Do You Need a Better Hurricane Preparedness Plan for 2018?

Business Wire

TAMPA, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Hurricane season begins June 1, and American Integrity Insurance Company, a premier Florida-based insurance provider, is dedicated to ensuring that Floridians are fully prepared before the next hurricane strikes. In the wake of 2017’s record-breaking storms, we urge customers not to wait until the last moment to begin making plans and gathering supplies.

“Last year we saw record rainfall from Hurricane Harvey, severe power outages due to Hurricane Maria, and the longest-lasting hurricane ever recorded - Hurricane Irma,” says Matt Monahan, Senior Vice President of Claims. “We’ve already experienced tropical activity in the Gulf this year and Mother Nature has proven time and time again, that she is powerful, and has no respect for the calendar or industry predictions.”

“It is important for Floridians to have a plan, and stock up on supplies. June 1^st-7^th is the ‘Disaster Preparedness Sales Tax Holiday’, please take advantage of this and get your home and family prepared for the 2018 hurricane season,” says Bob Ritchie, President & CEO. “It is equally important for Floridians to make sure they have the insurance coverage they need in case the unexpected occurs. Do you know your hurricane deductible? Do you have flood insurance? Do you have replacement cost coverage for your contents, and ordinance or law coverage? These are critical questions to ask before someone suffers a loss. We want to ensure that every resident of our state has the coverage they need, so we encourage Floridians to ask these questions and talk to your insurance agent now.”

Here are additional hurricane preparedness tips from American Integrity Insurance:

Have a plan- Do you know your evacuation zone? Have a plan of action in place so that you do not have to make any last minute decisions. If you have pets or special needs, be sure to identify shelters that can make those types of accommodations well in advance.
Stock up on supplies- Be sure to have enough water and non-perishable food to last at least five days. Water bottles quickly run out of stores when a big storm is on the horizon. Keep a couple of cases on hand at all times, as well as a flashlight, can opener, batteries, matches and cash. Buying a new first-aid kit each season is always a good idea, as well.
Hurricane-proof your home- Install storm shutters, replace old garage doors that are approved for both wind pressure and impact protection, and make sure exterior doors have at least three hinges with a dead bolt lock one-inch long or more.
Create a home inventory- Having a complete record of property expedites the claims process and helps ensure that you are reimbursed for your belongings. This can easily be done with a smartphone or video camera.
Protect all valuables- Store your valuables and documents, such as insurance paperwork for you to reference post-storm, in a portable, waterproof container.
Backup information on your electronic devices- Make sure data from your phone and computers are backed up before storm season.

American Integrity Insurance provides a variety of products for your home – particularly for ensuring peace of minds for families during storm season. American Integrity has recently launched its flood insurance endorsement to better protect Floridians and their homes from this ever-present threat. Everyone is susceptible to flooding, regardless of their location within the state. American Integrity’s flood endorsement is for use with their non-coastal home, condo, vacant, and rental properties.

Here are some of the key differences between American Integrity’s flood endorsement and an NFIP policy:

American Integrity’s endorsement offers one deductible for both structure and contents, while the NFIP policy has two separate deductibles for structure and contents.
Unlike the NFIP, there is no waiting period for customers for the flood endorsement.
Rates are up to 15% lower than policies with NFIP.
Additional Living Expense (ALE) of up to $5,000 is included. If a home is unlivable due to a covered loss, ALE provides coverage for the homeowner to reside elsewhere while their home is being repaired. NFIP policies do not offer this important coverage.

For more information, visit the American Integrity Insurance Group website (https://www.aiicfl.com/), email [email protected], or call 866-968-8390.

About American Integrity Insurance Group (American Integrity)

American Integrity Insurance, the fifth largest Florida domiciled residential property insurer, has in excess of 275,000 customers and is represented by more than 900 independent agents. The Tampa-based company offers sound and comprehensive property insurance solutions, including traditional home insurance and coverage for vacant homes, condominiums, manufactured homes, dwelling fire, umbrella, golf cart and X-Wind policies. For more information, please visit the company's website at www.aiicfl.com, call 866-968-8390, or connect with the company on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Pinterest or Instagram.