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Prepare early for hurricanes
By CHARLYN FINN
The time to prepare for a hurricane is now, not when it’s knocking on the door.
The above message comes from Mark Hanna, Insurance Council of Texas, who visited Port Lavaca Wednesday to leave a message to local residents about preparing ahead for a hurricane instead of waiting for one to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico.
Before coming to Port Lavaca Hanna visited Port Arthur, Beaumont, Orange, Freeport, Galveston, Clute and Bay City. He left Port Lavaca for Corpus Christi and the Valley area.
“The whole message is to prepare now for a hurricane, not when it is knocking on the door,” Hanna said. “When it is near, you are in panic mode. The mind goes off in another gear and is not thinking clearly when the hurricane is menacing. Now, when there is no hurricane threatening, is the time to get into the preparedness mode.”
Hanna suggested people get into an insurance prospective mode. Talk to an insurance agent and find out what your policy covers and if it is adequate.
Hanna said everyone living on the coast needs a homeowner policy, windstorm policy and a flood policy.
“Contact your agent when there are no demands and ask a lot of ‘what if’ questions,” Hanna said. “That is what agents get paid for, to answer those questions. If you can see the ocean from where your house is, it is a good idea to get flood insurance. All three policies can be purchased from any insurance agent.”
Hanna noted it takes time to get an insurance policy in place. You can’t purchase a policy when a hurricane is threatening in the Gulf of Mexico. It takes about 30 days to get a policy in place such as flood or windstorm.
Hanna was concerned that those age groups that have not seen a hurricane might not take hurricanes seriously.
“Hurricanes need to be taken seriously,” Hanna said. “Hurricane Rita claims cost $6 billion. Three billion dollars worth of insurance claims were paid on the Texas side and $3 billion in Louisiana. In Texas there were inland claims from as far away as Tyler. There were 180,000 claims in Texas and 180,000 in Louisiana.”
Claudette, a smaller hurricane that hit the area in 2003 netted insurance claims of $101 million. Brett claims totaled $100 million.
Hanna said less than 1 percent of the people that filed complaints after Rita had complaints about insurance companies.
The Insurance Council of Texas advises planning ahead can reduce the chances of injury or major property damage.
Store ahead food supplies for three-to-seven days, at least one-gallon of water daily per person for three- to- seven days and have disaster supplies on hand in the event of a storm or if you have to evacuate.
Disaster supplies are items like flashlights and extra batteries, portable- battery operated radios and extra batteries, first aid kits, medicines, moisture towelettes, road maps, toiletries, books, small games for children, important papers and valuables in a waterproof container, names and addresses of relatives and friends, clothing and bedding, cash and credit cards, sturdy shoes, extra eyeglasses and hearing aids and photo identification.
Always have an emergency plan.
Plan ahead for your pets as well.
Advanced preparation is always the best policy.
The above message comes from Mark Hanna, Insurance Council of Texas, who visited Port Lavaca Wednesday to leave a message to local residents about preparing ahead for a hurricane instead of waiting for one to arrive in the Gulf of Mexico.
Before coming to Port Lavaca Hanna visited Port Arthur, Beaumont, Orange, Freeport, Galveston, Clute and Bay City. He left Port Lavaca for Corpus Christi and the Valley area.
“The whole message is to prepare now for a hurricane, not when it is knocking on the door,” Hanna said. “When it is near, you are in panic mode. The mind goes off in another gear and is not thinking clearly when the hurricane is menacing. Now, when there is no hurricane threatening, is the time to get into the preparedness mode.”
Hanna suggested people get into an insurance prospective mode. Talk to an insurance agent and find out what your policy covers and if it is adequate.
Hanna said everyone living on the coast needs a homeowner policy, windstorm policy and a flood policy.
“Contact your agent when there are no demands and ask a lot of ‘what if’ questions,” Hanna said. “That is what agents get paid for, to answer those questions. If you can see the ocean from where your house is, it is a good idea to get flood insurance. All three policies can be purchased from any insurance agent.”
Hanna noted it takes time to get an insurance policy in place. You can’t purchase a policy when a hurricane is threatening in the Gulf of Mexico. It takes about 30 days to get a policy in place such as flood or windstorm.
Hanna was concerned that those age groups that have not seen a hurricane might not take hurricanes seriously.
“Hurricanes need to be taken seriously,” Hanna said. “Hurricane Rita claims cost $6 billion. Three billion dollars worth of insurance claims were paid on the Texas side and $3 billion in Louisiana. In Texas there were inland claims from as far away as Tyler. There were 180,000 claims in Texas and 180,000 in Louisiana.”
Claudette, a smaller hurricane that hit the area in 2003 netted insurance claims of $101 million. Brett claims totaled $100 million.
Hanna said less than 1 percent of the people that filed complaints after Rita had complaints about insurance companies.
The Insurance Council of Texas advises planning ahead can reduce the chances of injury or major property damage.
Store ahead food supplies for three-to-seven days, at least one-gallon of water daily per person for three- to- seven days and have disaster supplies on hand in the event of a storm or if you have to evacuate.
Disaster supplies are items like flashlights and extra batteries, portable- battery operated radios and extra batteries, first aid kits, medicines, moisture towelettes, road maps, toiletries, books, small games for children, important papers and valuables in a waterproof container, names and addresses of relatives and friends, clothing and bedding, cash and credit cards, sturdy shoes, extra eyeglasses and hearing aids and photo identification.
Always have an emergency plan.
Plan ahead for your pets as well.
Advanced preparation is always the best policy.
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