# The CanaDoper Café, 2013 edition. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 1, 2013, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736 "2013-01-01T03:29:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 72
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1421 "2013-06-21T13:06:30Z")
> [@Uzi](#): > > . . . There has been talk that when a storm signal 8 is raised to keep on working rather than sending people home. The reason? Lots of people just go to the bar, restaurants or movies rather than go home. These are the same levels of hurricanes that wipe out huge swaths of the US. Here, Hong Kong, it results in a mud slide or two. 8 is gale, not hurricane. When you see a huge swath of the US wiped out, it is due to a hurricane. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1422 "2013-06-21T15:09:33Z")
It’s crazy here. We’re well up on the hill so we are fine - but the water is crazy. Memorial Drive is flooded. The Stampede Grounds are flooded. MacLeod Trail is flooded. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1423 "2013-06-21T15:19:54Z")
I was just looking at the list of bridge closures - just about all the smaller ones going over the river. I think there are a handful of major routes still open. Regarding flood insurance, some of the commonly flooded areas might have very expensive insurance, but those are also very expensive houses with very rich people living in them, so I think they would. The less commonly flooded areas (which is about 90% of the areas) would probably have flood insurance, since insurance is required with your mortgage (assuming flood insurance is included with regular house insurance). **EmAnJ** , do you have any idea if they need volunteers somewhere? ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1424 "2013-06-21T15:32:21Z")
Bragg Creek - [House smashes into bridge](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js6BvFp4Afc&feature=share). Wow; I hope everyone in Alberta is keeping safe. The thoughts of all Canadians are with you - there’s going to be lots that needs rebuilding. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1425 "2013-06-21T15:36:31Z")
Is flood insurance a standard coverage in insurance policies? I don’t know. When I took out my policy, what 18 years ago, I distinctly remember agreeing to an increased premium for water damage. Maybe that was because I’m on a well and septic tank or something though. I’ve never had to make a claim, but why is it I have this feeling about what’s considered an “act of God” not being standard coverage? Maybe I’ve watched too many TV shows. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1426 "2013-06-21T15:44:08Z")
If it isn’t, a lot of people won’t have it - perched on a hill kilometers away from any water, I would be stunned if my house flooded from high water like this, and have not really considered any extra flooding “Act of God” premiums, and a lot of people would be like us. I saw that the city buses are being used for evacuations, and they’re telling people to expect disruptions in service today. I also just saw Mayor Nenshi telling people to just stay home if you can. From what I’m hearing, the Calgary and Alberta emergency systems have been functioning excellently - that’s some good news, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1427 "2013-06-21T15:46:35Z")
If you go to twitter and look up #yycflood, you can see some insane pictures of what’s going on here. ---
**Author:** ![Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dread_pirate_jimbo/32/3897_2.png) [@Dread\_Pirate\_Jimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dread_Pirate_Jimbo)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1428 "2013-06-21T15:48:39Z")
I’m at work in our site office trailer on the University of Calgary campus, right across the street from the Alberta Childern’s Hospital. We’re perched way up on the top of a hill so no issues. Pretty much our entire company is shut down today due to flood issues, people not being able to get to work at all, etc. but I was able to make it here without any trouble, going from one high location to another. The place is like a ghost town; the U of C has closed for the day, so not much work getting done here either. I have some paperwork to catch up on and likely no one will be calling me today so I might actually get a bit ahead finally. I don’t see myself sticking around all day, however. P.S. The rain just started again and is slowly increasing in intensity. D’oh. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1429 "2013-06-21T15:49:02Z")
Well holy crap. This is right from my insurer’s web site: > [@](#): > > The term “Act of God” refers to natural events that cause damage and can’t be prevented - like natural disasters such as fires and earthquakes. > > Insurance companies in Canada do not use the term “Act of God” when talking about insurance products, either as a legal term or in any marketing materials. Perils refer to what types of losses are covered and exclusions state what is not covered. Exclusions are very specific, such as flood or earthquake. I think some people are going to be awfully pissed. ETA: And more: > [@](#): > > The most common exclusion under a home policy that would be considered an “Act of God” is a flood. No insurance company in Canada offers flood insurance under a home policy. While coverage is offered for Extended Water Damage, this does not cover accidental flood damage. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1430 "2013-06-21T15:51:34Z")
