Protecting Your Home in the Event of a Disaster
No one likes to think about their home being involved in a disaster. However, it’s always a possibility that should be considered. While homeowners insurance covers some types of natural disasters, others require supplemental insurance. This varies by insurance company and the area where you live. Beyond having the right types of insurance, these are some of the steps you can take to prepare for a disaster and protect your home to mitigate the damage.
Preparing for a Disaster
The first step in preparing for a potential disaster is conducting a risk assessment for your home. Are you in a flood zone? Is your area prone to storms and power outages? From shopping for insurance to shopping to emergency supplies, considering these factors can help you better prepare. Once you’ve figured out what you need to buy, create an emergency plan for your family. Be sure to include your pets in the plan, as they often get left behind due to the family not having plans in place.
Natural Disaster Preparation
While floods are the most common type of natural disaster worldwide, there may be other types to look out for, depending on where you live. Flood protection can look like elevating electrical systems and installing flood seals. Minimizing earthquake damage could look like securing heavy furniture and reinforcing your home’s structure. For hurricanes and tornadoes, you can install impact-resistant windows and doors, as well as reinforcing your roof.
Protecting Your Home from Fire
House fires can be devastating, so much so that, in most homes in the United States, safety measures like smoke detectors, fire alarms and fire extinguishers are required by law. Other methods you can use to protect your home from fire are learning about fire safety in the kitchen, updating your electrical wiring if it’s outdated and teaching your kids how to avoid starting a fire. Removing flammable vegetation and debris from the perimeter of your home and properly storing flammable materials can also help keep your home safe.
Preventing Human-Caused Disasters
Some disasters are caused by other people, specifically those looking to take whatever you have in your home. Most of these criminals are lazy; they won’t try to break windows unless they’re desperate. Keeping your doors and windows locked is your first line of defense. Then, make sure your windows and doors are sturdy enough to withstand an impact.
When you’re away from home, let your neighbors know so they can look out for any signs of suspicious activity. If they do get inside, you’ll want to make sure your most valuable possessions, like high-ticket items and important documents, are secure. Consider buying a safe for these items.
Aftermath: Recovering and Rebuilding
Once disaster strikes, you may find it difficult to figure out your next steps. One of the first steps you should take is contacting your insurance company to file a claim. Call your insurance company, and find out the steps for reporting what has happened to your home.
Provide as much information and documentation as the insurance company will take, and keep in mind that there may be some time before you receive compensation after you make a claim. The more evidence you have, the more likely you will be to rebuild with the help of your homeowners insurance. Remember, situations like this are why you have insurance.
Disaster can strike at any time. Be prepared by getting the insurance you need to cover your home. You can find home insurance coverage options from over 50 top-rated home insurance carriers in less than 5 minutes today by using Nsure.
