As residents return to their homes in the voluntary phased re-entry of Fort McMurray, many are finding out for the first time, what exactly they have to come home to. Many will have damage to assess and some complete losses that they will need to report to their insurance company. Many insurance companies have already set up mobile claims centres in town and making concessions to make sure that they can do anything they can to make things easier for the victims of the fire.

Intact Insurance announced today that they have contracted Solareh, a company that offers confidential psychological assistance to support their customers through crises like evacuation that affect so many Albertans this month. Solareh specializes in helping victims to quickly develop to help their reaction to an accident or loss. 

The Government of Alberta and Google have both released satellite images of the devastation that the wild fires in Northern Alberta have caused. Alberta's Map Services App comes with a warning that "structures that appear to be standing should not be considered undamaged". While these maps may not provide all the answers that victims are seeking, for many this is a first glimpse into what waits for them back home.

Economical Insurance released a Q & A of some of the most common questions they're receiving from their Fort McMurray home insurance policy holders. Please note that this guide is subject to coverage under Economical and Economical Select property policies only.

Wawanesa, announced today that they will be extending the maximum time of Prohibited Access coverage for their Fort McMurray and area policyholders. This coverage, which normally only lasts for two weeks, will be extended to 30 days to help residents who will most certainly be out of their homes for longer than the original time frame. Please find the full release below. 

Our thoughts are with the community of Fort McMurray as they continue to deal with aftermath of the devastating wildfires. We have reached out to our clients, if you have not heard from us please call or email us, we are here to support you. For our insurance customers who have damages to report or who have been evacuated from their homes and need support with out of pocket, shelter or meal expenses, please contact your insurer using the list below or contact us at 1-855-475-0959 or email us at main@armourinsurance.ca.

For more information about covering emergency expenses while being evacuated, please see our previous article with info on Mass Evacuation Coverage.

In a mass evacuation situation like the one our Fort McMurray neighbours experienced this week, grabbing your birth certificate or other identification isn't the first thing on your mind. We know that things like speaking with your insurance company and getting shelter for your family can be made a lot easier when you have proper identification. So, when Service Alberta announced plans to waive Government fees on certain services today, Armour Registry and other Alberta registries agreed to match their offer and provide these services for free. 

As forest fires ravage Fort McMurray and residents remain under evacuation notice, insurance companies are mobilizing teams, extending hours and preparing to assist the thousands of residents affected by this disaster. For home owners in this area it's important to know how your property insurance can help you through this catastrophe.

Turo is an app that allows car owners to rent out their car to earn some extra cash when they're not using it. They've just launched in Canada and are starting to gain some momentum on Alberta's streets and highways. Here's what you need to know about how your car insurance works when renting your car with Turo.