New Home Warranties for Buyers and Homeowners in British Columbia
Great homes are built on strong foundations
Buying a new home is a big decision and one of the biggest investments you'll make. Before signing the agreement of purchase and sale, be sure your new home is protected. Travelers Canada is a leader in warranty products for newly built homes. We work with approved builders who meet our rigorous criteria for quality and customer service.
*New Home Warranty policies are underwritten by The Travelers Insurance Company of Canada. We do not offer New Home Warranty coverage in Québec. Warranty coverage is currently only offered in Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
Is your new home covered under a warranty?
Travelers Canada New Home Warranty is only available for new homes built by a Travelers Canada approved builder. This includes homes ranging from custom-built single-family homes to a high-rise condo unit. It does not include partially renovated homes. Homes that are being substantially renovated (more than 75 percent of the home being new) also require warranty coverage under the Homeowners Protection Act and Regulations and may be covered.
For your home to be eligible for home warranty coverage, the builder must register with Travelers Canada. We select builders based on their track record, technical expertise, financial capacity and after-sales customer service. Only builders that meet our stringent underwriting criteria are approved.
The journey to buying your home
2-5-10 year warranty coverage
The Homeowners Protection Act requires builders of new homes to provide you with a 2-5-10 home warranty backed by a licensed insurer. The Act is designed to ensure that all new homes sold in British Columbia have a minimum level of insurance against certain prescribed construction defects. The warranty provides 2-year coverage of materials and labour, 5-year coverage of the building envelope, and 10-year coverage of structural defects. Warranty protection also requires that you protect your investment by properly maintaining your new home. See our Maintenance Manual for guidance.
Before closing on a home
Before taking possession of your new home, arrange a preoccupancy walkthrough with your builder. This is an opportunity to identify any construction deficiencies that need correcting before you move in. During this meeting, the builder will present you with a Warranty Commencement Date Certificate to sign. This certificate lets Travelers know the date to begin your new home warranty coverage.
After you purchase a home
Once you have moved into your new home, you'll want to ensure your home warranty coverage has taken effect. Your builder will send the signed Warranty Commencement Date Certificate to Travelers Canada. Once we receive the certificate from your builder, we will mail you the Home Warranty Certificate. Please be sure to read the Home Warranty Certificate carefully and keep in a safe place. The Home Warranty Certificate details your warranty coverage, defines exclusions, and outlines the process for reporting covered defects. The BC Residential Construction Performance Guide assists you in identifying and reporting defects to Travelers Canada. This certificate stays with the home and is transferred to future homeowners.
Still have questions?
Check out our home warranty FAQs
First 12 months – coverage for any defect in materials and labour.
First 15 months – coverage for any defects in materials and labour in the common property of a multi-unit building.
First 24 months – coverage includes:
Defects in materials, labour and design supplied for the electrical, plumbing, heating, ventilation and air conditioning delivery and distribution systems.
Defects in materials, labour and design supplied for the exterior cladding, caulking, windows and doors that may lead to detachment or material damage to the new home.
5 year building envelope warranty
Coverage for the building envelope for up to five years for defects in the building envelope of a new home, including a defect which permits unintended water penetration such that it causes, or is likely to cause, material damage to the new home.
10 year structural defects warranty
Coverage for structural defects for up to 10 years for: Any defect in materials and labour that results in the failure of a load-bearing part of the new home. A defect that causes structural damage that materially and adversely affects the use of the new home for residential occupancy
See samples:
Sample New Home Warranty Certificate - Detached Dwelling B.C.
Sample New Home Warranty Certificate - Multi-Unit Building B.C.
BC Housing has an online registry to confirm if a home is covered by the warranty and who the warranty provider is. Visit the BC Housing-Licensing and Consumer Services new homes registry to find out if your new home is covered by Travelers Canada.
Each home is provided a unique warranty number when it is enrolled with Travelers Canada. This number and other identifying factors about your home are used to create the Warranty Commencement Date Certificate. You'll sign this document during the final walkthrough with your builder, and we use this signed document to begin the warranty coverage.
We try our best to process the information we are sent to the best of our ability. Unfortunately, documents are sometimes illegible, incomplete or missing updated information. These small errors will not affect your home warranty or your ability to make a claim. However, if you are unsatisfied with the package you received, we will issue a duplicate one electronically. Please email [email protected] with your address to process your request.
The 2-5-10 warranty always remains with the property, so there is no formal transfer process. Please provide the new owners with the home warranty certificate for their reference. If you are the new owners of a home covered by 2-5-10 warranty and would like this updated in our database, please email your details to [email protected], and we will process your request.
We are aware that sometimes documents get lost or misplaced. Travelers Canada can provide a duplicate copy via email for no charge. To request another, copy please email us at [email protected]. Please make sure to provide both the civic address of your property as well as your email address so that we can process your request.
Travelers Canada can supply a confirmation of warranty letter. Please email [email protected] with the civic address, and we will send a confirmation letter to the email address provided.
Travelers Canada requires written notice outlining the full details of the defect. This can be provided via mail, fax, or emailing [email protected]. For more information on the claims process please click here.
Reach out to our team.