Disaster Preparedness: Protecting Your Property and Family

Disasters vary in type, cause, and intensity, but the common thread that you’ll find with any disaster is how suddenly it can strike. Sometimes you’ll have a warning, but sometimes you won’t, or the warning may come later than is ideal. That’s why now–before the panic and confusion of a disaster takes over–is the time to plan, review, and practice. You can put plenty of safeguards into place that will protect your property and family in the event of a disaster.

A key part of your disaster preparedness plan is a robust insurance policy. And your friends at BK Insurance & Financial Services are here to help, with recommendations and key coverages not to miss. Contact us with questions or to schedule a yearly review to ensure that your policy has you covered, even when life deals its worst.

Disaster Preparedness For Your Family

In an ideal scenario, you’d be together with your family at home and get an alert. You’d all grab your go bags after securing the house and evacuating. With all the plans already in place and evacuation routes well-rehearsed, you’d be calm, cool, and collected as you guide your family to safety. In some situations, you may instead be sheltering in place, and that requires its own set of supplies and considerations.

The thing is, disasters are rarely so orderly. Your family may not be together. Your home may be far from ready to withstand the disaster. And the roads could already be treacherous or overcrowded. You also won’t be likely to have the needed supplies already with you. Advance planning helps to bring a level of calm to an otherwise chaotic situation. Here are some realistic questions to ask yourself, your family, and your close friends or community members:

• How will I receive emergency alerts and warnings?
• What is my shelter plan, and how will I get to a safe space?
• What is my evacuation route?
• How will I manage a range of different situations that could arise?
• What is my family/household communication plan?
• How will we contact one another and reconnect if separated?
• Do I need to update my emergency preparedness kit?

Various government agencies offer helpful fact sheets that can guide you through preparedness.

While building your disaster preparedness plan, you’ll also want to consider any special needs that are specific to your household. These can include things like whether you have pets or service animals, the various ages and health conditions of your family members, dietary and medical needs, and more. These considerations will inform what you include in a go bag and what you may need in case of an emergency.

Recommended things to have on hand in case of emergency include:

• Water: 1 gallon per person/day
• Food: Nutritious, non-perishable, easy-to-prepare (3-day supply)
• Tools: Flashlight, battery/hand-crank radio, multi-tool, extra batteries, can opener
• Health: First-aid kit, essential medications, hygiene items
• Documents: Copies of ID, insurance, deeds, birth certificates, medical info, etc.
• Cash: Small amounts in case digital systems are unavailable

Also vital to effective disaster preparedness is an understanding of your local risks. This will help you to develop a plan that’s uniquely tailored to your locale. Once you have all the relevant information gathered, you can then use it to make a plan that includes clear steps and assigned roles for family members. Having a list of items you need on hand in the event of an emergency (e.g., water, food, first-aid) and having those items organized and close at hand means that it will be easy to grab them and go when the time comes.

Once your plan is in place, regular practice helps to cement it in your mind and allows you to have a measure of calm in a proverbial or literal storm.

Disaster Preparedness For Your Property 

You may think that your property is relatively secure, but as soon as winds pick up or ice bears down, you’ll see where the weak spots are. Trying to anticipate these threats and doing a regular evaluation of your property will allow you to get ahead of potential hazards.

Annual assessments of your property will give you an idea of where things could be better protected. Here are some key steps to take long before a disaster strikes:

• Know shut-off procedures for gas, water, and electricity utilities and move essential equipment (furnace, electrical panel) to higher levels if damage is likely
• Secure items against high winds to prevent secondary damage to your or your neighbors’ property (e.g., gas tanks, outdoor furniture, and decor)
• Strengthen your home and other buildings against high winds by installing hurricane shutters, reinforcing garage doors, and ensuring that your roof is in good shape and rated for high winds
• Replace gravel with mulch or plantings to reduce potential projectiles

Once all of these precautionary steps have been taken, and your property is ready for whatever mother nature throws at it, don’t forget about double-checking your homeowners insurance. It’s an important piece in the disaster preparedness puzzle.

Disaster Preparedness and Insurance

Insurance and financial preparedness go hand in hand when it comes to being generally prepared for a disaster. This is because, depending on the severity of the disaster, you may need to rebuild your home or other parts of your property. You may also be out of work for some time while your area recovers. Financial preparedness and a solid insurance plan are vital to get you through what could be a very rough time. 

Having an emergency fund set up and available at a moment’s notice is a critical step that will allow you to worry less about your family’s care and focus on post-disaster recovery. Experts suggest that families regularly set aside funds and strive for enough to cover anywhere from three to six months of living expenses. Homeowner’s insurance can help here too, as you can work with your agent to ensure that your policy provides temporary living expenses (food, shelter, commuting) as your home is being repaired. 

Here’s a good checklist to work from when ensuring adequate insurance coverage: 

• Review Policies Annually: work with your insurance agent to make sure that your homeowner's policy provides for adequate replacement amounts
• Increase Limits: If you have added on to your home, acquired additional belongings, or recently remodeled, you may need to increase insurance limits to match the new value
• Get Supplemental Coverage: make note of specific exclusions in your policy (e.g., floods, earthquakes) and acquire additional coverage if need be
• Documentation: Create a photo and video inventory of your property and belongings, and store copies securely
• Protect Documents: Keep physical records of insurance policies in a waterproof and fireproof container or safe

Prior to a disaster, it can be a good idea to document the condition of your home and property in photo and video formats. Do this quarterly, semiannually, or annually to have up-to-date proof of the condition of your property. This can help to serve as evidence in any future insurance claims.

Are you a renter, not a homeowner? Much of the same applies, especially where emergency and financial preparedness are concerned. Of course, you would have renter’s insurance, not homeowner’s insurance, and if your dwelling is damaged due to a disaster, it would be the property owner who would be responsible for repairs or rebuilding. However, your renter's coverage will help you out if your property and belongings are damaged or destroyed. It will also often supply temporary living expenses to cover everyday necessities like food, shelter, and laundry as your home is being repaired. Contact your insurance agent to make sure your coverage is adequate, and if you’re in an area prone to flooding or earthquakes, it’s worth considering additional protection. Renter’s insurance is a very affordable way to protect yourself and your family in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Besides the personal protection that insurance offers to homeowners and renters, insurance companies also do work behind the scenes. They often fund research that looks into disaster prevention and mitigation techniques. This valuable data can then be used to help reduce the impact of disasters going forward. Integral to this work is their collaboration with governments to establish and then progressively improve or update building codes and infrastructure so that these can better withstand disasters. Insurers protect themselves and their policyholders when they take these proactive measures. Their efforts ultimately contribute to the safety and well-being of their communities as well.

Partner With Your Local Insurance Agency

When a disaster rips through your community, insurance becomes so much more than a safety net–it can prove to be absolutely vital for resilience and rebuilding. At BK Insurance & Financial Services, Inc., we know the value of a solid and steady insurance policy and we’re dedicated to providing protection and support to our community. We can equip you with the tools and guidance you need to ensure that you are prepared for whatever comes your way. From personal property and commercial insurance to life and long-term care, we’re here to help you prepare. Contact our team today to make sure that you have the coverage you and your family need.