20 Ways to Protect Life and Property this 2019 Hurricane Season

2019 hurricane season is upon us, it is estimated that we could see between 12 and 14 named storms with as many as 4 or more major hurricanes this season. It is logical to assume that some of these will hit home here in Florida, the time to make sure your insurance coverage is adequate is today and not a day later.  If you call Riles and Allen you can get answers and solutions to many of your concerns.  It costs nothing to review your coverage, and it may help protect your property, your possessions and your daily life this hurricane season.

Keep this in mind for 2019 hurricane season; your homeowner’s insurance may cover the cost of temporary repairs for hurricane damage, as well as reasonable additional living expenses (ALE) over and above your normal living expenses if you have to relocate (such as the extra expense of getting to work or to school if your temporary home is in a different community).

However, your homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover flood damage unless you have separate Flood Damage Insurance with 2019 Hurricane season upon us. You may want to consider calling Riles and Allen to look into specific flood insurance. If you live by the coast, you may also need a separate policy for protection against wind and wind-blown water damage.

The 2019 hurricane season prime time for these powerful storms is from June 1 to November 30. It is important to get ready now!

Riles and Allen have prepared a list of some of the most important 20 things you can do to prepare for 2019 hurricane season:

 

1. Keep insurance policies, documents, and other valuables in a safe-deposit box or a waterproof box at the very least. You may need quick, easy access to these documents. Keep them in a safe place less likely to be damaged if a hurricane causes flooding. Take pictures on a phone and keep copies of important documents and files on a flash drive that you can carry with you on your house or car keys.

1. Download the free Red Cross Emergency App to select up to 35 different severe weather and emergency alerts on their mobile device. The content includes expert guidance on what to do before, during and after different emergencies or disasters from home fires to hurricanes. All Red Cross apps can be found in smartphone app stores by searching for American Red Cross or by going to redcross.org/apps.
2. Build an emergency kit with a gallon of water per person, per day, non-perishable food, a flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, medications, supplies for children if applicable, a multi-purpose tool, personal hygiene items, copies of important papers, cell phone chargers, extra cash, blankets, maps of the area and emergency contact information. (more on this later)
3. If you already have a disaster kit from last year, now is the time make sure the food and water are still okay to consume and that copies of important documents are up to date.
4. Talk with household members and create an evacuation plan. Practicing the plan minimizes confusion and fear during the event.

1. Be informed. Learn about your community’s hurricane response plan. Plan routes to local shelters, register family members with special medical needs as required and make plans for pets.
2. If you already have an emergency plan for your household, you should talk about it again this year with family members so everyone knows what to do if and when an emergency occurs.
3. Determine your risk. Hurricanes cause problems for people in coastal areas but can also cause damage hundreds of miles inland. In Florida we are all at high risk every year, it is only a matter of time until a hurricane visits your back yard.
4. To protect windows, it may be a good idea to install permanent storm shutters or invest in one-half inch marine plywood that is pre-cut to fit your doors and windows if you are near a large body of water.
5. Identify a place to store lawn furniture, toys, gardening tools and trash cans (away from stairs and exits) to prevent them from being moved by high winds and possibly hurting someone. During a hurricane, any loose item can become a projectile, smashing windows or injuring people and property. With strong enough winds, a pencil can embed itself deep into a tree trunk, so clean up everything in the yard and porch, everything!

1. Clear loose and clogged rain gutters and downspouts to prevent flooding and unnecessary pressure on the awnings.
2. When a hurricane warning is issued, people run for the stores. As much as possible, get ahead of the rush having the following on hand:•Candles or lamps with fuel•Materials and tools for emergency home repairs–such as heavy plastic sheeting, plywood, a hammer, etc.•A three-day supply of drinking water•First aid supplies•A wrench and other basic tools
3. •A flashlight
4. •A portable NOAA weather radio
5. •Food that you don’t have to refrigerate or cook
6. •Prescription drugs
7. •Matches (keep these dry)
8. •Extra batteries
9. Creating a home inventory will help ensure that you have purchased enough insurance to replace your personal possessions. It can also speed the claims process, substantiate losses for income tax purposes and is helpful should you need to apply for disaster aid. In the event you need to evacuate, be sure your home inventory is among the important documents you take with you. Also, make sure a copy of this is on the thumb drive we recommended earlier.
10. Replace gravel or rock landscaping materials with shredded bark, which is lighter and won’t cause as much harm.
11. Cut weak branches and trees that could fall on your house and keep shrubbery trimmed.
12. Sliding glass doors should be made of tempered glass and, during a storm, covered with shutters or plywood. These types of doors are more vulnerable to wind damage than most other doors due to their square footage area of exposure to projectiles flying through the air.
13. Replace old garage doors and tracks with a door that is approved for both wind pressure and impact protection. The wind coming into your home through an opening this large pose grave problems for the rest of your home—especially your roof.
14. Seal outside wall openings such as vents, outdoor electrical outlets, garden hose bibs and locations where cables or pipes go through the wall. Use a high-quality urethane-based caulk to prevent water penetration.
15. If you live in a mobile home make sure you know how to secure it against high winds and be sure to review your mobile home insurance policy.
16. If you have a boat on a trailer, know how to anchor the trailer to the ground or house—and review your boat insurance policy.

 

Riles and Allen Insurance Agency are always available to talk and discuss any insurance concerns. We wanted to offer these suggestions to help everyone prepare for the 2019 hurricane season.

 

We also offer the following resources:

 

Important NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards and Emergency Alert System Changes

Read stories from survivors and learn how to stay safe.

 

hurricane season begins, when a hurricane approaches,

 

after a hurricane leaves your area,