Tips for Hurricane Season
The Sunshine State welcomed over 100 million visitors last year to warm weather, sandy beaches and amusement parks. While residents of Florida welcome tourists daily, the summer can bring unwanted guests. Hurricane Season generates storms packing a disastrous punch and a deadly force to coastal Florida.
Hurricanes are a common occurrence between June and November so with Hurricane Season comes responsibility. Preparation is a key factor in minimizing the devastation if a hurricane is heading your way. Make sure that you have a disaster plan and designate an evacuation route. Putting together an emergency kit is also a good idea to keep you and your family safe.
Documenting your belongings prior to a storm is also a very good idea. Using a video camera to record each room of your home is a great practice in order to document the original state of your home. Protect your important documents from water by placing them in sealed container. If you plan on riding the storm out rather than evacuating, it is also smart to fill your bathtub with water for non-drinking purposes such as bathing or cleaning.
When in doubt, if a hurricane is heading your way it is always a safer bet to stick to your evacuation plan and leave the area. This can mean returning to your property to find terrible results. When going back to your property after a storm, documentation of the damage should be an immediate chore. It’s important not to clean up until you have successfully documented the damage. After storm cleanup should include separating the damaged property from the undamaged property and placing all flooded items outside of the home. However, don’t discard the flooded items until after they have been seen by your insurance adjuster. When dealing with a recently flooded home, it is smart to mark the water level on a wall of each room before beginning cleanup so that the adjuster can see how high the water was.
Most importantly, after a loss from a storm, make sure you notify your insurance carrier immediately and be extremely cautious of signing any forms presented to you by a 3rd party. Some contractors will try to get homeowners to sign away the rights on their policy, so when in doubt contact your carrier or insurance agent.
Moore Resources is an Independent Insurance Agency located in St. Petersburg, FL and offering Homeowners Insurance, Auto Insurance, Personal Insurance and Business Insurance. Our reach extends beyond the Tampa Bay area to the entire state of Florida. Moore Resources has regionally been dedicated to serving the local residents of Pinellas, Hillsborough, Polk, Pasco, Manatee and Sarasota counties; including St. Pete, Tampa, Clearwater, Bradenton, Brandon, Dunedin, Gulfport, Lakeland, Largo, Lutz, Palm Harbor, Pinellas Park, Riverview, Ruskin, Seffner, Seminole, Temple Terrace, Tierra Verde, Town n Country, and the Gulf Coast Beaches.
The purpose of this blog is to present general information only. It does not interpret specific policies or coverage. In order to obtain detailed information regarding your insurance, contact a licensed insurance agent.
