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Cliston Brown
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Phone:
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847-553-3671
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cliston.brown@pciaa.net
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Secure Your Property, Review Safety Procedures In The
Path Of Hurricane Sandy
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CHICAGO—As the
Atlantic coast braces for potential impact from Hurricane Sandy, property
owners should be sure to take some basic precautions to protect themselves and
their belongings.
“Even
if Hurricane Sandy ultimately moves away from land or downgrades, it is a good
idea to take precautionary measures to prevent further damage to vulnerable
property and keep out of harm’s way,” said Chris Hackett, director of personal
lines policy for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). “Residents
of the east coast and others in the area who are ordered to evacuate should be
prepared to report claims to their insurer as soon as it is safe to return to
their homes and businesses and assess the damage.”
Insurers
will be ready to respond, as soon as it is safe, with catastrophe teams at the
scene should Hurricane Sandy create significant damage. PCI and other industry
groups constantly work with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),
part of the Department of Homeland Security, on disaster planning for both
individual homeowners and businesses.
PCI
recommends the following hurricane precautions:
·
Review
your property insurance policy, especially the “declarations” page, and check
whether your policy pays replacement costs, or actual cash value for a covered
loss.
·
Inventory
your household items, and photograph or videotape them for further
documentation. Keep this information and your insurance policies in a safe
place.
·
Keep
the name, address and claims-reporting telephone number of your insurer and
agent in a safe and easily accessible place.
·
Protect
your property by covering all windows with plywood or shutters, moving vehicles
into the garage when possible and placing grills and patio furniture indoors.
·
Keep
all receipts for any repairs so your insurance company can reimburse you.
·
Check
with your insurance adjuster for referrals to professional restoration,
cleaning and salvage companies if additional assistance is needed.
Make
sure watercraft is stored in a secure area, like a garage or covered boat dock.
A typical homeowner’s policy will cover property damage in limited instances
for small watercraft, and separate boat policies will provide broader, more
extensive property and liability protection for larger, faster boat, yachts,
jet skis and wave runners.
In
case of flooding:
·
Shovel
or scrape mud off walls, floors and furniture, then hose from the ceiling down
before the mud dries.
·
To
prevent mold and odors, clean walls and floors with diluted chlorine bleach.
·
Gradually
pump flooded basements (about one-third of the water per day).
·
Electricity
and water make for a dangerous combination. Take the proper precautions to
avoid electric shock.
·
Dry
wood furniture outdoors away from direct sunlight.
·
Use
public water only after it has been declared safe by an authorized official.
Also, PCI’s online Hurricane
Headquarters provides suggestions and resources, such as claims contact
information and what to do in advance of, during and after a storm. Go to http://www.pciaa.net/web/sitehome.nsf/lcpublic/438?opendocument
for more information.
PCI is composed of
more than 1,000 member companies, representing the broadest cross-section of
insurers of any national trade association. PCI members write over $180 billion
in annual premium, 37.4 percent of the nation’s property casualty insurance. Member
companies write 44 percent of the U.S. automobile insurance market, 30.7
percent of the homeowners market, 35.1 percent of the commercial property and
liability market, and 41.7 percent of the private workers compensation market.
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