What does my
home insurance cover?

  • Any children in your custody will be covered under your policy, along with any immediate family members who live with you.

  • Your policy only covers your stuff, unless you added your roommate to your policy when you purchased it.

  • If something happens to your home that’s covered under your policy and you can’t live in it for the duration of the claim process, we’ll pay for alternate accommodations and living expenses until it’s repaired or rebuilt. For landlords, it’s the loss of net rental income.

    Note: This doesn’t apply to seasonal homes (e.g., your cottage).

  • Sewer backup coverage pays for damage caused to the storm drain, eavestrough, downspout, septic system or sump. This is an optional coverage.

    To find your policy limits, see your Confirmation of Property Insurance in your account, under Risks and Policies.

    If you’re a property owner, water damage due to plumbing issues (like a burst pipe) falls under Home and Detached Structures coverage.

  • We provide coverage for your home for windstorms or hail, including loss or damage caused by the weight of ice, snow, or sleet.

  • We’ll cover losses to the roof of your dwelling, and detached private structures, based on the depreciated replacement cost, up to your policy limits.

  • Your woodstove is covered, unless it is the primary source of heat for your home.

  • Your coverage includes things like outdoor trees, plants, shrubs, lawns, permanently installed outdoor equipment, outdoor furniture, BBQ, and outdoor swimming pools.

  • If you’ve stored items in a unit on the grounds of your condo building, then you’ll be covered for the contents up to your policy limits.

    However, belongings in an off-site storage facility are only covered for a certain number of days, depending on your carrier – you’ll need to purchase insurance from the facility for coverage beyond that.

  • Whether you’re taking off for a weekend getaway or a week’s vacation before you leave, you always want to make sure:

    • Doors and windows are shut and locked

    • Gates to the backyard are closed

    • All faucets and water sources are shut off

    • Big electronic items are unplugged

    If you’re gone for more than four (consecutive) days during a season when you would normally heat your home, insurance companies may not cover any loss or damage if any part of a plumbing, heating, or air conditioning system freezes.
    Take the following precautions:

    • Have someone you trust to visit your place to maintain the heating for each day you’re gone

    • Shut off the water supply and drain all the pipes, as well as any domestic water containers

    • Have your heating system connected by a monitored alarm to a 24-hour service station

    • Whenever you’re planning a trip, it’s best to double-check the terms of your policy to make sure you’ve got enough coverage.

  • Items that are temporarily away from your home anywhere in the world are covered by your home insurance policy. 

    One less thing to worry about on your trip – what’s not to love?

  • Items that are temporarily away from your home anywhere in the world are covered up to a value with your standard coverage. 

    Note that belongings in a storage facility are only covered for a certain number of days, depending on your carrier – you’ll need to purchase insurance from the facility for coverage beyond that.

  • If you’ll be renting out your home, notify us and switch your coverage to a cottage and landlord policy. A cottage and landlord policy will protect your home if the actual structure is damaged.

    Your policy won’t protect your tenants against liability or personal loss. Depending on where you live, you can make it a requirement that your tenant(s) have their own insurance to cover their belongings.

  • When you’ve got insurance with us, you can keep your mind on your studies, and not on your stuff.

    If you’re attending a school, university, or college and are temporarily away from home, your stuff will still be covered.

  • Renovations are definitely one of the circumstances that require you to update your home insurance policy. We offer a builders risk endorsement to be added to your policy. Before construction starts, call an Onlia insurance broker to review your renovation project and requirements for the best insurance solution.

    Also call us if:

    • You’ve started a home-based business

    • Finished your basement or added a pool

    • Your home is vacant or unoccupied for a period of time

    • You’ve acquired some valuable belongings and would like to review your policy limits

    • Any of your renovations are valued at over $10,000 – this would require a new evaluation on the property to make sure it’s properly insured to value

  • Business use at home is covered as long as your home-based business is an approved office, sales, or crafts business. For example, an accounting firm, a barbershop, or a pottery studio.

  • Your condo corporation’s insurance policy only covers items that are originally part of the building and its common areas like walls, roofs, floors, elevators, swimming pools and any associated out buildings. That’s why it’s important to get condo insurance, which is designed to cover:

    • Your personal liability, should someone hurt themselves while visiting your home

    • Any investments you’ve made to upgrade the unit

    • Your shared responsibility of common areas

    • Your condo unit, in case your condo corporation’s insurance doesn’t cover your loss fully

  • This section of the policy provides insurance for your Dwelling, Detached Private Structures, Personal Property, and Additional Living Expense under a single amount of insurance. You will find this single amount of insurance shown on the Coverage Summary under Amount of Insurance. This is the maximum amount we will pay in any one occurrence for loss or damage under one or more of the coverages provided under this section.