Preparing For Hurricane Season!
Part II
The next 4 weeks usually tend to be the peak of hurricane season, so if you didn’t start making preparations please do so now to avoid a mad rush to the store and a lot of stress!
Let’s briefly review some of the major points from last month and then we’ll add some new ones:
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- Make sure your property and contents are protected from FLOOD damage! You need a separate flood policy to be covered for flood damage. Your homeowners policy does NOT provide flood coverage! With it raining almost daily all summer, the ground is drenched and ponds are full. A hurricane dropping 10 inches of rain in 1 day could cause flooding in areas that may surprise you. For an excellent link on how much damage just a few inches of water can cause, click on FloodSmart.gov website . If your property is not in a high risk area, you may be able to get flood coverage from $129 to $365/year.
- Secure all loose items in your yard such as lawn chairs, garbage cans, and tree limbs.
- Trim tree limbs that overhang your roof because they can cause extensive damage to your house.
- Prepare those emergency supplies such as batteries and car cell phone chargers to keep your cell phone going, lots of water and bleach to sterilize things, fill medicine subscriptions early, lots of canned goods, and a manual can opener to open them.
- Gas for cars and grills and generators because if electric is down, you will not be able to purchase gas at stores. Extra cash is good because stores again may not have functioning scanners for credit cards.
- Tools and items for emergency repair in case your house is damaged like tarps, nails, wood, flashlights, heavy duty trashbags to put debris in.
- Protect and have handy important documents like your insurance policies for filing claims, birth certificates, prized photos, and a camera to document any damage to your house.
- Have shutters handy to cover your windows. For an excellent video that explains how to do this, go to A to Z Insurance website and watch the video on Preparing Your House in 1 Weekend. Other helpful videos are available on the home page and on A to Z’s YouTube channel.
- Don’t defy the power of nature! If the hurricane is 100 mph or more, get in your car with your prized possessions and evacuate. How many have wished they had done this instead of hunkering down.
Scott Love
August 18, 2012