ICLR challenges builders to partner on building resilient homes

Insurers, through the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction (ICLR), are calling on home builders to work with the industry to create more disaster resilient homes.Speaking to the National Conference of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) in St. John’s, Newfoundland on Wednesday, ICLR executive director Paul Kovacs challenged builders to work with insurers on a new program called “Designedfor safer living”, which would be rolled out over the next one to two years. Along with building more hazard-resistant homes, the program would also include investing in safety research aimed at designing better homes, and educating homeowners about making safety improvements to existing homes.Kovacs notes statistics show an alarming trend when it comes to disaster losses globally. “Disaster losses have doubled every five to ten years since the 1950s, and last year exceeded $50 billion world wide. If this trend continues, insurers around the world will face a trillion dollars in damage claims over the next 15 years,” he says.Kovacs points to work being done by the U.S. Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS), which has a similar safer living program. “Home builders in the United States have been pleased with the safer living program. This provides us with a solid foundation for success in Canada.”