Two-thirds of Americans are not prepared if a weather disaster were to strike their location, according to Allstate Insurance.
With hurricane season underway, and severe storms possible this time of the year, it's time to prepare!
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WATCH HERENBC Connecticut was able to speak to two catastrophe claim leaders at Allstate's Mobile Claims Center.
The experts, Andrea Bessling and Roland Jeanlouis, offered practical tips to protect homes and wallets before the next big storm hits.
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SIGN UP “They don't have evacuation plans," Jeanlouis said. "They don't have the ready kit to leave in the event they need to. No agreed upon safe place, but most importantly, they underestimate the disaster impact on their families."
The notion, "It won’t happen to me," is very common. And you probably won’t get hit by a weather disaster.
But storms are hitting harder, faster and more often across the country. According to Allstate, $3 billion in claims has already been submitted this year.
Bessling recommends documenting your property as soon as possible.
“Simply pull out your camera video, walk around and inventory your home and personal belongings. Store that to the cloud so that you have it in the event that something happens," she said.
Bessling said we should secure weak points in our home, asking ourselves, “Is my property susceptible to strong winds or flooding?”
Decide where to go in the event of a weather disaster, communicate with family to establish a safe meeting place and create a kit with your important personal belongings.
Last year alone, Allstate responded to 132 separate disasters.
After a disaster, many people are in a vulnerable situation. Bessling recommends making sure insurance agents are legitimate. And, she says, watch out for scams.
"There should never be requests for payments up front or pressure to sign documents, so if you sense that there's those things going on, fraud, you can always call your insurance company, reach out to the local law enforcement, or even consider calling NICB [National Institute Crime Bureau]," she said.
- Emergency Kit Items Include
- Fuel for generators
- Portable batteries to charge items
- Water, non-perishable food, plus for your pets too!
- Cash
- Flashlights, first aid kits, and toiletries
- Essential medications (for your children or pets, too)
- Personal documents like birth certificate, Social Security Card, and other ID
