More than a third of Canadians do not know where to start when it comes to protecting their homes from extreme weather, according to a new survey commissioned by Intact Financial Corporation, highlighting a preparedness gap that the insurer said is increasingly costly.
The Leger survey, conducted in March 2026 among 1,639 Canadians, found that 62% of respondents are concerned about strong winds and their potential to damage property, while hail remains one of the most destructive and underestimated perils facing Canadian homeowners. A single hailstorm in Calgary in August 2024 caused nearly $2.8 billion in insured losses, the costliest hail event in Canadian history.
The survey findings land against a backdrop of accelerating catastrophe losses. Severe weather-related insured losses in Canada exceeded $2.4 billion in 2025, making it the tenth costliest year on record according to Catastrophe Indices and Quantification Inc. Notable events included an Ontario and Quebec ice storm in March, May wildfires in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, a July hailstorm in Calgary and severe Prairie storms in August that caused significant hail damage across Alberta and Saskatchewan.
That followed a record-breaking 2024, when total insured losses from extreme weather reached $9.4 billion nationally. IBC president and CEO Celyeste Power has noted that two decades ago, insured losses seldom surpassed $500 million per year in Canada, and that annual costs exceeding $1 billion have now become the norm.
Wind and hail are among the most significant drivers of that trend. Straight-line winds can reach tornado-like strength across wide areas, lifting shingles, tearing siding, sending unsecured objects airborne and breaking windows. Hailstones as large as grapefruits have been recorded in Canada, and even smaller hail can cause rapid and expensive damage to roofs, siding, skylights and vehicles. July is typically the most active month for hail in Canada, making preparation in the weeks ahead particularly important for homeowners in high-risk regions.
The sustained loss pressure is producing tangible changes to how hail coverage is structured across Canada, particularly in Alberta. A regulator survey previewed at the National Insurance Conference of Canada in 2025 found that every insurer surveyed now applies higher deductibles to hail, and all have introduced limited payment terms, particularly on roofs and sidings. Replacement cost coverage that once meant a brand-new roof after every storm has largely disappeared.
The deductible shift is significant. Where a $1,000 hail deductible was once standard in Calgary, many insurers are now mandating $2,500 or even $5,000 deductibles specifically for hail damage, and Alberta homeowners are seeing premium increases of 15% to 25% in 2026 following the 2025 storm season. A handful of insurers have gone further, pulling hail out of the base homeowners policy and turning it into an optional add-on, a development that Alberta's deputy superintendent of insurance described as raising significant regulatory concerns and changing the nature of broker conversations with clients.
In northeast Calgary's so-called Hail Alley, some homeowners have reported outright non-renewals from carriers unwilling to continue writing policies in the highest-risk postal codes, with residents told their insurer was declining all policies with specific T3J and T3N postal codes following the volume of 2024 claims.
The regulatory response is beginning. Alberta's regulator is using the survey findings to encourage insurers to sharpen the financial difference between resilient and non-resilient homes, with one model applying a $2,500 deductible for a resilient property compared to $10,000 for a non-resilient one, giving homeowners stronger financial incentives to invest in fortified roofing and siding. Class 4 impact-resistant shingles can currently trigger premium discounts of 5% to 10% with many Alberta providers.
TD Economics analysis found that highly impacted areas are also facing reduced coverage for certain perils, and that fiscally constrained governments are rethinking the level of financial assistance available through disaster recovery programs as weather-related costs rise.
Mel Wright, vice president and head of Intact Insurance's prevention program, said the key is early action.
"Strong winds can turn everyday items into projectiles, while hail can strike with enough force to damage your home's exterior in minutes. The key is to act early and be prepared. Secure outdoor objects and move your vehicle to the most protected spot available," said Wright. "To go further with preventive actions, our Keep it Intact program helps Canadians choose the right next step, whether it's a simple fix now or a planned upgrade for longer-term protection."
Intact's guidance covers securing outdoor furniture and bins before a storm, trimming trees, clearing gutters and documenting property with photographs before damage occurs.
For high-wind events, the insurer advises homeowners to inspect and secure outdoor structures, seal gaps around pipes and wires and identify a safe interior room for shelter. Longer-term upgrades recommended include impact-resistant roofing, siding and shutters, garage door braces and wind straps to anchor roof framing.
One barrier the survey identified is access to qualified tradespeople. Twenty per cent (20%) of Canadians cited difficulty securing reliable contractors as one of their top three obstacles to taking additional protective steps. Job vacancies in skilled trades have increased at an average rate of 11% per year since 2017 and are projected to rise to 13% annually between 2026 and 2045, with weather-related property damage increasing demand for construction at a time when labour supply is already strained.
Intact's partnership with the Jiffy app connects homeowners with vetted tradespeople in the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary, Vancouver, Edmonton and Montreal.
For an industry grappling with rising claims costs and a shrinking pool of qualified contractors to carry out repairs, closing the preparedness gap and the trades gap are increasingly the same challenge.
