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Rhode Island Storm Preparedness: 3-Part series. LAST DAY: Protect Your Home – Check your Insurance
Part 3 — Rhode Island Storm Preparedness: Protect Your Home—and Check Your Insurance
Before strong winds arrive, look around your property. The chairs on the deck, a loose downspout, a leaking roof and belongings stored on a basement floor all deserve attention.
The final part of RINewsToday’s updated preparedness series brings together two subjects from our original coverage: protecting your home and understanding your insurance.
Start with the work you can safely complete before conditions deteriorate.
- Bring in or secure outdoor furniture, umbrellas, decorations and other loose items.
- Close and secure doors, including garage doors.
- Ask a qualified professional about damaged roofing or hazardous branches; these are jobs to address well ahead of a storm.
- Have gutters and downspouts cleared so water can drain. Check that downspouts direct water away from the foundation.
- Address known leaks around windows, doors and roof flashing.
- Arrange help for work that requires climbing or specialized equipment, and leave tree work near utility wires to qualified crews.
- Move important papers, photographs and portable valuables away from vulnerable basement storage.
- Think about where you park, too: choose a safe location away from likely flooding and hazardous trees when possible.
National Preparedness Month also offers a reason to review the financial side of readiness. The federal observance’s resources direct households to flood-insurance information and low-cost steps to reduce their risks.
Then make time for an insurance conversation.
Most standard homeowners and renters policies do not cover flood damage. Flood protection generally requires separate coverage. Renters can buy flood insurance for their belongings, and homeowners should ask about both building and contents coverage; these are typically purchased separately under the National Flood Insurance Program.
A new NFIP policy generally has a 30-day waiting period, with specified exceptions. Buying a policy this week should not be assumed to provide coverage for a storm this weekend. Ask the agent for the exact effective date and how the policy applies to your property.
Useful questions include:
- What wind or hurricane deductibles apply, and how are they calculated?
- What happens if water enters through storm damage to the roof?
- Do I have sewer-backup or sump-pump coverage?
- What flood coverage applies to the building, belongings and basement?
- Would any policy pay for temporary lodging if the home became uninhabitable?
- What coverage applies to my vehicle or boat?
The answers depend on the policies and the cause of the loss. Ask the agent to identify the relevant terms in writing. NFIP coverage has limitations, including exclusions for temporary housing and many basement belongings.
Make a record of what you own. Walk through your rooms and take photographs or video. Save available receipts and serial numbers, along with policy information and your agent’s contact details, somewhere accessible if the house is damaged.
After the storm, follow official guidance before returning to an evacuated area. Stay out of floodwater and away from downed wires. Do not enter a visibly damaged home until it has been assessed. Never operate electrical equipment or a breaker while standing in water.
When safe, photograph damage and contact your insurer before cleanup. Keep records of losses and repair expenses. Ask what documentation is needed before disposing of damaged property, without keeping hazardous material where it endangers people.
Today’s task: Secure loose outdoor items, photograph your belongings and confirm what your policies actually cover.
Stay with us throughout this multi-day storm – together, WE GOT THIS!
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Part TWO:
Part ONE:
Rhode Island Storm Preparedness: 3-Part RINewsToday series. TODAY: Know Your Risk. Make Your Plan.