Update March 19, 2020
At Janzen Insurance, we take the health and safety of our clients and team seriously and we wish to share some of the steps we are taking to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. As of this morning March 19th we have taken the step to close our doors to walk-in traffic, but we remain available by phone at 604-542-0077 to assist you.
The Insurance Council of BC and ICBC have temporarily relaxed some rules to allow us to be creative in keeping our clients insured. We can complete straightforward transactions by phone, email you documents for signature, and mail you the decal.
If your home or business insurance is due, please call or email our office to arrange payment. We are set up for online payment through all banks (search Janzen Insurance as a bill payee) and can also take Visa or MasterCard for most transactions.
As we navigate the potential challenges ahead, we will endeavour to keep you updated as quickly as possible. We value your continued trust and partnership with Janzen Insurance. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions.
At Janzen Insurance, we take the health and safety of our clients and team seriously and we wish to share some of the steps we are taking to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak. As the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve and new information becomes available daily, our goal at Janzen Insurance is to remain calm but ensure that we have a contingency plan in place to minimize potential impact to our clients and team.
We have two messages for our clients – information for businesses owners, and also for our clients that have insurance expiring soon. Our goal is to keep our office open to provide service for our clients, but at the same time we would ask our clients to limit physical contact as much as possible. We may be reducing our hours – please follow us on Facebook or Instagram or check our website for current information.
Our office has received many questions about business interruption coverage in regards to COVID-19. A common question has been “will my standard business policy or business interruption policy cover me for interruptions due to COVID-19?” I thought this would be a good opportunity to reach out and provide some clarity.
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), “Generally, commercial insurance policies and traditional business interruption policies do not offer coverage for business interruption or supply chain disruption due to a pandemic such as COVID-19.” Furthermore, IBC states “Property insurance for businesses is designed to protect the physical assets of a business against loss and/or damage from a broad range of causes.” Your business must have physical damage to insured property (ex: fire, theft, vandalism) in order to be considered a covered peril. Certain exclusions may apply, in particular for contamination, delay, or loss of market.
If your business is affected by the Coronavirus, there may be some indemnity during the period if the business is closed for cleaning and disinfection. Unfortunately, if consumers stay away from businesses as a result of government rules and regulations, or simply fear, there is no insurance coverage available. For claims related to the above, the only payment available may come from government in the form of subsidies for impacted businesses. If you have a claim related to the direct damage of your business, please contact our office.
Another common question we’ve received is “What if I don’t close down my business and someone gets infected – will my liability protect me if I get sued?” This is a challenging question and unfortunately there is no straightforward answer, but in general, in this situation, you should be covered. We advise that everyone take into consideration government recommendations and not take any unnecessary risks.
To learn more, you can access IBC’s FAQ here: http://www.ibc.ca/on/business/COVID-19
My Insurance is Expiring – What do I do?
If your home or business insurance is due, please call or email our office to arrange payment – there is no need to come in. We are set up for online payment through all banks (search Janzen Insurance as a bill payee) and can also take Visa or MasterCard over the phone for most transactions.
If your auto insurance is due, please contact our office and we would be happy to review and renew it over the phone and arrange safe delivery while obtaining the necessary signatures.
We continue to monitor the local situation and are prepared for the possibility that our office may be faced with exposure to the virus. Our team members are able to work remotely. It is expected that the transition to a virtual office (if necessary) will be seamless for you as Janzen Insurance already works through a secure cloud provider and our phone system provides flexibility.
As we navigate the potential challenges ahead, we will endeavour to keep you updated as quickly as possible. We value your continued trust and partnership with Janzen Insurance. Please feel free to reach out to us if you have any additional questions.
We appreciate your business and thank you for your confidence in our firm. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Andrew Janzen
[email protected]
604-542-0077
