We’re officially past the middle of The 2021 Hurricane Season. We are happy to be through the first half but are watching as we’re not out of the clear until November 30th. We Floridians are preparing ourselves from The Keys to The Emerald Coast for the latest Tropical Storm and Depression threats and it got us thinking, it would be nice to give you some tips to prepare your family and home with these potential conditions. Here are five quick and easy tips to ensure you and your property are safe during the extreme weather.
1. Check out our FREE 2021 Harris Hurricane Handbook
Our guide has been handcrafted to help you navigate Florida’s Hurricane Season. We provide all the information about tropical storms and hurricanes in an easy-to-follow format. Whether you want to view it online or print it out, it is a great resource to have with you!
2. Prepare your home
Big winds and rains can cause damage to your property. If a tropical storm turns into a hurricane, please make proper home preparations to make sure you do not incur major or even minor losses. Preparation tips for your home can be found at the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes.
3. Write or review your family’s emergency plan:
One can never be too sure on how to handle an emergency as there are so many things going on at once. One good thing to do is write a comprehensive plan of action. This can be as easy as listing your home’s escape routes, where to evacuate to, and a list of emergency service contact information. With some basic guidelines as to how your family will deal with emergency scenarios during extreme storm weather, it will make for a little less-stressful situation. We suggest you keep this in an easy to access place along with an emergency kit.
4. Get to know your zones:
Is your property near The Gulf or The Atlantic Coast? It may be beneficial to find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone. Since tropical storms can increase intensity overnight, knowing your area by will help you if things get crazy. Luckily our state has an evacuation site website which will help you locate which zone you are in.
Another zone that you should know about is your Flood Zone. Flood Insurance is a separate policy in Florida and not covered under typical Homeowners Insurance Policies. You can quickly & easily request a flood zone determination by texting your address to 850-244-2112.
5. Review Your Insurance Policies:
Reviewing your insurance policies to ensure that you have adequate coverage for your home and personal property is a good way to understand what to expect during a tropical storm or hurricane. Pay special attention to your deductibles and well as your coverages and whether your policy is written at actual cash value or replacement cost. (There is a BIG difference!) It is good to know what is covered and what is not. If you are unsure, you can speak to your agent and they will help you by explaining your policy coverage in detail.
6. BONUS- NEW Hurricane Buy Back Deductible offered only at Harris Insurance:
With premiums increasing throughout the state, many have started increasing their deductibles on their property insurance to get discounts applied to their premium. Harris Insurance is excited to exclusively offer a NEW option to Florida residents, a form-following policy that can be added on to ANY property insurance policy. Our Hurricane Buy Back Policy will pay you your deductible amount in the event that you have to file a Hurricane/Named Storm claim. A 2% deductible can add up fast:
$5,000 on a $250,000 Home
$10,000 on a $500,000 Home
$15,000 on a $750,000 Home
Do you have those deductibles reserved in the event of a claim? Those are only 2% Deductibles, while most Florida policy holders have gone to 5% or 10% Hurricane Deductibles. Some of our clients who have taken advantage of this new policy have agreed to share their savings. In the event of a covered claim, these clients will receive 100% cash back for their hurricane deductibles for the price of a few hundred dollars:
$13,000 Hurricane Deductible – Annual Policy Cost $199.50
$17,900 Hurricane Deductible – Annual Policy Cost $512.19
$77,439 Hurricane Deductible – Annual Policy Cost $1,525
We’ll let you calculate those savings!
Stay safe for the remainder of this Hurricane Season. As always, please let our licensed Agents know how we can assist you with your Florida insurance needs. Call us at 850.244.2111, email at service@harrisinsurance.com, or request your quotes here.
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Views expressed here do not constitute legal advice. The information contained herein is for general guidance of matter only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. Discussion of insurance policy language is descriptive only. Every policy has different policy language. Coverage afforded under any insurance policy issued is subject to individual policy terms and conditions. Please refer to your policy for the actual language.
