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Texas Coalition for Affordable Insurance Solutions

The Insider Newsletter, August 20, 2007

Hurricane Preparedness: Tips and Documents to Keep You Safe During Hurricane Season

With hurricane season in full swing through November, the Texas Coalition for Affordable Insurance Solutions (TCAIS) wants you to be prepared for possible perils that may strike your home. Although the 2007 hurricane season has been relatively quiet so far, major hurricanes are possible throughout the fall - indeed Hurricanes Rita and Katrina struck after Labor Day.

So now is no time for complacency and instead is a time for preparedness. Before a storm strikes, homeowners should be familiar with the type and amount of their insurance and should take time to inventory possessions in advance to save time and inconvenience in the event of a loss. The following tips will help homeowners review their insurance policies, prepare their property, keep track of their possessions and know what questions to ask their insurance company in the event of a loss.

Tips for Protecting Your Property

Secure Doors and Windows
Protecting the home's openings from winds and wind blown objects is the single most important step a homeowner can take in protecting the structure from serious damage. If you can keep the wind outside, you and your possessions will be safe inside. When possible, shutter your windows or use plywood. Windows are best protected with impact-resistant glass or hurricane shutters. View an online animated demonstration here

Inspect Your Home Interior
During a disaster, ordinary objects in your home can cause injury or damage. Anything that can move, fall, break, or cause a fire is a home hazard. For example a bookcase can fall and cause serious injury. Inspect your home at least once a year and fix potential hazards.

Protect Your Roof
You can significantly increase the roof's resistance to uplift from the wind by applying a bead of construction adhesive using a caulking gun along both sides of the intersection of the roof decking and the rafters or trusses. Be sure to look for an adhesive that has been tested to specific levels. The roof covering, and the deck beneath it, form one of your home's critical shields of protection from high winds and rain. Unfortunately, this shield is often the first to be lost during high winds. This page has more details about protecting your roof.

If you find yourself in the path of severe weather, here are several tips to guide you from the time danger is approaching to after it has passed.
First things first:

“Batten down the hatches.” Be sure to close and lock all windows, doors, skylights and vents in your home to prevent water intrusion.
Seal off low openings. If you’re in a flood prone area or near ponds or rivers that are already full, seal off the base of doors with sand bags or plastic sheeting and tape.

Immediately after the threat of physical danger has passed:

Make sure the building is structurally safe to enter or reoccupy.
Turn off electrical power. Do not use electricity until it is safe to do so.
Ensure that natural gas sources are safely secured.
Secure the exterior to prevent further water intrusion. This can include boarding up broken windows, making temporary roof repairs, sealing cracks or tacking down plastic sheeting against open gaps in walls or roofs.

When it’s safe to begin cleanup:

Disconnect all electronics/electrical equipment and move it to a safe, dry location.
Remove as much standing water as possible from inside the building.
Begin to remove water-damaged materials immediately.
Ventilate the home as best you can with fans and/or dehumidifiers.

By taking immediate action, you will reduce the amount of damage and increase the chance of salvaging usable materials. You’ll also reduce the amount of rust, rot and mildew that may develop, and lower the likelihood that the water will lead to structural problems.

Documents

Home Inventory Software
Download the Home Inventory software from Know Your Stuff so you can have a record of all your belongings - a critical asset in case a catastrophe hits your home.
Read More...
Hurricane Insurance Information Center
This resource provides information to assist with decision-making processes. You can determine how much insurance you need to buy, learn how to ask about flood insurance and determine whether you need it, and learn the four important questions to ask your insurer about your policy.
Read More...
Protecting Yourself Against Not Having Enough Insurance:
As a homeowner, you should re-check your insurance coverage limits annually to help make sure that your insurance coverage is what you would need to repair or rebuild your home in the current building market. Homeowners also should maintain an up-to-date home inventory of personal belongings and consider purchasing extra coverage (known to insurers as "endorsements") for expensive items, such as jewelry, art collections or fur coats.
Read More...
Tips for Homeowners Following a Hurricane:
Contact your insurer and report your loss. If you haven't already done so, call your insurance company and report that you have suffered a loss. If you can't remember the name of your company and your agent isn't reachable, call your mortgage company - it will have a record of the company.
Read More...

For additional information before and in the aftermath of a storm the following websites can be useful:

Southwestern Insurance Information Service
http://www.siisinfo.org/

Texas Department of Insurance
http://www.tdi.state.tx.us/

Governor’s Division of Emergency Management (GDEM)
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/dem/pages/index.htm

Texas Online
Use the state of Texas' online resource, "Texas Emergency Portal," to reveiw the state's recommendations Preparing for a storm, Getting assistance for special needs and Evacuating to safety.

While Texas weather can be volatile and hard to predict, especially on the coast, these tips are useful for all property owners, not just coastal residents. TCAIS encourages you to use this information to protect yourself and your home in the event of a disaster.

Sincerely,
Beaman Floyd
Executive Director, TCAIS