3 Important Steps For Hurricane Preparedness: Protect Yourself And Your Home!

 

It’s hurricane season – and that means that it’s time to take steps to protect yourself and your property in Brevard County, FL. According to the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, there were at least 823,733 residential property insurance claims due to damages resulting from Hurricane Irma in 2017 – and at least 5% of these claims (45,458) occurred in Brevard County, FL.

 

So, to protect yourself and your property, it’s important that you take the following three steps for hurricane preparedness – read on and learn more.

 

  1. Make Sure You Have Flood Insurance (And Get It Early)

 

Hurricane insurance is great – and the best way to protect your property from high winds, blown objects and other such things. But it does not cover flood damage. If you live in a hurricane-prone area like Brevard County, you also need flood insurance – in fact, the majority of water damage claims from hurricanes are flood related.

 

Once you purchase a policy, though, it won’t take effect for 30 days. And once a hurricane has been officially named, you can’t purchase a policy to provide coverage for that named hurricane’s damages. So plan ahead, and get a policy as soon as you can!

 

  1. Check Your Flood Insurance Coverage And Start Saving For Your Deductible

 

Once you’ve purchased flood insurance, you want to make sure you understand the coverage you’re entitled to, such as compensation for staying in a hotel or elsewhere outside of your home, coverage limits, and your deductible.

 

In addition, you should make sure you have enough saved by hurricane season to cover the cost of your deductible – otherwise you may find yourself in a difficult situation if a hurricane hits and you can’t cover the cost of your flood or hurricane damage deductible.

 

  1. Have Post-Hurricane Contact Information Available

 

If a hurricane does affect your home and cause damage, you need to get in touch with professionals who can help ASAP. You need post-hurricane contact numbers for:

 

  • Your insurance company
  • Water mitigation
  • Home restoration
  • Plumbers and electricians
  • General contractors

 

Knowing who to call after hurricane damage will help keep you safe and ensure your home gets the attention and care it needs to restore any damage caused by a hurricane.

Hurricane season may be intimidating, but with these quick tips, you can make sure your home is covered, prepare to pay your deductible if your home is affected, and ensure that you can contact all of the relevant professionals to help restore your home if it is damaged.