Day 2: ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐: Insurance Checkup
* Get an insurance checkup and document your possessions.
* Develop an evacuation plan.
* Assemble disaster supplies.
* Create a communication plan.
* Strengthen your home.
The best time to prepare is before hurricane season begins. Avoid having to rush through potentially life-saving preparations by waiting until itโs too late. Get your disaster supplies while the shelves are still stocked, and get that C insurance checkup early, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
* ๐๐๐ญ ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ค๐ฎ๐ฉ & ๐๐จ๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฉ๐จ๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ: Call your insurance company or agent and ask for an insurance check-up to make sure you have enough insurance to repair or even replace your home and/or belongings. Remember, home and renters insurance doesnโt cover flooding, so youโll need a separate policy for it. Flood insurance is available through your company, agent, or the National Flood Insurance Program at floodsmart.gov. Act now, as flood insurance requires a 30-day waiting period.
Take the time before hurricane season begins to document your possessions: photos, serial numbers, or anything else that you may need to provide your insurance company when filing a claim.
* ๐๐๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐ง ๐๐ฏ๐๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง: If you are at risk from hurricane impacts, you need an evacuation plan. Now is the time to begin planning where you would go and how you would get there. You do not need to travel hundreds of miles. Your destination could be a friend or relative who lives in a well built home outside flood prone areas. Plan several routes. Be sure to account for your pets. If you donโt have a vehicle, check with local officials to see what transportation options they may have available.
* ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐๐ฌ๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ฌ: Whether youโre evacuating or sheltering-in-place, youโre going to need supplies not just to get through the storm but for the potentially lengthy and unpleasant aftermath. Have enough non-perishable food, water and medicine to last each person in your family a minimum of 3 days (store a longer than 3-day supply of water, if possible). Electricity and water could be out for weeks. Youโll need extra cash, a battery-powered radio and flashlights. You may need a portable crank or solar-powered USB charger for your cell phones. And lastly, donโt forget your pets!
* ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐ข๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ง: Take the time now to write down your hurricane plan, and share it with your family. Determine family meeting places, and make sure to include an out-of-town location in case of evacuation. Write down on paper a list of emergency contacts, and make sure to include utilities and other critical services โ remember, the internet may not be accessible during or after a storm.
* ๐๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐: Now is the time to improve your homeโs ability to withstand hurricane impacts. Trim trees. Install storm shutters, accordion shutters, and/or impact glass. Seal outside wall openings. Remember, the garage door is the most vulnerable part of the home, so it must be able to withstand hurricane-force winds. Many retrofits are not as costly or time consuming as you may think. If youโre a renter, work with your landlord now to prepare for a storm.
And remember - now is the time to purchase the proper plywood, steel or aluminum panels to have on hand if you need to board up the windows and doors ahead of an approaching storm.
For more information on Hurricane Preparedness, visit: www.g-glawgroup.com/blog
โ
