Français | Call Us

Facebook  Linkedin

Login

Western Financial Group
  • Insurance open insurance menu
  • Services open services menu
  • Our Foundation open services menu
  • About Us open menu
  • Contact Us

Find a Broker

Get A Quote

Insurance

Personal Insurance

Car

Home

Renter's

Farm

RV

Boat

Travel

Business Insurance

Start-ups to Mid-size Businesses

Employee Benefits

Group Insurance Programs

Health & Life

Life

Disability

Critical Illness

View All Products

Services

Registry Services

Personal Claims

Commercial Claims

Risk Management 

MyWestern

Payment Setup

Our Foundation

Our Giving Programs

About Us

Annual Giving Reports

FAQ

Donate

Sponsorship

Foundation Contact

About Us

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Who We Are

Executive Team

Western News

Careers

Divisions

Partners

Sponsors

COVID-19 Info

Blog

Western Communities Foundation

Western Coast Insurance

Wyatt Dowling Insurance

Contact Us

Personal Insurance

Car

Home

Renter's

Travel

Farm

RV

Boat

Business Insurance

Start-ups to Mid-size Businesses

Employee Benefits

Group Insurance Programs

Health & Life

Life

Disability

Critical Illness

View All Products

Services

Registry Services

Personal Claims

Commercial Claims

Risk Management 

MyWestern

Payment Setup

Our Foundation

Our Giving Programs

About Us

Annual Giving Reports

FAQ

Donate

Sponsorship

Foundation Contact

About Us

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Who We Are

Executive Team

Western News

Careers

Divisions

Partners

Sponsors

COVID-19 Info

Blog

Western Communities Foundation

Western Coast Insurance

Wyatt Dowling Insurance

Snow removal and your home insurance

Snow is an inevitable part of Canadian winters. It is important to keep your driveway and walkways clear to avoid any unnecessary injuries to yourself or others visiting your property. You may not be sure why it is important, what the rules are and whether slip-and-falls on icy sidewalks are covered by home insurance.

What is liability insurance?

Liability insurance is an important part of your home insurance and every policy needs to have it. Liability insurance covers the costs associated with injuries sustained by others while on your property. It will not cover any expenses you, the homeowner, incur through injury on your property.

Make sure you understand what your home insurance policy covers and talk to your Western Financial Group broker if you have any questions.

Are you liable if someone is injured on an icy walkway on your property?

Determining liability in the case of a slip-and-fall is not always black and white and depends on factors like whether you shoveled the walk within the time allowed by your bylaws. Other circumstances, like water flowing from your property and freezing on the sidewalk, can also make you liable.

Even if your home liability insurance would end up covering a slip-and-fall, it is best to clear all walkways from snow and ice and prevent it from happening in the first place.

Are there laws about shoveling the snow?

Each municipality has its own bylaws about snow removal and requires the homeowner to shovel the snow often within 24 – 48 hours of it falling. Please refer to your local regulations to learn more.

Make sure you know what the bylaws in your city say about snow removal. They should be easy to locate online or by calling the municipality or municipal district.

Are tenants responsible for snow removal?

Rental contracts may specify that a tenant is responsible for snow removal but it must be clear when and where on the property the snow needs to be removed. If the tenant fails to take care of snow removal it becomes the landlord’s responsibility.

Tips for de-icing your sidewalk

  • Always shovel as quickly as possible.
  • If there is ice you cannot remove, put down de-icer to help soften the ice and then try again.
  • After you have cleared the sidewalk of ice as much as possible, sprinkle sand or gravel on it to provide traction.
  • Be careful about what kind of de-icer you buy, use it sparingly, and make sure it is environmentally friendly and pet-safe.

What should you do if someone falls on your sidewalk?

  • Help the injured person get medical treatment.
  • Take photos of where the accident happened, including photos of the footwear the person who fell was wearing if possible.
  • Record the time and date, witness contact information and what happened.
  • Report it to your home insurance provider along with any steps you took to prevent it.
  • Do not admit liability and let your insurer take care of communicating with the injured person.

GET A QUOTE

Recent Blog Posts

What is International Men’s Day?
What is International Men's Day?

November 20, 2023


Black Friday in Canada
Why We Have Black Friday in Canada

November 20, 2023


What does an insurance broker do?
What does an insurance broker do?

November 15, 2023


Call Us

Sales
Personal Insurance

1-866-860-1958

Business Insurance

1-866-860-1947

Life Insurance

1-888-594-3105

General Inquiries
and Services

1-866-245-2779
Mon-Fri: 8am-8 pm MT
Sat: 9am-6 pm MT

Claims

1-866-245-2779
Mon-Fri: 7:30am-4 pm MT
Sat: 9am-6 pm MT

1-877-599-7299
(After Hours)

Western Financial

About

Our Story

Executive Team

Careers

MyWestern Login

Mergers and Acquisition

Western Communities Foundation

Western News | Blog

Products & Services

All Insurance

Personal Insurance

Business Insurance

Health Insurance

Award Winning Brokerage

IBC Top Brokerage Top 100 Seal 2023  Top 100 Seal 2022

Privacy / Legal  |   Accessibility Guidelines |   Fair Treatment of Customers Policy |   Terms of Use  |   Compensation Disclosure  |  Complaints Process  |   Media Relations  |   Sitemap


2020 Western Financial Group. All rights reserved.

2023 Western Financial Group. All rights reserved.