Mother nature’s anger this last hurricane season has allowed us all to show the force that’s truly possible and the potential damages that we may see amplified this upcoming season. To ensure your stress is eased when the word “tropical storm” or “hurricane” is said, learn how to protect your property.
According to the PCS, also known as Property Claim Services, within the last decade, there has been more than 8 million claims made that were related to tropical storm and hurricane damages. The estimated cost? More than $100 billion. Let’s take tropical storms out of the picture: more than $60 billion were due to hurricanes alone – and that doesn’t even take National Flood Insurance Program claims into account.
The most important aspect in protecting your property is to make sure you have a plan in place. Let’s take a look at how to protect your property this hurricane season:
Examine your property fully – we aren’t talking about after an event. When you know there’s a hurricane or tropical storm coming, make sure to examine your property before it happens. Take pictures and videos if you can and move away any liability hazards.
Protect the most vulnerable and susceptible areas of your house – protect and secure doors, garage doors, windows, and your roof; the most important areas of your home.
Protect your valuables – it’s no secret that you should protect your valuables before a tropical storm or hurricane comes barreling through. Whether mementos or photos, make sure you have waterproof containers to place these in. Also make sure these containers are easy to remove if you have to evacuate.
Review your policy before a big storm – if you think an upcoming storm is one that’s going to be dangerous, you should contact your agent and speak with them about your policy. Make sure your policy is up to date beforehand, and that you’re covered for everything. IF you want broader coverage because something has changed in your home, make sure to discuss this with your agent.
Take inventory – like a store, you want to take inventory to help you asses the damage after the storm has passed.
Make sure to secure documents – documents are just as important as belongings and securing them is even more important. Some of these cannot be replaced, so you should take extra measures to keep them safe.
When you take steps beforehand, you’re able to recover a lot more than you initially thought. Even if you don’t get hit often, you might get hit hard when you do. If you’re hit too hard and don’t have enough coverage, your wallet may take a serious blow.
Download our Free Guide for a list of common hurricane-related damages that may or may not be covered in your policy:
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