Sarah Palmer: Residents of NE Calgary's 'Hail Alley' voice their concerns

Sarah Palmer: Residents of NE Calgary's 'Hail Alley' voice their concerns about being overcharged and underinsured.

The residents of Calgary's northeast 'Hail Alley' are expressing concerns over the high costs and difficulty in obtaining insurance for their homes, which are frequently affected by hailstorms. These communities, including Cityscape, Cornerstone, Castleridge, Falconridge, Saddle Ridge, Taradale, and Martindale, have experienced an increase in hailstorms, leading to a rise in insurance premiums and even outright denials of coverage. Homeowners are feeling the pressure as they struggle with the expense of repairs and the risk of being uninsured during the upcoming hailstorm season.

Residents have reported being charged exorbitant amounts for insurance, with some receiving quotes as high as $21,000 annually. The issue has become particularly pressing as some insurance companies refuse to cover properties that have been damaged by the record-breaking hailstorm in August 2024, despite the fact that neither the Government of Canada nor the Alberta government have officially declared it a natural disaster. This has led to a situation where residents are being denied the benefits of the Resilient Roofing Rebate Program, which offered a $3,000 deduction for installing Class 4 shingles to withstand future storms, because they lack the required house insurance.

Elected officials have recognized the problem, with Ward 5 Coun. Raj Dhaliwal pushing for a review of the previous rebate program's outcomes and advocating for potential changes to the building code to make homes more resilient. However, with the 2025 Alberta building codes already in place, any significant adjustments are not expected until 2030.

In the meantime, residents are left to navigate the complex and costly insurance market while dealing with the aftermath of past storms and preparing for the possibility of more severe weather events. The situation highlights the challenges faced by those living in areas prone to natural disasters, particularly when it comes to maintaining affordable and adequate insurance protection.

Beverly Nadiger