Hurricane Preparedness Tips for Homeowners and Renters
When a hurricane watch or warning is issued (as the one given with the approach of Hurricane Douglas), most insurance companies will not allow you to update your insurance policy at that point, so this is the perfect time to do so.
You may have acquired additional personal items or made home improvements from when you initially purchased your insurance policy. Updating your home or renters’ policy now will ensure your home and personal belongings are adequately covered in the event of a hurricane.
Here are hurricane preparedness tips for Homeowners and Renters
- You should prepare and document beforehand your personal items in the event they become lost or damaged during a storm. A detailed home inventory using photos and video (even by using your smartphone) is helpful should you need to apply for insurance claims and disaster aid.
- Having the right documents on hand will also speed the claims process and substantiate losses for income tax purposes. This includes important papers such as insurance policies; birth and marriage certificates; wills; deeds; financial information such as account numbers, recent tax returns, stocks, bonds and other negotiable certificates; driver’s licenses and other personal identification.
- Store your documents in waterproof sealable bags and/or scan the information on a computer or hard drive/iCloud in the event one set of records become lost or damaged.
Not sure about what is exactly covered under your homeowner or renter’s policy? Check with your DTRIC or your insurance agent to see if your policy coverage needs adjustment.