Courtesy of iii.org Hurricanes are violent and dangerous to your family and your home. When a hurricane threatens to bear down, make sure that you know how to batten down your hatches and protect yourself, your loved ones and your property. When it's hurricane season Hurricane season starts June 1 and runs through November 30. But don't wait until a warningtake steps to prepare in advance for a potential hurricaneit's the best way to protect your family, your home and your business. For more preparedness tips, handy checklists (including ones you can personalize yourself) and evacuation planning advice to cover a variety of disasters, get the I.I.I.s Know Your Plan app. It's a great tool to help get you and your familyincluding petsorganized and ready to act more quickly if a hurricane or other emergency strikes. When a hurricane watch is issued A hurricane watch is issued when there is a threat of a hurricane within a 24-36 hour period. At that time, you …
Claims on Your Car Insurance, How to
Courtesy of iii.org 1. Call your insurance professional as soon as possible — even from the scene of the accident—regardless of who is at fault. Even if the accident appears minor, it’s important to let your insurance company know about the incident and to find out whether your auto insurance policy covers you for the particular loss. 2. Use a mobile app to jumpstart your claim. Many insurers now offer apps that allow you to report a claim, check the status, upload photos, check your deductible, schedule an appraisal, reserve a rental car and request reimbursements for towing and glass claims. Some apps even allow you to notify the insurance adjuster what happened by visually re-creating the events and circumstances of your car accident. 3. Find out what documents are needed to support your claim. Your insurance company will require a “proof of claim” form and, if you filled one out at the scene of the accident, a copy of the police report. Your insurer may have a feature on …
More Updates on Flood Insurance
Courtesy of iii.org National Flood Insurance Reform In 2012 the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act was passed in an attempt to make the federal flood insurance program more financially self-sufficient by eliminating rate subsidies that many property owners in high-risk areas receive. But in March 2014 Congress rescinded many of the rate increases called for by the Biggert-Waters Act. The new law reduced some rate increases already implemented, prevented some future increases and put a surcharge on all policyholders. The measure also authorized funds for the National Academy of Sciences to complete an affordability study. The 2014 law prevents any policyholder from seeing an annual rate increase exceeding 18 percent. It calls on the flood program’s administrator, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), to “strive” to prevent coverage from costing more than 1 percent of the amount covered. In other words, if the policy offered $100,000 of coverage, the …