While housing costs are widely known to cost more in Canada’s two largest cities, he said other goods and services cost more in Alberta — like electricity and insurance, for example.
Huh, I guess burning natural gas isn’t the panacea certain people are selling it as. Not sure what the deal is with insurance, though.
The article also notes that incomes are higher, although that’s bouyed up by a minority of really high earners, so it doesn’t mean too much.
The UCP government removed a cap on private insurance premium increases during their last term, saying that the Alberta NDP’s cap on insurance premiums would harm the province’s competition for pricing for insurance.
Since the time the UCP removed that premium cap that the Alberta NDP had put in place, most people have seen their car insurance premiums jump to 150% - 200% of what it had previously been, and home insurance premiums have been rising more sharply as well.
Sure am glad the UCP protected those corporate profits instead of their constituents.
Our electricity isn’t expensive because of how it’s generated, it’s expensive for the same reason our insurance is expensive: our government opposes regulations and is pro-big-business
Is that really all it is? I did notice CBC linked that after I posted this. I was wondering if the tornadoes and really cold temperatures make home insurers nervous or something. Then again, we have less pest issues.
Probably private. We found massive cost increases - what? We were lied to! - about the switch to private insurance.
And, with no one actually responsible for insuring you - if you can pick anything, no one’s on the hook - you can get dropped from an insurer, black-listed amongst friendly companies, and unable to actually get insurance. Consider this useless anecdote:
2004, raccoons rip up roof tiles and cause a small roof leak. Fixed easily via insurance claim (for safety because you never know).
2020, inflow connection to toilet pops off and begins spraying water on floors and walls of bathroom. When homeowners return home, floors in upstairs and foor/walls of kitchen water-damaged. Fixed under claim, phew.
insurance company drops customer for ‘persistent pattern of water-damage claims’ and other insurers won’t insure due to history.
bring on the loan-shark costs!
My dear friend has been through the ringer, but it seemed so well-executed, this scarlet-letter process, that it can’t be rare.
The regional-gov insurance programme may seem costly now, but an organization we can still manage indirectly through voting measures and who must insure without prejudice like this is in-fucking-valuable.
Usually when people say a place is expensive they mean housing/rent. That certainly applies to Vancouver and to nearly everywhere else that anyone wants to live.
Yeah. And by that measure I’ve always said Alberta is underrated. In some way’s it’s better, in some ways it’s worse, but it’s not anachronistic like people seem to imagine, and property is just way cheaper. If Vancouver actually works out to the same price once you factor other things in, though, it seems awesome when I’m out there.
Huh, I guess burning natural gas isn’t the panacea certain people are selling it as. Not sure what the deal is with insurance, though.
The article also notes that incomes are higher, although that’s bouyed up by a minority of really high earners, so it doesn’t mean too much.
The UCP government removed a cap on private insurance premium increases during their last term, saying that the Alberta NDP’s cap on insurance premiums would harm the province’s competition for pricing for insurance.
Since the time the UCP removed that premium cap that the Alberta NDP had put in place, most people have seen their car insurance premiums jump to 150% - 200% of what it had previously been, and home insurance premiums have been rising more sharply as well.
Sure am glad the UCP protected those corporate profits instead of their constituents.
My car insurance dropped by like 200% when I moved from AB to BC.
Motorcycle insurance was basically the opposite, however.
Our electricity isn’t expensive because of how it’s generated, it’s expensive for the same reason our insurance is expensive: our government opposes regulations and is pro-big-business
We have poorly regulated private insurance, and ambulance chasing lawyers are everywhere driving up costs.
Is that really all it is? I did notice CBC linked that after I posted this. I was wondering if the tornadoes and really cold temperatures make home insurers nervous or something. Then again, we have less pest issues.
Hail insurance sucks here. It’s almost guaranteed to hail at least once a summer.
That’s sure true. Do they not get as much hail out east?
Probably private. We found massive cost increases - what? We were lied to! - about the switch to private insurance.
And, with no one actually responsible for insuring you - if you can pick anything, no one’s on the hook - you can get dropped from an insurer, black-listed amongst friendly companies, and unable to actually get insurance. Consider this useless anecdote:
2004, raccoons rip up roof tiles and cause a small roof leak. Fixed easily via insurance claim (for safety because you never know).
2020, inflow connection to toilet pops off and begins spraying water on floors and walls of bathroom. When homeowners return home, floors in upstairs and foor/walls of kitchen water-damaged. Fixed under claim, phew.
insurance company drops customer for ‘persistent pattern of water-damage claims’ and other insurers won’t insure due to history.
bring on the loan-shark costs!
My dear friend has been through the ringer, but it seemed so well-executed, this scarlet-letter process, that it can’t be rare.
The regional-gov insurance programme may seem costly now, but an organization we can still manage indirectly through voting measures and who must insure without prejudice like this is in-fucking-valuable.
Damn, electricity rates are nearly double what I pay in BC.
This thread is honestly making me wonder if I should move. Vancouver is sure beautiful, I’ve just always assumed I couldn’t afford it.
Usually when people say a place is expensive they mean housing/rent. That certainly applies to Vancouver and to nearly everywhere else that anyone wants to live.
Yeah. And by that measure I’ve always said Alberta is underrated. In some way’s it’s better, in some ways it’s worse, but it’s not anachronistic like people seem to imagine, and property is just way cheaper. If Vancouver actually works out to the same price once you factor other things in, though, it seems awesome when I’m out there.