Don’t quote me on this, but my recollection is that for residential properties flood insurance is usually excluded, although sewer backup (as opposed to flood) insurance can be added as a rider, whereas commercial insurance usually includes flood insurance with big deductibles (and sewer backup can be added as a rider). Since the residential exclusion for flood insurance is a money thing rather than a statute thing, I would expect that very well heeled folks could get coverage but might have to go very far afield to find it, but that just a guess on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1431 "2013-06-21T15:52:04Z")
We’re all going to be pissed - this is going to hike insurance rates for every Albertan. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1432 "2013-06-21T15:53:29Z")
More still: > [@](#): > > Do I have flood insurance? > > The simple answer to this is no. Flood insurance, as most would define a natural disaster flood, does not exist in Canada. > > A flood, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, is defined as water flowing overland and seeping in through windows, doors and cracks. While you can purchase extended water damage coverage with our home policies, which covers things like a sump pump backup, flood insurance is not available with any Canadian insurance company. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1433 "2013-06-21T15:54:39Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > We’re all going to be pissed - this is going to hike insurance rates for every Albertan. I dunno. Looks like insurance companies are off the hook. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1434 "2013-06-21T15:59:54Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > I dunno. Looks like insurance companies are off the hook. Then they’ll use it as an excuse to hike rates. 🙂 I don’t see the insurance companies getting off completely, though. I guess we’ll see. I’m thinking of what happens after any bad hailstorm - everyone claims for cars, siding, and roofs, and everyone’s rates go up. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1435 "2013-06-21T16:07:30Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Then they’ll use it as an excuse to hike rates. 🙂 I don’t see the insurance companies getting off completely, though. I guess we’ll see. I’m thinking of what happens after any bad hailstorm - everyone claims for cars, siding, and roofs, and everyone’s rates go up. Well, on the plus side you don’t pay any provincial sales tax on your insurance premiums. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1436 "2013-06-21T16:09:57Z")
Swiss Re and Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction: [_Making Flood Insurable for Canadian Homeowners_](http://www.iclr.org/images/Making_Flood_Insurable_for_Canada.pdf) (PDF) > [@](#): > > The vast majority of insurers do not provide coverage for damages caused by > overland flooding (or surface water flooding) or flooding caused by groundwater. Generally, > the only type of flood damage that is covered for homeowners in Canada is damage caused > by sewer backup. Makes me glad that I live on stilts. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1437 "2013-06-21T16:50:55Z")
Wow, what’s shown on the pictures and videos just keeps getting worse. ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1438 "2013-06-21T17:03:23Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Then they’ll use it as an excuse to hike rates. 🙂 I don’t see the insurance companies getting off completely, though. I guess we’ll see. I’m thinking of what happens after any bad hailstorm - everyone claims for cars, siding, and roofs, and everyone’s rates go up. It comes down to the difference between wind (wind, hail, fallen trees, flying cats etc.)damage (homeowners covered) verses flood (overland water) damage (homeowners not covered). ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1439 "2013-06-21T18:34:33Z")
Holy cow! I have the noon news on, and they have just announced that the Calgary Saddledome is flooded up to the 13th row of seats! Guess that would extinguish the Flames. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2013, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736/1440 "2013-06-21T18:35:56Z")
> [@Muffin](#): > > Wow, what’s shown on the pictures and videos just keeps getting worse. Yeah, it is still getting worse with differing reports of the crest sometime this afternoon to tomorrow. They’re also warning of flash floods as well. [The water is up to row 10 in the Saddledome, out hockey arena.](https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1000045_10152887849595316_496593907_n.jpg) [Deerfoot Trail, our main highway, is closed down.](https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/p480x480/988667_10151702335807534_1331962089_n.jpg) [Before and after of one of the bridges downtown - most of downtown is like this.](https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/7891_10151729349618615_560834340_n.jpg) [That should be an island (not trees) in the middle of the water there - Princes Island Park.](https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/p480x480/998667_10151509019466219_1400924069_n.jpg) They’re doing controlled evacuations of downtown right now, and they just said on the news that there are unconfirmed deaths/missing people in a community south of Calgary (High River). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736.md?page=71) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-canadoper-cafe-2013-edition/645736.md?page=73)