An Alberta homebuilder is making hail-resistant roofing standard on all of its new single-family homes as the province grapples with billions of dollars in damage from severe storms.The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) says Homes by Avi became the first large-volume homebuilder in Alberta to make hail-resistant roofing a standard feature, effective Aug. 1.The roofing is designed to better withstand severe hail and wind, reducing the potential for damage and making homes more resilient during extreme weather.IBC says hail-resistant roofing and siding can also reduce home insurance premiums by as much as 50% in high-risk areas such as Calgary because the materials lower the risk of damage and subsequent insurance claims.“Homes by Avi is demonstrating the kind of leadership we need to better protect homeowners and families from the new weather reality Albertans are facing,” said Aaron Sutherland, vice-president, Pacific and Western, at IBC.“The use of hail-resistant materials should become standard practice for all new home construction in hail-prone areas to help improve the resilience of homes and the affordability of insurance coverage.”IBC says Alberta has experienced eight catastrophic weather events so far this year, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in insured damage.The province has also experienced a major hailstorm every year for the past decade, according to the insurance industry organization.Those storms have caused more than $8 billion in insured damage and put pressure on home, auto and business insurance premiums.Insurers have been pushing governments to take additional steps to protect properties from natural disasters..In Calgary, IBC is calling for the city’s Resilient Roofing Rebate Program to be revived. The program provided financial assistance to homeowners who upgraded their homes to better withstand hail.IBC also wants governments to mandate hail-resistant roofing and siding on new construction in high-risk areas and improve hail warning services so residents have more time to move vehicles and take other precautions before storms arrive.Some insurers are already offering financial incentives for homeowners who retrofit properties with hail-resistant materials.“With insurers stepping up to make it more attractive for homeowners to spend on hail-resistant retrofits, IBC is strongly encouraging the government to come to the table with additional financial supports for homeowners to make these improvements,” said Sutherland.“Building more resilient homes and communities will not only protect Albertans, it will also save them money.”
