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With hurricane season in full force, and the risk of tropical storms, it’s important to be as prepared as possible. These events can be similar in terms of risks, though their key difference is wind speed, with hurricanes’ being stronger. With that in mind, here’s how to prepare your house:
1. Secure your property
Make sure that there are no loose items on your property, such as furniture or outdoor equipment. If your home is in danger of being hit by strong winds, board windows or install hurricane shutters to protect your house from extensive damage. Read more about securing your property from FEMA’s Ready.gov here.
2. Check your insurance coverage
If you’re a homeowner, chances are, you have insurance policies that will cover the potential costs of replacing your possessions and rebuilding or repairing your home. However, standard homeowner’s insurance does not typically cover floods or may not cover all hurricane damage.
Contact your insurance provider before hurricane season—generally defined by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as May to November in the East Pacific and June to November in the Atlantic—to find out the specifics of your policy so that you can make necessary adjustments. Also be aware that storms or hurricanes may take place before or after these typical times.
3. Collect and copy important documents
It’s a good idea to collect and safeguard critical paperwork or information, such as proof of ownership, personal identification, and financial and home-related account details and login credentials. Once you have collected everything, make copies of each document and store them in a safe location that will not be damaged during the hurricane. Also consider scanning the documents and emailing them to yourself or uploading them to a secure, cloud-based account to store them electronically.
4. Make a home inventory
Document your home and your belongings in case you need to make an insurance claim. Take notes and photos or videos of your home’s interior and exterior, showing everything from big-ticket items to the basics, like bedding and toys. Home inventory apps and templates are also available online.
According to the Insurance Information Institute, taking this step can speed up the insurance claims process and help you determine whether you have enough insurance at all.
5. Pay attention to warnings and evacuation orders
In the event of a hurricane, it is important to have the tools you need to protect yourself. The better informed you are about the storm, the better prepared you can be to weather it. Pay attention to local news reports and evacuation orders so you are able to respond quickly and appropriately. Also, be sure your car has a full tank of gas and an emergency kit if you have to evacuate. Develop an evacuation plan and discuss how you’re going to communicate with loved ones before hurricane season so that you and your family are ready for whatever nature throws your way.
For more tips like these, visit our Hurricane & Tropical Storm Resource Center.
Tradenames and trademarks used in this blog post are the property of their respective owners. Nationstar Mortgage LLC d/b/a Mr. Cooper is not affiliated, associated, or sponsored by any of these owners. Use of these names and trademarks is not intended to and does not imply endorsement but is for identification purposes only. Information provided does not necessarily represent the views of Mr. Cooper. Information is subject to change without notice.
