24/7 Emergency Service
Protect Your Home For Hurrican Season
9/21/2017 (Permalink)
SERVPRO of Clifton - 973-928-3705
Hurricane season officially starts in June and runs through November. These tropical storms can wreak havoc on anything in their path.
Review coverage with your insurer
Sit down with your insurance agent to find out if you have adequate insurance for your home, car and any boats or recreational vehicles. Does your policy provide temporary housing in case your residence is uninhabitable following a storm? Do you know your deductible and any policy limits? Tropical storms can impact inland areas, too, so these questions aren't just for those living on the coast.
Your homeowners policy may cover damage caused by hurricane winds (sometimes subject to a separate deductible). However, a standard homeowners policy does not cover flooding, which is the most common type of damage from tropical storms. Ask about purchasing a separate rider for flood coverage if needed, but understand that any changes or additions to your insurance policy may take 30 days to take effect.
Inspect your home
To prepare for possible storm damage, walk around your home's interior and take an inventory of personal belongings with a short video. Anything stored in a garage or basement could get water-damaged in a flood, so consider raising items on blocks or moving them to other parts of your home. Secure outdoor furniture to prevent exterior damage.
Create an emergency evacuation plan, write it down and share it with all family members. Note where you're storing insurance documents and other important paperwork. Consider scanning these documents and uploading them to secure cloud storage online, or be sure to take hard copies with you in the event of an evacuation.
Build an emergency safety kit
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recommends preparing an emergency safety kit in case you need to evacuate or you get trapped in your home. You may not be home when you're ordered to evacuate, so consider preparing kits for your car and workplace, too.
DHS suggests that your kit include enough water and non-perishable food for each person in your family for at least three days. If you have pets, don't forget to include extra water and pet food. Other useful supplies: a manual can opener for food, flashlight and extra batteries, first aid kit and wrench or pliers to shut off utilities.
Bottom Line
Hopefully you'll never need to use your flood insurance or an emergency safety kit, but if you do have that unfortunate experience, you'll be glad to have them. Planning for a natural disaster and making sure you have the proper insurance coverage can also help give you and your family greater peace of mind.