How To Prepare For Florida Hurricane Season
Hurricane season takes place June 1 to November 30 every year. Don’t wait until after you have a loss to check your insurance, review your homeowners or renters policies to make you have the right coverage in the event you’re hit with a destructive storm.
What is Homeowners insurance?
Homeowners’ insurance is a specific type of property insurance. Homeowners’ insurance covers damage or loss by theft and against perils which can include fire, and storm damage. It also may insure the owner for accidental injury or death for which the owner may be legally responsible. Mortgage lenders usually require homeowners’ insurance as part of the mortgage terms. While Homeowners’ Insurance can specifically refer to the insurance of a house, it also encompasses the insurance of other types of structures associated with personal residences including tenants (renters) and condominium unit owners.
Remember These Key Terms:
Hurricane Watch: A hurricane watch is issued when hurricane conditions are a real possibility for an area within 48 hours.
Hurricane Warning: A hurricane warning is issued when a hurricane is expected within 36 hours. Begin precautionary action at once. Important – once a Warning has been issued for our community insurance cannot be bound. If you are involved in closing on a new home, we recommend binding coverage early, especially in hurricane season.
Now is the time for you to build an emergency kit and create an evacuation plan. For more information on this, visit these sites:
http://www.ready.gov/american-red-cross
https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes
Hurricane Planning:
- Review your insurance to make sure you have adequate coverage and limits.
- Make a home inventory checklist, including video and/or photo documentation. A helpful home inventory checklist can be found here: https://www.floir.com/siteDocuments/InventoryChecklist_6-26-08.pdf
- Familiarize yourself now with your local Emergency Management contacts, plans and websites for your county or municipality.
- Know your local designated shelters. If your family has any specials needs members, know how to get assigned to those unqiue shelters. Prequalification is sometimes necessary for special needs shelters.
- Hold an annual family meeting to discuss issues and plans.
- Develop an evacuation plan; this should include phone numbers, meeting places and routes of escape from your home, neighborhood and city.
- Check your home for vulnerable areas, such as leaking roofs.
- Make sure you have a secure place for recreation vehicles, boats, and motorcycles.
- Make plans for your pets as well; know your pet-friendly shelters and, if evacuating, know pet-friendly hotels in the area you are evacuating to.
- Notify neighbors and family members of your evacuation plan, and share contact information.
- Plan for any special medical needs.
- Make sure the gas tank in your car is full.
- Anchor or stow small boats and RV’s.
- Secure outdoor furniture or any items outside that can become projectiles in high wind.
- Secure buildings by closing and boarding up windows.
- Trim any old trees and remove all debris.
- Secure any antennas.
- Make sure flashlights are working.
- Evacuate, if advised to do so!
Amberg Insurance Center, Inc. was established in 1974 to serve the growing insurance needs of the many businesses and individuals located in the Charlotte and surrounding counties. We take pride in the quality service provided to our customers, our community concern, and our commitment to the overall development of our employees.
Amberg Insurance has been voted BEST INSURANCE AGENCY and BEST AGENT by the residents of Charlotte County and Harbor’s Hottest Insurance Agency by Harbor Style Magazine.