​How to Be Prepared for Hurricane Season - Naples, Florida

Living in Naples, Florida (Southwest Florida) means we are headed into the rainy season, which also means a chance of Hurricanes. Although there was an eleven year period between the most recent Hurricane Irma and the one prior, it is always good to be prepared each year. Here is some helpful hurricane preparation guidance provided by a local insurance company, Responsive Insurance, that I work with closely.

Be Prepared with the Right Supplies:

1. Keep gas tanks full. 
2. Keep cash on hand. 
3. Keep important documents in a waterproof portable container (bank account numbers, family records, insurance policies, deeds, stocks/bonds, passport and social security cards)
4. Tools and supplies: battery operated radio, flashlights/lanterns, extra batteries, generator, tools, lighter or matches.
5. Medical supplies: first aid kit, prescription drugs (2 week supply), aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever.
6. Sanitation: toilet paper, soap, paper towels, disinfectant, personal hygiene products, bleach, water purification tablets. 

Insurance Tips:

• Take photos or video of every room in your home in case of a claim (and upload to the cloud, send to yourself in an email or otherwise store outside your physical phone/computer)
• Have your policy information available.
• Claims are to be reported to your insurance company directly. As your agent, we are happy to assist as well but direct submission is the most efficient means to get your claim started.
• We suggest you review your insurance company’s website for further information. 

Things to do after a loss:

1. Provide immediate notice of how and when the loss occurred to the insurance company (or as soon as safely possible)
2. Protect the property from further damage. If repairs to the property are required immediately, you should:
3. Take pictures of damage.
4. Make reasonable and necessary repairs to protect the property.
5. Keep an accurate record of repair expenses.
6. Prepare an inventory of damaged personal property (don’t discard until adjuster can inspect)
7. Maintain receipts for additional living expenses incurred.

This article has been authored by Matt Nance with Responsive Insurance
For insurance related questions, feel free to reach out directly to Matt at 2950 Immokalee Rd, Ste 4 | Naples, FL 34110 | 239-596-3177 

You can also access the Collier County Hurricane Preparation Guide by clicking here.