How to stay safe, recover after a hurricane | Personal Finance
We are in the middle of hurricane season. If you live in a hurricane prone area of the country, you often see articles about preparedness, vigilance and safety.
We are urged to make sure our homeowner’s insurance is current. It is important that we have coverage for hurricane wind and flood damage, which must be obtained before a storm warning is in effect. Most, if not all, flood policies have a 30-day waiting period as well. We are cautioned to have necessary supplies on hand to board up windows and secure our homes. We are encouraged to have plenty of bottled water and non-perishable food supplies in case of a power outage.
However, what we don’t often get are instructions about staying safe and cleaning up after a disaster hits. I hope this never happens to you, but if you are affected by a hurricane, here are some suggestions to help you get back to normal.
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Just as you need to stay safe during a hurricane, you also need to be cautious after a hurricane. Rising water can still impact your home. Debris, snakes and fast-moving water can lead to injury or death, so it is best to avoid any flooded area, whether you are walking or driving. If local authorities have not authorized a return to your town or home, then follow their instructions.
A good idea before the hurricane is to take pictures of valuable items you have in your house, such as jewelry, coin collections, etc. These pictures should be in a safety deposit box or some other disaster-proof location. Should your home get destroyed and these items are later found, you will be able to file a claim to have them returned if possible.
After the disaster, apply for needed assistance. There are various governmental agencies that can help you when you need it most. Contact FEMA to assist with a temporary place to stay. Learn about these governmental agencies before the disaster and keep a list of contact information where you can access it if needed.
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Although disasters can bring out the best in our neighbors, keep in mind that natural disasters can also bring out some of the worst in humanity. Scams are prevalent, so protect yourself. Be aware that people can pose as government agents in order to lull you into paying money for a free service. Require that any representative, whether from a company or government, provide credentials and ask pointed questions before you follow their advice.
Do not pay for advice and don’t sign contracts. People are often scammed into donating money to supposedly help the less fortunate, but the money never gets to the intended victims. Door-to-door workers may make promises or provide a clean-up service that they cannot deliver. The point is that you need to be extremely cautious.
As soon as possible, contact your homeowner’s insurance agent. Although hurricane flooding is not covered by your homeowner’s policy (it is covered by a separate policy which may be sold through your agent), your agent may be able to help you get the ball rolling with regards to filing a claim or point you in the right direction to obtain claim service. It is best to contact your agent now before the disaster and become familiar with what you need to know after a hurricane hits.
You can get more information on hurricane preparedness, both before and after, by visiting the Homeland Security website ready.gov.
Mary Fox Luquette, MBA, CLU, ChFC is a finance instructor in the BI Moody III College of Business at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: How to stay safe, recover after a hurricane
