Insurance for the Sea to Sky corridor
My agency is in Squamish, so these are the questions I hear every week. Steep creeks, second homes, nightly rentals, new builds and a highway that needs proper tires half the year.
What's different about insuring here
- Creeks and debris flows. Parts of the corridor are built on debris fans below mountain creeks, like the Cheekye fan in Squamish and the creek fans at Lions Bay. The Cheekye fan reaches the edge of Brackendale, and the District has restricted building on it for decades. Many home policies limit or exclude landslide and debris flow, so read the wording before you need it.
- The rental rules change town by town. Squamish and Pemberton fall under the provincial principal residence rule for short term rentals. Whistler and Lions Bay are exempt.
- Vacancy tax depends on the town. Squamish and Lions Bay are in the Speculation and Vacancy Tax area. Whistler and Pemberton are not.
- Highway 99. The Sea to Sky Highway is a designated winter tire route from October 1. Legal winter tires carry the mountain and snowflake symbol or the M+S symbol and have at least 3.5 mm of tread. Check DriveBC for the end date on your route.
- Building boom. Many people here are building or renovating. A course of construction policy should start before the first shovel, and owner builders need BC Housing authorization.
- Howe Sound. Boaters on the Sound need proof of competency for motorized pleasure craft.
Around the region
Whistler
Whistler is exempt from the provincial principal residence rule for short term rentals, but municipal zoning and strata bylaws still decide what's allowed in your building. Nightly rental changes your insurance, so I set the policy up for how the home is actually used, including the weeks it sits empty between visits.
Pemberton
Pemberton opted into the principal residence rule for short term rentals, starting November 1, 2024. Acreages and rural homes are common, so early on I check the distance to the fire hall and hydrant. Insurers look at both.
Lions Bay
Many Lions Bay homes sit on the debris fans of Magnesia, Alberta and Harvey creeks, and the February 1983 Alberta Creek debris flow is part of local memory. In December 2024 a fatal debris flow on Battani Creek, just north of the Village, swept a home off its foundation. Homes here need a close look at landslide and water coverage, and owners are in the vacancy tax area.
Coverage people here ask me about
- Home including high-value custom homesDebris flow and water questions answered honestly, and mountain homes rebuilt properly.
- Course of constructionCoverage that starts before the build does.
- ICBC AutoplanHighway 99 drivers rated correctly.
- MarineHowe Sound boating.
- Free policy reviewA second look at your current policy.
Questions people ask me
Can I rent out my Whistler condo for short stays if I don't live there?
The provincial principal residence rule doesn't apply in Whistler, but zoning and strata bylaws still do. If it's allowed, your insurance must be written for rental use.
Communities
Squamish, Brackendale, Garibaldi Estates, Whistler, Pemberton, Lions Bay, Britannia Beach.
Working with me from the Sea to Sky
I'm based in Squamish and work with Sea to Sky clients by phone, email and e-signature.