Know What Your Insurance Covers When a Hurricane Strikes: Preparing for Storm Includes Home Inventory, Policy Review

With forecasts predicting torrential rain, high winds, and in some places heavy snow to hit Maryland in the coming days, the Maryland Insurance Administration urges residents to prepare before Hurricane Sandy strikes.  Homeowners and renters alike should review their policies to see which kinds of damage are covered and which are not.  In addition, taking an inventory of your home now may ease your claims-filing process later.

Your insurance agent can help to explain specifically what is covered by your policy and what is not.  The Maryland Insurance Administration offers guides and general information about insurance coverage on its website and on www.Facebook.com/MdInsuranceAdmin.

• Some ways to prepare for a disaster include:
  Inventory your home. Whenever possible, take photos or videos of your personal property to support any claim you may need to file later. Smart-phone users can download a free home inventory application, myHOME Scr.APP.book.
• Safeguard your records so they will not be damaged or destroyed. Keep your policy information in a waterproof, fireproof safe or off-site, such as in a safe deposit box, or scan it and save it to a flash drive that you keep in an emergency kit.
• Make sure you have your insurance agent’s name and telephone number, the insurance company’s telephone number, and all of your policy numbers, particularly if you have more than one or do business with more than one company.
• Know how to shut off the gas, electricity and water, and how to board-up vulnerable places around the house, such as windows and doors.

For more information on how to prepare for Hurricane Sandy, visit Insurance Preparedness for Natural Disasters on the Maryland Insurance Administration's website.
Related Information:

• An Insurance Preparedness Guide for Natural Disasters
• Additional Resources to Prepare for Natural Disasters
• Insurance Tips for Homeowners