Ahead of wildfire season, the Insurance Bureau of Canada wants people to stay up to date on their policies.

Vice President Aaron Sutherland says it is heartbreaking to hear stories of people with no insurance who lose everything to a disaster.

“No one wants to hear stories about how people couldn’t get insurance or any challenges of that nature. You should really ensure that you have coverage 365 days a year, and not simply once you feel your home is suddenly at risk,” he said.

“There’s nothing more heartbreaking for our industry than when someone either thinks they had insurance and ultimately didn’t, or didn’t think about it until their house was under direct threat.”

He wants people to understand that insurance companies are there to help them during a disaster.

“When you take our your insurance policy, that is a contract between you and your insurer, that they will be there in your time of need, and that’s really what the industry is here for,” Sutherland said.

He says insurance is there to protect people from any unforeseen risks they might face.