Protection you can count on from day one

When you purchase a new home, you expect it to be built and finished to the highest standards from your homebuilder. While you’re responsible for approving overall fit and finish of your new home at the time of your inspection, there are times where you’ll find defects after possession that may require attention and repair.

What’s covered under warranty

Your homebuilder partnered with us to provide you with home warranty insurance coverage on your new home through our insurance underwriter, The New Home Warranty Insurance (Canada) Corporation (NHWICC), to make sure you’re covered for the unexpected.

Your Home Warranty Insurance Policy covers defects found under Alberta’s mandated warranty periods:

1 Year – Materials & Labour

Coverage for defects in materials and labour (baseboards, flooring, trim)

2 Years – Delivery & Distribution Systems

Coverage for defects in materials and labour related to delivery and distribution systems (heating, electrical, plumbing)

5 Years – Building Envelope

Coverage for defects in the system of components that separate the conditioned space from unconditioned space (roof, exterior walls)

10 Years – Structural

Coverage for the load-bearing parts of the home (frame, foundation)

I’ve found a defect… what do I do next?

The best way to ensure you end up with the home you purchased is to maintain open, collaborative communication with your builder and work through any issues or concerns as they arise. However, if there are matters on which you and your homebuilder do not agree, we offer in-house claims and resolution options to support you when you need it most.

How to file a claim

Step 1: Log in to the Homeowner Portal and select File a Claim; or contact our insurer NHWICC in writing, (either electronically or by mail).

Note: Before you file a claim, be sure to check your warranty insurance .

Step 2: The claim and issue(s) are reviewed to determine if they’re warrantable under Alberta’s New Home Buyer Protection Act. Additional information may be requested, such as photos or additional documents to support your claim.

Step 3: If your claim is accepted, an inspection will then be scheduled.

Step 4: Our claims team will complete a report with a decision to both you and your homebuilder.

Step 5: If the report finds warrantable defects, we’ll work with the you , and an accredited representative (usually your homebuilder) to fix and resolve the issues.

If you’ve filed a claim to seek a resolution and you’re not satisfied with the outcome there are other resolution options available to you, such as mediation, or legislated dispute resolution.

While the New Home Buyer Protection Act does not prescribe a claims handling process to be followed by all warranty providers, the Government of Alberta’s Construction Performance Guide for New Home Warranty Insurance in Alberta outlines some general standards of service homeowners can expect from their warranty provider, as well as minimum performance expectations for new homes in Alberta.

A growing problem in the industry

Third-party new home warranty interference for both single-family and multi-family homebuilders and homeowners in Alberta is a growing – and concerning – trend. Various parties throughout the province are ineffectively inserting themselves in the warranty process in the name of customer advocacy, but the reality is that their purported services provide little value-add to home warranty policyholders, and worse, can complicate and interfere with the claims process in general.

What can you do about it?

  1. If you’re approached by a third-party claiming to offer new home warranty inspection or review expertise, immediately contact us at 1.800.352.8240 (Monday to Friday, 8 am – 5 pm MT) or by email at [email protected]
  2. If you’re concerned about a third-party’s services or approach, we would encourage you to consider filing a consumer complaint.
  3. Document and save communications related to interactions with third-party warranty interference.
  4. Do not hesitate to initiate a claim with us as your new home warranty provider, who will work with you to provide understanding around what is and isn’t warrantable, and why.

We’re here for you

Should you have any questions regarding your policy, or our claims and resolution services, please contact us at 1.800.352.8240 (Monday to Friday, 8 am – 5 pm MT) or by email at [email protected].

The content provided in this blog is for general information purposes only and nothing contained herein should be taken or relied upon as legal advice. Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information shared on this blog, the information may inadvertently contain inaccuracies.