American Insurance Association issued the following announcement on Jan. 3.
Eat healthier, exercise regularly, and reduce stress are common New Year’s resolutions, but the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) encourages Americans to resolve to be financially prepared in 2020, which includes reviewing your insurance policies and updating coverage if necessary.
“January is the perfect time to schedule an insurance check-up with your insurance company or agent to review your policy and make sure you have enough coverage,” said Jeffrey Brewer, vice president of public affairs for APCIA. “Having enough insurance coverage for your home, business, or vehicle helps to ensure you will have the financial resources needed to repair, rebuild, or recover in the event of unforeseen damages. Renters can also protect their personal property through renters insurance, which is affordable and easy to obtain.”
Motorists, homeowners, renters, and business owners will be better prepared for an emergency if they understand their policy limits, deductibles, and exclusions.
Standard homeowners policies do not cover flooding or earthquakes, so if you live in a flood or earthquake prone area contact your insurance company or agent to discuss whether you should purchase a separate policy to ensure you are fully protected. Flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) takes 30 days to take effect, so do not wait until right before disaster strikes to get a flood policy. There might also be private flood insurance options in your state.
If you are renting, purchasing a renters insurance policy gives you peace of mind that your possessions are covered for any unexpected events like fire or theft. Renters insurance also provides other important protections such as Additional Living Expense coverage to help with expenses should the property become uninhabitable due to a covered loss such as a fire. Renters insurance is affordable and can often be bundled with auto insurance to keep costs low.
In addition to ensuring you are properly covered by insurance, take time now and throughout the year to protect your property from whatever threats it may face such as hurricanes, tornados, flooding, wildfires or earthquakes. Small actions like inspecting and repairing the roof, keeping trees and shrubs trimmed and creating a defensible space against wildfire will go a long way toward protecting your home or business and ultimately reducing costs associated with weather-related losses.
For information on how to protect your property from damage caused by natural disasters, visit DisasterSafety.org.
Original source can be found here.
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