If you’re buying or selling your house during wildfire season, the Insurance Bureau of Canada is urging people to think about getting insurance early in the process.

Vice President Aaron Sutherland says they want people to be protected after two straight record fire seasons.

“If your home closes July 15, and that’s when you’re are going to take possession, don’t wait until until July 14 to think about insurance,” he said on the NL Morning News. “If you are going to take possession and a wildfire strikes the community that your home is in, it may be more difficult to obtain insurance.”

“So, we’re reminding British Columbians to think about your insurance needs early in that sales process.”

Sutherland adds it’s a good idea to include a ‘subject to insurance’ clause so that you only take possession of the house, if you get the coverage.

“There has been record after record after record when it comes to the amount of insurance losses in this country in the last few years, as a result of increases in severe weather,” Sutherland added. “Things like floods, wildfires, we’re seeing those happening more and more often, and as a result we’re seeing homeowners being impacted more and more and more.”

Sutherland adds people without insurance coverage could be left with massive clean up costs in the event of a disaster.