The official start of hurricane season is June 1st and runs through November 30th. The best way to keep your loved ones and your home safe during this often chaotic season is to prepare for hurricane season ahead of time and stay informed when a possible threat has formed.
1. Prepare Your Evacuation Route Ahead of Time
If you live on the coast or in a portable home, you’ll likely need to evacuate your home ahead of a dangerous storm. Of course, that recommendation will come from your local government, but it’s always smart to plan ahead and create your evacuation plan before a hurricane happens. By taking a proactive approach, you’ll know the quickest evacuation routes and can make plans to shelter at predetermined locations or with family members in a safe area.
- Have an alternate route (or two) in your plans in case roads start to flood
- Be sure to plan for your pets- some shelters will not accept pets so make sure to plan ahead and find one that will be pet-friendly
- Familiarize yourself with how to turn off utilities before leaving the house
- Leave when ordered- don’t wait.
In addition to knowing where you’ll go ahead of time, it’s best to know where all the important documents or possessions are in your home so you can quickly grab those.
2. Keep Non-Perishable Food and Emergency Supplies On Hand
Before a storm hits, it’s always a good idea to stock up on non-perishable items, water, medicines and other necessities before everyone else does (let us not forget the toilet paper fiasco of 2020). Don’t forget about your pets, they need to eat too! Some suggested items include:
- Extra batteries
- Materials and tools for emergency home repairs such as tarps, plywood, etc.
- A 3-day supply of drinking water
- Peanut Butter
- Crackers
- Nuts or trail mix
- Granola bars
- Canned vegetables
- Canned meats
- A manual can opener
- Prescriptions
- Vitamins
For more suggested items, check out this list by Real Simple or this list by iii.com
3. Make An Inventory List of Your Personal Belongings
Take the time to create a home inventory to keep track of all of your personal belongings to help you identify what may need to be replaced in the event your home takes on damage. It can help speed up the claims process and could be beneficial when applying for disaster aid. If you’re not sure how, check out this article on how to create a home inventory to get started. You’ll also want to include this list with your other important documents.
4. Evaluate Your Insurance Policies
Before the storm season hits, it’s a great idea to evaluate all of your insurance policies to ensure you’re fully covered. It’s important to remember that homeowners insurance does not cover flooding so you might want to look into flood insurance.
Another thing to consider is reviewing your auto insurance to double-check that your auto policy has comprehensive coverage in case it were to take on water, you’d be fully protected. If you don’t have a comprehensive policy, your car will not be protected in case it floods.
If you are not sure what to look for in your insurance policy here is a hurricane insurance checklist.
If you’re unsure about your current home and auto coverage or want to explore more options, TGS Insurance Agency is more than happy to help. We’ll shop your insurance for both the best coverage and rates so you get the best deal for the most protection.
5. Take Precautions to Protect Your Home
Hurricanes can produce strong winds that can break windows, remove roof shingles, cause tree limbs to break, damage your house and the list goes on. Take some time to prepare your home by implementing both short-term and long-term upgrades.
- Short-term upgrades can include resealing windows and doors or installing heavy-duty bolts to your doors.
- Long-term upgrades can include properly securing roof tiles or upgrading to impact-resistant windows and doors.
Check out this article for more information on hurricane-proofing your home.
Preparing for the unknowns of hurricane season can be a daunting and overwhelming task. The most important thing you can do is prepare ahead of time and stay informed. TGS Insurance Agency is here to take the hassle out of making sure your insurance coverage is up to par with our free instant quote and expert independent agents who are dedicated to providing an excellent customer experience!