Ontario cottage burns down weeks after insurance company declines to renew policy

Just weeks after their insurance company declined to renew the policy on their cottage, A Toronto couple in their 80s lost it all when an arsonist burned it to the ground.

“I grew up there, the kids grew up there. It’s very sad,” said Sue Sisam, describing how life changed for their family after learning that the cottage had been lost. “it was my happy place.”

Chubb Canada insured the cottage, which was built in 1966, for almost 40 years, but just two weeks earlier their coverage expired after the company cancelled their policy in April.

The decision to cancel the policy came after the couple initiated an insurance claim for water damage. Chubb denied the claim, saying the “structural damages” were from longstanding wear and tear.

Sean O’Shea has more on the couple’s loss and a warning for other cottage owners.