Hurricane Preparedness Checklist

Dwelling coverage:

___ Flood and Wind: Often covered under separate policies; determine whether you need this protection in advance of hurricane season.

___ Make sure that your homeowner’s policy is in effect. Insurance carriers do not accept new applications or requests for increased coverage once a hurricane approaches Florida.

___ Contact your agent to increase the limits of your policy if you have made any additions or
improvements to your home since your last policy review.

___ In case of a disaster, make sure that you have enough insurance to rebuild or repair your home for what it would cost to rebuild in the current building market.

Contents coverage:

___ Check to see if you have Replacement Cost Coverage. This valuable coverage pays the dollar amount needed to replace damaged personal property with items of like kind or quality without a deduction for depreciation. Unless your policy specifies that property is covered for its replacement value, coverage applied is for the depreciated value of items known as the actual cash value.

___ Check the limits of your policy on personal items, such as jewelry, silverware and computer
equipment. If the limits are too low, consider buying a special personal property endorsement or a “floater.” A floater is a form of insurance that allows you to insure valuable items separately.

___ Make an inventory of everything you own in your home and in other structures (i.e. shed, garage) on your property. Write down important information like model numbers or serial numbers. A free Homeowners’ Inventory Checklist is also available from the Florida Department of Financial Services at www.fldfs.com.
      
Consider using a video or still camera to capture everything throughout the house. In addition, secure all product manuals and receipts especially for the more valuable items. Keep this inventory in a safe, secure place, preferably away from the premises and/or in a safe deposit box.

___ After your inventory is complete, make sure that you have enough insurance to replace all of your personal property.

Liability coverage:

___ Protect your assets if someone is injured on your property by securing sufficient liability protection.
                                      
Important things to know about your homeowners coverage:

▪ Florida Windstorm Coverage: If your homeowner’s policy does not provide coverage for damages due to windstorm/hurricane, if necessary, confirm with your agent that you do have this protection under a separate policy or through the Citizens Property Insurance Corporation. You can also contact Citizens at 1-888-685-1555, or at their website www.citizensfla.com.

▪ The Hurricane Insurance Affordability and Availability Act offer a broader range of deductibles from which homeowners may choose. Find out what your hurricane deductible is and know in advance how it will affect any claim settlement.

▪ Hurricane deductibles will apply (a) anytime a hurricane watch or warning is issued for any part of Florida, (b) up to 72 hours after such a watch or warning ends, and (c) any time when hurricane conditions exist throughout the state.

▪ New legislation passed after the 2004-hurricane season, which now limits the deductible to only once per hurricane season.

▪ The standard homeowners’ policy does not cover for losses resulting from flood (rising waters). You can contact the National Flood Insurance Program at 1-888-356-6329 for information on the Federal flood program.

▪ After a loss, if you and your insurance company cannot reach an agreement, consider mediation as an alternative option. To qualify, your claim must be in excess of $500, not including your deductible. Mediation can help disputing parties reach a mutually acceptable agreement through the combined efforts of a qualified, neutral mediator. Mediation is nonbinding and can be obtained through the Department of Financial Services at no charge to the consumer.