Danny, Erika, and Fred. In the middle of hurricane season, the names of storms can come and go in a matter of hours. If you’ve lived on the Emerald Coast for any amount of time, you’re already familiar with the flow of the hurricane season. There are just some things you know at this time of year.
The cone of uncertainty is meaningless until the storm gets into the Gulf of Mexico or at least closer to Florida. Where the storm will make the biggest impact becomes obvious once Jim Cantore arrives on the scene. Flood insurance and homeowners insurance are both are a necessity.
Insurance, however, is one of those things that people can never know enough about – especially when it comes to protecting your home and making sure your claim is paid. Check out five things you need to do when a storm hits to protect your home and not have to fight with your insurance company when you make a claim.
1. Use your hurricane shutters.
If you have hurricane shutters and if you’ve received a discount for them from the insurance company, use them during a storm. Not putting them up could result in any claims you make after a storm being denied.
2. Drain your pool.
You don’t have to empty it completely, just six inches or so. Flooding from your pool most likely won’t be covered under insurance unless it’s part of a bigger flooding event and affects your direct neighbors.
3. Damage to your neighbor’s property.
Insurance will cover most damage from your home to your neighbor’s property. Think falling trees and other items carried by the wind or damaged from the storm. But there’s an exception. If it can be proved that the damage was a known problem and was never corrected, it could be considered negligence. The claim could be denied. Deal with known problems before the storm hits to avoid damaging your neighbor’s property.
4. Plug your generator in correctly.
Many people plug their generator into the 220v dryer outlet in order to avoid all the cords. If you do, make sure you shut off the main breaker. Once the power comes back on, your home could be damaged if you don’t. Claims will be denied if your generator isn’t hooked up correctly. You can always hire an electrician to install a switch so you avoid the problem completely.
5. Park your car in the garage.
Your auto insurance policy covers your vehicle no matter where you park it. Ignore the myth that parking it in the garage causes it to fall under under your home insurance policy. Keep your car safe – usually in the garage – and avoid the need to file an auto policy claim.
With all the small storms cropping up in the Atlantic, it’s not always easy to know if a storm will be big or small – if it even makes landfall. When in doubt, once a storm is sighted in the Gulf, take the extra effort and avoid the problems of denied claims. You’ll know your home is better protected and that your insurance will cover any potential damage.
Source: HYPERLINK “http://www.floridarealtors.org/NewsAndEvents/article.cfm?p=3&id=327514”Some other storm-related insurance issues to consider, Florida Realtors
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