Hurricane Preparedness in Florida

Hurricanes and tropical weather affect many Floridians each year. Whether you live by the coast or further inland, your home and belongings could suffer hurricane damage. It’s important to know what steps you need to take to prepare for a storm and what insurance coverage can help protect your valuable assets.

What Insurance Do I Need for Hurricanes?

Your home is where your heart—and a lot of your money—is. Ensuring your home and belongings are protected if there’s a hurricane is essential. The protection you need for hurricane insurance isn’t in one specific policy but various separate policies protecting against hurricane damage.

Many homeowners choose home insurance, flood insurance and other endorsements, such as sewer backup and windstorm coverage for flood protection. For example, standard homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding; you need an additional flood policy.

The insurance you choose should be enough to cover the costs of rebuilding your home and replacing any damaged possessions. Some types of insurance that homeowners often choose include:

Homeowners insurance can protect your home’s structure from certain aspects of storm damage.
Additional living expense (ALE) coverage is helpful if a covered incident occurs and destroys your home, and you must live elsewhere.
Flood insurance may offer protection from flooding, storm surges and wind-driven water.
Sewer backup coverage can be added to your homeowners policy and offers invaluable protection since sewer backups are typical with hurricanes.

You may be able to purchase flood insurance separately through the National Flood Insurance Program or your insurance company. At Bruening Insurance Agency, we help customers in Fort Lauderdale, Miami and South Florida with their insurance needs. Call us to evaluate what coverage you need to protect your home and possessions.

What Should I Do To Prepare for a Hurricane?

There are many ways to prepare for a hurricane. These are a few items you can generally do in advance of bad weather:

Know the difference between a “watch” and a “warning.” Listen for National Weather Service alerts on your TV or radio or check them online. A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher) are possible. A hurricane warning is more severe, meaning hurricane-force winds are expected. Usually, these warnings are issued 36 hours before tropical-storm-force winds are expected to give people time to prepare.
Make a plan. Make sure everyone in your household knows the plan. Keep emergency phone numbers nearby and have everyone add them to their cell phones.
Prepare an emergency supply kit. Prepare a kit with food, water, prescriptions and needed medical supplies to last 72 hours. In addition, in a waterproof container, place any critical documents or medical records.
Get your vehicle ready. Make sure you fill your gas tank and have your emergency kit inside your vehicle. If you don’t own a vehicle, make a plan with a friend or family for a ride.
Plan for your pet’s safety. Identify pet-friendly shelters or hotels, or ask an out-of-town friend or relative to take your pets if there’s an evacuation. Your local animal shelter can offer advice on what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
Locate the nearest shelter. Find a nearby shelter so that if you need to seek shelter, you can quickly get there. Plan different routes to get there in case there are road closures.
Get your home ready. Clean your yard and move bikes, outdoor furniture, grills or other items inside. Cover doors and windows to protect them. If you see flooding, downed power lines, or you need to leave your home, turn off your power.

Protect Your Assets

Our team at the Bruening Insurance Agency can help you with your insurance, so you have the protection you need. Call us today at 800-293-0131 to get started on the proper coverage for your home and assets.