Almost 1 in 4 Canadians may be taking this risk with their home

A worrying share of Canadian homeowners may be risking serious financial consequences by not knowing enough about their home insurance.

Almost a quarter of respondents to a recent survey said they had not read their home insurance policy and 3 in 10 said the matter was like their daily commute – tedious but necessary.

Nearly 10% of respondents to the poll by belairdirect said they did not know if their home is covered for animal damage, from rodents for example.

Four-in-ten Canadians with home insurance believe their policies automatically protect all of their valuables, while only 36% believe they are covered for a sewer back-up.

Cannabis impact

Almost 1 in 5 Canadians believes they can grow pot at home without any impact on their home insurance.

Many also believe the cannabis they grow is covered by their home insurance policy but belairdirect says that the rules vary by province. The insurer has a limit on recreational cannabis products under home insurance policies in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia while no coverage is provided for plants growing outdoors.

Overall, 52% of respondents said they find their home insurance policy hard to understand.

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