The next time you strip wires for a DIY electrical fix, are you stripping your cottage of insurance, too?
The answers cycle like alternating current—positive, negative, and back again. On the plus side, “if a cottager wants to do basic electrical DIY, the happy ending is there’s going to be insurance coverage,” says Rob de Pruis, the national director of consumer and industry relations with the Insurance Bureau of Canada. If a sloppy fix, God forbid, ignites a blaze in a cottage wall, your policy will kick in and replace the drywall, studs, etc.
What it won’t do is replace the wiring and electrical components that were fried by incompetent installation; the “faulty workmanship” provision in your policy exempts coverage for those. If friends do the job and their work is negligent, the insurance company may sue to recover damages. And you could see higher premiums or even a cancelled policy. “Insurance is fundamentally about risk,” de Pruis says. “Pricing reflects that risk. If you start having a claim—or two or three—you may see a significant price increase.”
Cottage Q&A: Liability insurance for a remote cabin
The easiest way to show due diligence (and probably sleep better) is to pull a permit and have your work inspected. Regulations vary by province, and DIY permits generally start at less than $100. B.C.’s permit, for example, allows you to replace light fixtures or ceiling fans, install or move switches and outlets, connect solar power, and hardwire appliances. An exception in B.C. is a cottage that’s rented—even occasionally. Only licensed electricians can work on those.
The bottom line? As with any repair with safety implications, know what you’re doing or hire someone who does. “We see it all the time: somebody changes a ceiling fan, and they screw it up,” says Barret Luedke, a master electrician and the president of Temagami Electrical Services in Temagami, Ont. “In the end, you’re not saving money—you’re creating a hazard.”
This article was originally published in the Sept/Oct issue of Cottage Life magazine.
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