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October 12th 2022
Article Written by:
Celia Santana, President & CEO of Personal Risk Management Solutions
In the wake of Hurricane Ian, consumers have again realized the importance of having a quality insurance provider. We often see that prior to and immediately after a devastating natural disaster people often worry about their coverage, regret not purchasing some coverages and are more willing to have a thorough discussion about their insurance needs. The scenarios listed below are ones that we are altogether too familiar with.
As a major storm approaches, you wonder if you have purchased flood coverage for your home.
A hurricane watch has been issued for your county. There is potential for 10 inches of rain within 1 hour. You are worried that the water will get into your basement or even your first floor. You are unsure if you have the proper coverage.
One of the apartments in your luxury building had a leak which affected all the residents down the line beneath them. You can’t recall if you have your own coverage or you are relying on the building’s insurance. You are uncertain if you have coverage that would protect you from being sued by neighbors if your apartment leaked.
The neighbor’s house had a fire and you are not sure how your policy would respond in a similar situation.
The wildfire has spread very quickly due to significant winds and drought conditions. Your neighborhood has been advised to evacuate. You recently renovated your home and you can’t remember if you told your insurance broker to update your coverage.
While traveling in Europe your watch is stolen. It’s a recent purchase and you are unsure if it’s listed on your insurance policy.
Your new fine art piece has just been delivered. While being unpacked it is found to be damaged, clearly sometime after you bought it. You are not sure who is responsible and whether you remembered to add it to your policy.
If any of the above scenarios sound familiar to you, it is important to act before it is too late. Try not to consider only prior experiences when deciding what coverages to purchase. For example… “My house has never flooded during a storm”. The problem with that methodology is that the future is unknown and weather is unpredictable. We are witnessing greater frequency and severity of natural disasters. And no one cares about the odds when they are the one that is impacted.
While people often upgrade many of their service providers (accountant, attorney, wealth advisor, etc.) as they become successful, insurance is often left behind. This is a great time to have an independent agent properly review your coverages so you don’t have to worry about it when it’s too late.
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