{"id":8761,"date":"2023-12-19T15:25:38","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T23:25:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.answerfinancial.com\/?p=8761"},"modified":"2024-02-27T15:10:42","modified_gmt":"2024-02-27T23:10:42","slug":"preparing-for-tornado-and-hurricane-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.answerfinancial.com\/preparing-for-tornado-and-hurricane-season\/","title":{"rendered":"Preparing for Tornado and Hurricane Season"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Preparing for Tornado and Hurricane Season<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tornadoes could be spinning your way already, and hurricane season arrives as early as June. Unlike hurricanes, tornado season is mostly year-round. Slow months occurred only in January, February, September, and November of 2022.1<\/sup> Both of these common storm systems bring increased risk of wind and flood damage. With your home likely your single most valuable asset, you want to make sure you regularly compare home insurance quotes and keep your policies up to date. Here are a few of the top things to consider before reviewing your policies, plus some ways to safeguard your home and all the people inside it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Update Your Homeowners Policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Whether your homeowners insurance policy covers tornado damage depends on many factors. First, your location may dictate your coverage. Second, if you need to make a claim, what causes the damage could influence your coverage. Obviously, wind damage is common during a tornado, yet some policies exclude wind damage. Additionally, tornados can coincide with storms that cause flooding (see below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hurricanes are not unlike tornadoes in the damage they cause to homes. Your best bet is to speak with an insurance expert who can tell you what coverage makes sense for your home and location. Pay close attention to is whether you have actual cash value coverage<\/em> or replacement cost coverage<\/em>. The latter may help reimburse you for the damaged item without factoring in depreciation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Invest in a Private Flood Insurance Policy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Understanding flood insurance and what it covers<\/a> is vital before you begin assessing how much coverage you need. Flooding occurs in 90% of all disasters, leading to billions of dollars in damages every year.2<\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most home insurance policies do not typically cover flood damage during a natural disaster. Therefore, strongly consider supplementing your home insurance policy with private flood insurance<\/a> if you are not already required to own National Flood Insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan with the People in Your Home<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you live anywhere near the coast, higher sea temperatures and lack of El Ni\u00f1o effects point to higher-than-average hurricanes this year.3<\/sup> Ready.gov has some excellent advice on preparing for tornadoes that apply to hurricanes as well.4<\/sup> Some of their most important advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n