When a homeowner in Saskatchewan contacted SaskPower to inspect a power issue she assumed resulted from poor power supply to her home, she never imagined it would mean the gutting of her home.
The previous owner of the property had made many renovations. Unfortunately, most of those were done without getting the necessary permits or consulting with a qualified electrician or contractor. The entire original electrical system was altered and extended without regard for rules set out by the Canadian Electrical Codes.
The electrical company brought in to assess the situation had to remove switches, outlets and junction box cover plates throughout the house to perform testing. They recommended removing all the wiring and rewire in order to meet code.
The contractor’s report recommended removing walls, baseboards, casing, flooring, cabinetry and other elements to access the wiring.
The work required was extensive. But the owner wasn’t worried—she knew her next call was going to be to FCT. She has a residential title insurance policy with us, so we stepped in and assessed the situation.
Because the offending wiring had been done without a permit, that made it a covered risk under the policy. Once we knew we were able to help, we consulted the relevant experts and determined the best way to make her whole was a settlement of $288,220 to cover the renovations and repairs.
Without her title insurance policy, the homeowner would have been left with a huge out-of-pocket expense, with limited recourse. Her one-time investment in title insurance when she bought the property had really paid off.
Did you know you can still get title insurance even if you’ve owned your home for years? Get protection for life, no longer how long you’ve lived in your home, with an existing homeowner’s policy from FCT.
Insurance by FCT Insurance Company Ltd. Services by First Canadian Title Company Limited. The services company does not provide insurance products. This material is intended to provide general information only. For specific coverage and exclusions, refer to the applicable policy. Copies are available upon request. Some products/services may vary by province. Prices and products/services offered are subject to change without notice.
®Registered Trademark of First American Financial Corporation.
