Brokers know all about the importance of preparing clients for weather events and now one Canadian insurer has looked to lend a hand with some important information.
Westland Insurance has released A Guide to Storm-Proofing Your Business: Protecting Storefronts, Signage and Inventory from Wind, Hail and Snow, aimed at helping Canadian businesses prepare for the challenges of winter.
As extreme and unpredictable weather events become more frequent, the guide offers small and mid-sized business owners practical steps to minimize property damage, operational disruptions, and financial losses. It includes tips on maintaining storefronts and signage against wind and ice, safeguarding inventory from leaks or power outages, and ensuring insurance coverage adequately addresses potential business interruptions.
The guide also outlined how to build a storm response plan to ensure continuity during adverse weather. It goes further to recommend long-term strategies for resilience, such as fostering community partnerships and reviewing coverage needs regularly with brokers.
Westland emphasized that the resource was created to help business owners feel better prepared and more confident going into the winter season. The brokerage underscored that proactive risk management remains key to minimizing claims and ensuring smoother recovery after severe weather events.
This initiative also reflects a growing industry trend toward risk prevention and client education among commercial brokers. As insurance losses from climate-related events continue to climb in Canada, insurers and intermediaries are placing greater emphasis on resilience planning. For Westland, the guide reinforces its dual role as both a coverage provider and a trusted advisor helping businesses manage evolving weather-related risks.
Canadian insurers are already facing mounting pressures from recent storm and weather events. In February 2025, severe winter storms and a mid-winter thaw across Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada caused over $260 million in insured damage.
A late March 2025 ice storm further escalated costs, with losses estimated at $490 million.
Meanwhile, 2024 recorded the highest insured-weather losses in Canadian history — more than $8.5 billion, placing enormous strain on the property and casualty sector.
For businesses that face the risks of winter storms — especially those with storefronts, external signage or exposed inventory — having a structured plan and clear insurance review is now more critical than ever, the insurer said.
