American Insurance Association issued the following announcement on Aug. 8.
As the Atlantic hurricane season enters its peak, coastal residents are being urged to take immediate steps to protect themselves and their property from severe weather. The American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) offers these tips for residents and business owners to help them prepare before a storm hits.
Safety first: Develop an evacuation plan for your family, including your pets. Always follow guidance from emergency officials both for evacuating before the storm and returning to an affected area after the storm.
Ensure you’re insured: Review your property insurance policy, especially the “declarations” page, and check whether your policy pays replacement costs, or actual cash value for a covered loss.
Create an inventory: The contents of your home or business can be easily and accurately documented using photos or video on a smart photo. Take the phone and any important written records or receipts with you when you evacuate.
Don’t forget the flood: Flood damage is the most common natural disaster in our nation. Check today to see if you are covered, because flood damage is not part of standard homeowners policies. There is a 30-day waiting period before flood coverage goes into effect, so act now. Coverage can be purchased through the National Flood Insurance Program.
Consider these flood facts:
Even in the highest risk areas, fewer than 50 percent of homes are insured against floods, according to FEMA.
Approximately 20 to 25 percent of all flood claims occur outside of high-risk areas.
Floods can be costly, as just one inch of flood water in a home or business can cause $27,000 or more in damage.
Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project (CSU) released its latest forecast this week, predicting a near-normal hurricane season with 12 more named storms, including six hurricanes (two major).
“Do not be caught off-guard by a ‘near-normal’ forecast. A near-normal hurricane season is still an extremely dangerous proposition. If we have learned anything from the past, it only takes one storm to cause devastating property destruction,” said Don Griffin, department vice president for policy, research and international at APCIA.
With the busiest part of the season just weeks away, APCIA urged resident and business owners to get ready.
Griffin continued, “The most challenging time to make an evacuation plan, review insurance policies and take inventory is when a storm is about to hit. Preparing now will make recovery a more seamless process.”
To schedule an interview with Don Griffin about what residents and business owners must do to better prepare for hurricane season, please email Jeffrey Brewer jeffrey.brewer@apci.org.
For more information, please visit: APCIA'S Hurricane HQ
Original source can be found here.
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