insurance needs has many benefits – starting with saving you that extra time you have been searching for.

Benefits of Working with One Insurance Broker -

1) Saves You Time

While we’re on the topic of saving time, dealing with one insurance provider can significantly alleviate the amount of time you spend communicating with various agents. Often times, it can become confusing when dealing with too many people, and phone calls, emails, and in-person visits can really add up.

Not only does your calendar get too jammed up, but too many cooks in the kitchen can add additional stress that you just don’t have the time for.

On the other hand, working with one agency means you will be speaking with the same individual or individuals on a regular basis, and this will make for a much more straightforward process.

Built Trust

Plain and simple, working with the same set of insurance agent helps to build trust. It also means an increase in the quality of service. Working with the same broker amounts to not only an improved line of communication and understanding, but ultimately a more personalized service for your insurance needs.

With a long-lasting agent-client relationship, you can make the most of your business insurance, and reduce the time it takes to do, thus making your load quite a bit lighter.

Saving Money

Since you are already saving time, why not save some money in the process. Having built a rapport with a good insurance broker also means you have access to the best rates possible for your insurance.

Insurance can also be more affordable through the magic of bundling. Bundling your insurance, much as you might bundle your internet and cell phone plans, this approach can be very beneficial.

For example, if you already have your small business insurance through one agency, it also make a lot of sense to turn to that same broker to secure your other insurance necessities. These of course can include, home, vehicle, and other personal insurance areas. Commercial insurance is also compromised of a wide range of insurance coverage, as such, there may be others you want to consider adding to your current policy.

Your agent can help advise you on these different areas and together, you can decide which types of coverage you require, bundling them together to ease both your stress and the amount you will need to pay.

As a busy entrepreneur, the ’one-stop-shop’ approach to managing your insurance, can be one major way you can free up more time to put towards the management of your business. And with one broker at your side, quality over quantity can also prevail.

At Leaders Insurance, we understand how important it is for you to protect your business.

While people typically come to us because of our decades of experience offering business insurance, we also offer a diverse range of personal insurance packages. When you think about it, it just makes sense to combine both all in the same place.

Connect with one of our agents and find out how easy it is to get started. That way, you can move forward with more personalized insurance coverage that is the best fit for all of your insurance needs.


Beyond Just Car Insurance

Beyond Just Car Insurance

Having insurance is an important way to keep our finances protected. What insurance coverage have you looked into for yourself? Perhaps you already have car insurance, and that’s a great start.

What about other types of insurance? Let’s take a look at some other kinds of coverage, beyond car insurance. Are there other policies you should consider?

Even if you aren’t a homeowner at this point in time, there are other ways you can protect yourself with insurance.

Renter’s Insurance

While homeowner’s insurance covers specific aspects of protecting your home, it also relates to coverage for your belongings and valuables. That said, if you are currently renting a home, whether that be an apartment, condo, or a house, having renter’s insurance is also a good idea.

With tenant’s insurance, you can keep your possessions protected while not requiring coverage for the structure, as this is the responsibility of the landlord. In the event, any of your personal belongings are damaged, destroyed, or stolen, this type of insurance can be vital when it comes to replacing these items – which often comes at a high cost.

Renter’s insurance, not unlike a homeowner’s policy also takes into account accidental actions on your part that result in damage to the unit you are occupying. Personal liability insurance is a fundamental part of a tenant coverage policy. It is definitely worth considering since, as a renter, you also have responsibilities attached to your living environment, even if you are not the home owner.

Learning about insurance as a whole, as well as being aware of all of the types of coverage available can be a valuable step towards managing your future insurance policies, whether this be a home insurance or another kind of policy.

Business Insurance

One other type of insurance you may want to consider is business insurance. Business insurance coverage comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and applies to a wide range of businesses. If you are thinking of opening up a business at some point, you can get a head start by looking into the various commercial insurance offerings.

From small businesses to e-commerce models, business insurance has expanded its scope to keep itself aligned with the evolving business world.

Some of the most common business insurance includes:

General Liability insurance, Commercial property insurance, and Business income insurance. Then there is e-commerce and cyber security insurance areas to factor into your decision and to help ensure your business is well-protected.

Just like most things in life, our insurance needs also change over time. So being well-versed in your policies as well as staying connected with an insurance agent can make the process considerably less overwhelming and more straightforward.

In the end, you want to do everything you can to protect yourself from financial stresses and having the right insurance in place can definitely help with this goal.

Discussing your insurance needs with an insurance agent you have worked with before is a worthwhile step towards finding the best policies, as well as at the most affordable rates possible.

At Leaders Insurance, we understand that managing your insurance policies is a very important part of your life. Our agents look forward to discussing your current and future insurance needs with you.