Wildfire insurance claim in Canada: inventory, living expenses and limitation dates

Wildfire losses in Canada have grown in recent years. In January 2025, the Insurance Bureau of Canada reported that the July 2024 Jasper wildfire caused about $1.1 billion in insured losses, in a year that became the costliest on record for severe-weather insured losses at $8.5 billion (IBC and CatIQ). For households that lost everything, the claim usually takes months and rests on three things: a complete inventory, additional living expense records, and a clear calendar of deadlines.

The inventory and the proof of loss

Statutory conditions in Canadian provinces call for a proof of loss with an inventory of destroyed and damaged property. In British Columbia, Statutory Condition 6 (Insurance Act, s. 29) requires written notice immediately and a proof of loss as soon as practicable, verified by statutory declaration, including a complete inventory and the amount claimed. In Ontario, for contracts covering the fire peril, Statutory Condition 6 (Insurance Act, s. 148) requires written notice forthwith and a proof of loss as soon as practicable, verified by statutory declaration. Alberta's statutory conditions (Insurance Act, s. 540) require written notice immediately and a proof of loss as soon as practicable.

Step	Practical tip
Ask which format is accepted	Put the question in writing: your own spreadsheet, grouped lines, sending in parts
Work room by room	Visualize each room, then each cupboard and drawer
Use grouped lines	Clothing, books, kitchenware with a count
Rebuild proof	Card and bank statements, loyalty accounts, online orders, photos from friends and family
Price today	Today's cost of a new item of like kind and quality, with the source noted
Record proof honestly	Mark lines with no document yet

Additional living expenses over many months

If insured damage keeps you out of your home, the Insurance Bureau of Canada suggests asking your insurer whether you have additional living expenses (ALE) coverage and for how long. ALE generally covers the extra cost of living elsewhere within your policy limits. Write down your normal monthly costs before the fire, log every receipt the day you pay it, submit receipts regularly and record what is reimbursed. Ask for the end date in writing and, if rebuilding is delayed, ask for more time in writing well before it.

Limitation dates

Limitation periods to start legal action apply in every province. In British Columbia, an action for property loss must start within 2 years after you knew or ought to have known of the loss (Insurance Act, s. 23). Alberta's Insurance Act sets a 2-year limitation for property insurance actions (s. 526), and Alberta's Superintendent of Insurance issued Guideline 01-2026 (effective March 15, 2026) on voluntary extensions of the two-year limitation for July 2024 Jasper wildfire property claims; it says an extension should be in writing. Many Jasper limitation dates fell in summer 2026, so if your claim is not settled, keep any written extension and speak to a lawyer promptly. Keep any letter from your insurer that mentions a limitation date, record the date in your claim diary, and ask a lawyer how it applies to you.

Replacing what you lost

Many policies pay actual cash value first and the rest after you replace items. Keep each replacement receipt linked to its inventory line, follow what is still held back, and note any deadline your policy or insurer gives you in writing.

Help and complaints

• The Insurance Bureau of Canada offers consumer information (1-844-2ask-IBC or 1-844-227-5422).
• For disputes, start with your insurer's complaint process; the General Insurance OmbudService (GIO), including in Quebec if your insurer is a GIO member, reviews a case only after the insurer's final position letter. In Quebec, you can also ask that your complaint file be transferred to the AMF.
• Anyone who adjusts a claim for a policyholder for pay generally needs an adjuster licence from the regulator of the province where the loss is. In Ontario, FSRA has warned that public claims adjusting services require an adjuster licence.

Safety on site

Return only when authorities allow it. Wildfire ash can contain harmful substances; protect your lungs and skin, and keep children and pets away while cleaning.

Putting it together

The Canada Wildfire Total Loss Claim Kit turns these steps into ready-to-use files, with nothing pre-filled that should come from your records, your policy or your insurer:

• CA_Wildfire_Total_Loss_User_Guide.docx: step-by-step user guide with key terms, rules that may apply, sources and a final checklist.
• CA_Wildfire_Total_Loss_Contents_Inventory_TRACKER.xlsx: room-by-room contents inventory with RCV, depreciation and ACV calculated, summary by room and category.
• CA_Wildfire_Total_Loss_ALE_TRACKER.xlsx: additional living expenses tracker: receipts, extra cost, reimbursed, not yet reimbursed, monthly summary, mileage.
• CA_Wildfire_Total_Loss_Claim_Diary_TRACKER.xlsx: claim diary: key dates with alerts, contact log, documents sent, payments received.
• CA_Wildfire_Total_Loss_Claim_Letters_TEMPLATE.docx: editable letters to request documents, information or time, to send documents, and to confirm conversations in writing.
• CA_Wildfire_Total_Loss_Recoverable_Depreciation_TRACKER.xlsx: item-by-item tracker of withheld depreciation, replacements, receipts and amounts received.

Log claim details and any limitation date in the diary, build the inventory, follow ALE month by month and track withheld depreciation as you replace items.

Quick checklist

• Claim reported to the insurer; date and method noted in the Diary.
• Complete copy of the policy and declarations page requested and received.
• Limits, deductibles and deadlines from the policy written in the Diary and Settings tabs.
• Adjuster's name and contact details recorded.
• Inventory completed room by room; every line has quantity, age and replacement cost.
• Proof noted for each line (photo, statement, receipt, order history).

General information, not legal or insurance advice. Your policy and your province's rules prevail.