Did you know that if, after a road accident, you are left with a physical disability that prevents you from accessing your home or moving around it adequately, the SAAQ provides for the reimbursement of certain costs to adapt your residence? Any home adaptation project must first be authorized before being carried out.
Eligibility Conditions
The eligibility conditions for this project to be eligible for reimbursement are as follows:
- Your condition must be the result of a road accident.
- Your condition must be significant and persistent
- Your environment does not allow you to access and use your home
Home adaptation must:
- Be necessary to compensate for your disability
- Be conducive to significant progress. Not harm your condition and allow you to remain at home.
- Must represent the appropriate solution at the lowest cost
- Come from the recommendation of an occupational therapist.
Where to Contact
The first person you should contact is your case manager. He or she will be able to answer your questions and guide you in the right direction.
The goal: to adapt your home to help you regain a certain level of independence.
- By facilitating safe access to and use of your home.
- By making essential daily activities functional and safe, such as: sleep, eating, hygiene care, movement, household maintenance, parental obligations and family responsibilities, as well as the use of communication devices.
Eligible Dwelling
Your primary residence is eligible, whether it’s a house, an apartment, or a condo; your home can be adapted.
Reimbursable Home Adaptation Costs
Various costs may be reimbursable, such as standard quality construction materials, the main d “work that must be legally qualified to perform the tasks. The purchase and installation of” specialized equipment. Certain household appliances may also be eligible for reimbursement, as well as certain legal documents necessary for the application of the home adaptation directive.
Process Steps
Firstly, a SAAQ accident services advisor will contact you to analyze your needs and provide you with more information.
Secondly, the SAAQ home adaptation specialist will draw up a list of your eligible needs.
Thirdly, an architectural consultant of your choice will prepare a report that will be submitted to the SAAQ and analyzed.
Subsequently, the SAAQ will ensure that the proposal made meets the occupational therapist’s requirements and truly represents the best solution available at the lowest cost. The lowest-cost solution is the most economical among the solutions developed by the architectural consultant in charge of your file.
Finally, once the appropriate solution has been chosen, a home adaptation project is developed and transmitted to you via the architectural consultant.
If, however, your choice differs, you would bear the cost difference.
Work Preparation
The architectural consultant prepares the specifications so that you can solicit bids from two contractors. En Mouvement holds the mandatory licenses from the Quebec Building Authority to complete this type of bidding process. We will carefully review your bids and ensure we support you through the next steps.
Work Execution
You can hire the contractor of your choice from among the bidders. The work must comply with municipal and provincial regulations and the building code. When it comes to specialized equipment, En Mouvement is fully qualified, holding the specialized RBQ license to apply and comply with installation standards for lifting devices for persons with reduced mobility.
Verification and Adaptation
At the end of the work, an evaluation by the occupational therapist and the architectural consultant will be required to ensure that the adaptations made are fully functional and safe.
Following these steps, the adaptation costs will be reimbursed upon presentation of supporting documents.
What You Need to Know
It is your responsibility to inform the SAAQ before having a home adapted. You must also inform them before acquiring a new home or moving from a home that has already been adapted for you.
If you wish to obtain reimbursement, you must obtain authorization before purchasing equipment to adapt your home or before having it repaired.
You must also deal with professionals recognized by the competent authorities.
You must ensure that the work is carried out by contractors recognized by the RBQ, obtain warranties from suppliers, oversee the maintenance of new installations, and develop an emergency plan with your municipality.
