Canadian winter storm damages cost over $114M

VANCOUVER, British Columbia--Winter storms in British Columbia in November and December caused an estimated $135 million Canadian ($114.7 million) in insured losses, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada.

The winter storms represent the largest insurance loss in the province since the wildfires of 2003, which resulted in losses of $200 million Canadian ($169.9 million), according to the Vancouver, British Columbia, office of IBC, the national trade association of nongovernment property/casualty insurers in Canada.

Insurers have reported receiving more than 17,000 claims related to the winter storms, the majority for windstorm and sewer backup damage, said Lindsay Olson, IBC's vp for British Columbia and the Yukon Territory.

Among the hardest-hit areas were the lower mainland of British Columbia, Southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, she said.