Homeowners property policy

Get coverage for damage accidentally caused to others

Liability coverages protect you against bodily injury or property damage you may involuntarily cause another person. It protects you if you're responsible for accidentally injuring someone else or damaging their property.

Most policyholders opt for $1 million in liability insurance coverage. You may, however, increase this amount to up to $5 million under certain conditions.

In context

Sophie was running a bath for little Emma when the phone rang.

When she returned to the bathroom, water had overflow from the bath and leaked into Mr. Brown's residence below, damaging the ceiling.

The damage was estimated at $8,700.

Fortunately, Sophie's home insurance policy included liability coverage.

All-risk insurance covers most accidents that could damage your property, including:

fire, theft, vandalism, damage caused by wind, certain types of water damage, falling objects, and the impact of a vehicle hitting your house.

An all-risk policy also covers accidents people don't usually think of when buying insurance.

And although all insurance policies—including all-risk policies—contain exclusions for situations such as normal wear and tear, gradual deterioration, mechanical failure and flooding, some of these risks can be insured with additional coverage.

In context

While doing his laundry, Simon knocked over some bleach, spilling it on the floor and some clothes.

Not only were his clothes ruined, his wood floor was seriously damaged! Because it was an accident, his all-risk home insurance covered the damage.

You can add additional coverage to your policy to protect you against water damage caused by surface or ground water including:

• Sewer back-ups
• Seepage or influx of water from natural sources through basement walls, doors or other openings

In context

When Sophie got home, she noticed that heavy rainfall had caused the sewer to back up.

Not to worry! When she insured her home, Sophie purchased sewer back-up coverage, opting for $10,000, which corresponds to her needs.

Sophie called Desjardins Insurance immediately, and we took care of everything. The damage was estimated at $7,000, but all she had to do was to pay the deductible.

This coverage offers protection against sudden and accidental damage to insured property caused by:

• Water that reaches the premises and that originates from the rising or overflow of a body of water or from a dam break
• Impact by water-borne objects that reach the premises, including ice

This coverage protects you against damage caused by:

• The entrance or seepage of rain or snow through walls, roofs or doors, windows and similar openings
• The discharge, backing up, escape or overflow of water from an eavestrough or downspout
• The weight of ice, snow or wet snow

This protection covers:

Tear out and replacement costs required to repair the broken or malfunctioning water service pipe to prevent damage to your property.

Frost or the weight of ice or snow are just some of the threats that can damage your pool or hot tub.

You can add extra coverage to your basic insurance to protect:

• Your above ground or semi-inground swimming pool, including equipment, accessories, and attached patios that are not connected to the house
• Your inground swimming pool or hot tub, including equipment, accessories, and attached patios that are not connected to the house

In context

John's pool didn't make it through the rigours of the past winter. Fortunately, his home insurance covered the damage, because John had wisely decided to tailor his policy to his needs, adding additional coverage for his pool.

Avoid costs related to soil contamination

This coverage provides protection against environmental risks associated with fuel oil.

In addition to covering your personal belongings in the event of a fuel oil leak or spill, this new option covers:

• Soil decontamination
• Civil liability, if you're a homeowner

Check to see if you're eligible

To be fair to our clients who heat with oil and to offer this coverage at the lowest possible rate, certain eligibility conditions apply.

For example, fuel oil tanks can't be insured if they show signs of corrosion, aren't properly installed, or are too old.

In context

When Hugo got home, he noticed that the supply line to his fuel oil tank had ruptured. Oil had spilled and seeped into the concrete floor, contaminating the soil.

After the cleanup, he was glad he’d added additional fuel oil coverage to his insurance policy, because fuel oil spills can be very expensive.

Protect your home against ground movements caused by earthquakes

This endorsement protects your property against damage in the event of an earthquake as well as damage caused by ground movements—including avalanches and landslides—that occur during earthquakes.

Note: Endorsement 22b, Fire, Explosion and Smoke Damage Resulting from an Earthquake is automatically added to the home insurance policy.

Desjardins TelePrevention is an exclusive program for our home insurance policyholders

Equip your home with a centrally monitored Chubb Edwards alarm system and:

• Save up to 15% on your property insurance premium
• Save $150¹ when you purchase a Chubb Edwards alarm system
• You pay no deductible and your premium will not increase after a theft, break-in or fire that triggers your alarm system

Learn more