Like hundreds of other homeowners who suffered a loss in the July flood, Rebecca Benson has been consumed with dealing with a restoration contractor and her insurance company.

From 1983 to 2008, insurance companies in the country spent about $400 million on average annually on catastrophic claims, but since 2009 that number’s risen to almost $2 billion.

Home insurance has become more expensive in Canada this year amid soaring replacement costs and extreme weather events, according to a new analysis.

A group representing Canada’s insurance industry says the ferocity and frequency of weather events means premiums could rise by as much as 50 per cent.

While starting a claim sooner may help you get reimbursed sooner, IBC said personal claims can usually be reported within two years of finding out about the damage or loss.

Last winter, Gaile Simpson let two unhoused people take shelter in her garage. A fire lit inside the garage got out of control and burned it down, bringing costly consequences.

As weather events and wildfires become increasingly extreme and frequent, insurers in Canada are finding it more difficult to keep coverage affordable.

Most insurance companies have “catastrophe teams” that they send to affected areas to help people file claims in person, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

Flooding is the biggest under-insured climate risk in Canada, said Victor Adesanya, vice-president of insurance at DBRS Morningstar, especially during the spring thaw.

A Calgary family is homeless after fire tore through their home. They lost two dogs, all their possessions and a home business in the fire.