It's What's Inside That Counts.

Premiums are climbing across the Canadian home insurance market for three reasons: severe weather events are more frequent and more expensive, the reinsurance that insurers buy to protect against catastrophic loss has gone up sharply, and the price to repair or rebuild a home has outpaced general inflation. BCM cannot fully shield policyholders from those pressures, but as a mutual we have no shareholders taking a cut, so every dollar of premium stays inside the system that pays your claims. Our loss prevention program is part of how we work to keep rates as stable as possible.

Basement flooding caused by sewer backup is covered when you add the Sewer Backup endorsement to your home policy. Flooding from overland water (a nearby river or lake overflowing, or heavy rainfall and rapid snowmelt running across the ground) is covered separately under an Overland Water endorsement. Standard home policies in Ontario do not include either of these as automatic coverage, so we recommend talking to your advisor about adding them, especially if your home has a finished basement or sits in a flood-prone part of the Niagara region.

Sewer backup covers water that comes up into your home through drains, toilets, or sinks when the municipal sewer system is overwhelmed. Overland water covers water that enters your home from outside, typically from a nearby body of water overflowing or from heavy rain or rapid snowmelt running across the ground. Major flood events often involve both, which is why most Niagara-region homeowners carry both endorsements.

The biggest levers are: bundling your home and auto policies, choosing a higher deductible if you have the savings to cover it, installing eligible safety devices, maintaining a claims-free record, and booking a free Loss Prevention visit so we can identify risks before they become claims. Your advisor can walk through which discounts and safety device options apply to your specific home and policy.

Yes. A standard BCM home insurance policy covers damage from fire (including wildfire), hail, ice storms, windstorms, and falling objects such as trees. There are some exclusions and limits depending on your policy form and any endorsements you carry, so for specific situations the safest answer is to talk to your advisor.

For most home policies BCM offers a free Loss Prevention visit after you become a policyholder, where one of our in-house associates visits your property to identify potential risks and recommend improvements. This is a service, not a pass-or-fail inspection. It is one of the ways the mutual model works in your favour: the better we help you protect your home, the more stable everyone’s premiums can stay.