Five Ways to Prepare for Hurricane Season
The key to being properly prepared for a hurricane is making sure you have taken all potential precautions well before a storm hits. From choosing the right homeowners insurance policy to protecting your family and pets, there are several steps you can take well before hurricane season even kicks in:
- Maintain your landscaping. Keeping your shrubs and tree branches trimmed back from your house can help prevent serious damage to your siding and windows.
- Protect your windows. Whether you choose to board up your windows with plywood or cover them with permanent hurricane shutters, do whatever you can to make sure you have the supplies on hand when it comes time to protect your windows against wind, rain and flying debris.
- Set up a safe place in your home. If you choose to ride out a storm, make sure you have a space in your home that will be free from potential broken glass or flooding. Be sure to stock bottled water, cans and jars of food, dry cereals and other non-perishable food items. Remember non-food items such as paper plates, plastic ware, napkins, garbage bags and a garbage can, as well as candles, matches or lighters, battery-powered lanterns and radios, a first aid kit and a lot of extra batteries. Oh, and don’t forget the can opener!
- Buy flood insurance. Your home insurance policy does not include protection for property damaged by flooding. Talk to us about buying flood insurance well in advance of hurricane season — most policies have a 30-day waiting period before they kick in.
- Update your home inventory. If you are forced to evacuate, it is important that you have quick and easy access to an up-to-date inventory of your home. Make it a goal to review your home inventory every February, well in advance of hurricane season. This inventory should include as many details about your belongings as possible. Pictures of items are a huge bonus. This information will help you in filing a claim with your insurance company, should your home get damaged.
We know that these tips are just the beginning to a full hurricane preparation plan. But, if you follow these steps, they will help you find other ways to stay safe and secure so you can weather out any storm.
What other steps have you taken in the past to get prepared? Share your stories with us! The key to being properly prepared for a hurricane is making sure you have taken all potential precautions well before a storm hits. From choosing the right homeowners insurance policy to protecting your family and pets, there are several steps you can take well before hurricane season even kicks in: