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Testimonial from a condo association president who saved the day thanks to HydroSolution
Olivier Palaric is a volunteer president of a condo association for a building in Longueuil that includes 15 units. When he was once again denied coverage from an insurance company, he was ready to give up hope. Thanks to AKWA Technologies from HydroSolution, and with the close collaboration of the major accounts team, Mr. Palaric and the co-owners were able to avoid a disaster.
“There seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel back in March. Like the other co-owners in the building, I was close to thinking that purchasing a condo was the worst idea I’d ever had,” said Mr. Palaric. The building’s past two water damage claims and defects were too high a risk for insurance companies.
In Quebec, the law states that every condo association must be insured. However, insurance companies are not required to provide coverage. Because of the building’s history, no insurance company wanted to get involved. Every day without insurance increased the anxiety and dissatisfaction of co-owners and condo association members. If a water leak or other disaster had occurred during this period, the consequences would have been catastrophic. Finally, one of the insurance companies Mr. Palaric contacted suggested he reach out to HydroSolution to find out more about their AKWA Technologies solution.
AKWA Technologies was one of the first water alarm systems on the market. It is a smart solution that can quickly detect leaks and automatically shut off a dwelling’s water on its own. The system sends real-time notifications to owners on their smart devices to let them know where a leak has occurred. Because the sensors don’t need Wi-Fi, AKWA Technologies is one of the only systems that can guarantee it will monitor a home at all times.
When Mr. Palaric contacted HydroSolution on behalf of the condo association, he was quickly connected to the major accounts department. “The advisory services team are able to efficiently identify the most adapted solutions to prevent water leaks and quickly coordinate and deploy the solution in buildings. These are key factors for success in this kind of situation,” said Yvan Savoie, Major Accounts Representative for water leak detection systems at HydroSolution. The solution was integrated in each of the 15 units as well as in some common areas. The installation, configuration, and technical support were turnkey services provided by HydroSolution’s major accounts team which also acted as a contact point for each resident when Mr. Palaric was away.
“Conversations we had with insurance companies after we opted for the system were much more fruitful. Thanks to our decision to install AKWA Technologies, we were able to find coverage for the condo association. If the water leak detection system had been considered from the very beginning, we would have avoided a ton of stress and worry,” added Mr. Palaric.
For insurance companies, AKWA Technologies has a proven track record for preventing and managing leaks. In fact, insurers are much more open to providing coverage to a condo association when this system is installed throughout a building. In some cases, AKWA Technologies can even have a positive impact on the annual premium. Furthermore, the system can also be financed over two years without interest. A leak detection system is a smart investment that guarantees each co-owner can enjoy their dwelling with peace of mind.
Different packages are available depending on the level of protection desired and the size of the units. There is even a concierge option that has been specifically developed to help condo associations.
A few figures that reveal the financial impacts of water leaks:
According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, 40% of water damage incidents are caused by a leak in- side the home. The Association de prévention de dégâts d’eau du Québec states that in condo buildings, 80% of water damage incidents are caused by leaks inside units (2017).
As a result of this rise in civil liability, the amount of premiums and deductibles has significantly in- creased. The deductible for a condo association can easily reach $50,000 in case of water damage, depending on the number of units and history of claims.
If a condo association is not properly covered and a disaster occurs, co-owners will have to pay a special fee in addition to contributing to the deductible set by the insurer as well as the deductible of their co- ownership’s property.
Even though it is not financially quantifiable, immaterial damage can also be very significant in the case of a water leak.
An example that highlights the financial benefits of the AKWA Technologies water leak prevention system:
Deductible for the condo association for a building with 8 dwellings
= $8,000 ($1,000 per co-owner)
+
Insurance deductible for each co-owner whose dwelling has been damaged
= $500 per co-owner
+
Increase of the condo association’s insurance premium
+
Increase of the co-owner’s insurance premium
+
Immaterial damage
= + $1,500/person for each water leak
(increase in the costs depending on the history of claims)
(Without a leak prevention system, the number of leaks per building per year is estimated at 1.42.)
+
AKWA Technologies
Installing the detection package (covers up to 6 high-risk zones per unit) by AKWA Technologies in 8 dwellings
= $1,250 per co-owner**
+
Helps the building remain insurable and pre- vents an increase in premiums
+
Significant benefits for the condo association and more peace of mind when it comes to preventing water leaks
**The price may vary depending on a variety of factors including plumbing and number of main water valves. This is simply an estimate for the purposes of this article.
