Wawanesa Home Insurance Reviews

I had this insurance company for 15 years for house insurance. We had hail damage to the roof twice. The first time they told us that there was no damage to the shingles, but there was damage to the eaves trough on one side and damage to the soffits. Would not pay for hail damage to the roof. Estimated damage to tin to be $900.00. Second storm a few years later. Again no apparent damage from hail to my roof. They said the damage was to shingles was done by the shinglers when the house was built. Interestingly all my neighbour's houses, behind, beside, and across the street all had their shingles replaced, some of them after both storms. They had other insurance companies covering their homes. I’m now paying the bill myself after they took my money for 15 years. I had two professional shinglers with over 35 years of experience inspecting the roof to confirm it was hail damage.

We've been with Wawanesa for about 7 or 8 years. Never a claim.
Last spring, we noticed our (12-15 yr old) shingles were looking bad, grains on the ground after the snow melt. So, we called a company to come take a look. (We don't go up there.) The company told us we have hail damage. This was in June! We put in a claim but didn't hear from our adjuster, so I called. He said he'd be out by the end of the week. Didn't show. I called again and he said HE couldn't go up because we're in a bi-level, but he'd send a roofer to have a look by the end of the week. A month later, no show! I call twice and leave messages. No return call. I call my broker. The adjuster tells my broker the roofer was here and he's waiting for a report. NOT TRUE! The next day, the roofer comes, but he doesn't have a ladder tall enough to go on our roof! I provide one. He tells me it's 'Sun Bubbles', which I've never heard of. The adjuster said "No claim". I dispute and get another co. out to look at the roof. He says "Hail damage." The adjuster says it's one co. against the other, they can't agree, so they're sending a 'Roof-check' person as a mediator. The insurance pays the man (74 yr old) $700., as per my broker. We hear nothing from the adjuster, I've left 3 messages to call me, so I call my broker, again! She tells me she received the report a few days prior and they are not accepting the claim. So, I get another (5th person) to look at the roof and give me a price. It is now September! He tells me "You have hail damage!" Bottom line, poor service, waste of our money! We will never use Wawanesa again and WE WILL tell all our homeowner friends & family. By the way, a manager from the insurance tells us that if we have water damage over winter, if we can't get the roof done until spring, the insurance will not cover us.

I have never in my lifetime had a home insureance claim! Never! We live in Airdrie, AB which is the base camp for the army when the flooding happened in Calgary in 2013 because it is a much higher elevation and we don't flood. Does this matter to them? NO! our rates increase by 20%. Last month we had HAIL, did I have a claim? NO! However, I just received a letter saying my insurance is going up another 50%!!! This before they even pay a dime out! Insurance companies disgust me and so does our government for not protecting the public from these thieves! They put agencies in place and when you call they tell you to talk to your insurance company reps! Failures on all fronts.

I had two claims in same year in 2013, still not settled in 2014 year after first claim, insurance contractor lowballed estimates for some items then added high 20% overhead plus 20% administration costs to total and stated that line total before overhead and administration is what you get 80% of for cash settlement, thus 80% of 60% of contractor estimate, then reduced by additional 5% for gst which I could submit receipts for after work done in reasonable amount of time. It worked out to about less than half of contractor estimate after deductible.

Trying to get a contractor to do restoration but most do not want to do since insurance slow at paying them when work done. I am tempted to go through dispute resolution but more time and not worth the headaches. Roof estimate close enough since only 10% off for overhead and 10%% for administration, so 80% of 80% is better than 80% of 60% for basement restoration.

There story is that we can not profit from our insurance claim, but I told them fair compensation for work and tools used and no future liability is worth them saving 20% but they want to save 40% plus, so they can profit by having us do work for next to nothing after all materials paid but I cannot get fairly compensated for my time and use of tools and assuming personal liability for restoration??

The new replacement cost of items destroyed or semi destroyed meant nothing since they reduced items values for depreciation and then give us 75% of lower amount not new replacement cost for cash settlement, we could provide receipts later if we spent more but with no basement restored why buy anything not too mention they would not commit a time or money limit for storage costs, jut "submits receipts for our consideration" which means we will probably not pay for it or just a small portion of it, but no firm numbers and time constraints??

Cheap not always best?? Do your research and seek out companies that are fair but still reasonable in premiums etc. Would I recommend Wawanesa? What do you think LOL?

I have used wawanesa insurance for my house and auto over 10 years . It had hail in Calgary NW in 2012. All my neighhoors including my house had hail damage seriously, Wawanesa tried to deny the coverage of hail damage , even though they can't avoid it , Wawanesa tried to miss hail damage items , less quantity of hail damage as well as try to use cheap/poor job. It spend me over 1 years ( emails and callers thundreds times)
1) Roof : Wawanesa said not hail damage in my shake roof , then send me one independant inspection report done by one personal service style firm to approve his point , I have to hire one big/stnadard roof indpendent inspector to double check it . It has seriously damage . then Wawanesa just paid $3000 for replace entire roof .
2) Siding and around : Wawanesa hired one personal service style estimation firm to estimate the cost, over 40% hail damage items missed at the first. Even though hail damage items in the estimation reports , the quantity is not enough . such as hail damaged length of fascia is 160 ft , the estimator said is 80 ft . the estimator tried to paint my hail damaged wall clopped at cost of $51 which other constructor asked for $545. What important Wawanesa tried to hire one constructor to this job at unbelievable price , We can image how cheap and poor job will be done . They asked me to wait at home review and they didn't come , I called and emailed an adjuster a lot of times , they didn't response.
In the word , Wawanesa just collects money and woudn't like to be responsible as they promised , Wawanesa manpulates from dependent inspection , estimation to constructor .I don't know why government allow them to do this style business in Canada.