Natural disasters have been known to hit Florida. They are unpredictable. Even hurricanes, although they have a path, are unpredictable in terms of where they are going to turn at the last minute. They can strengthen or weaken to cause more or less devastation. It’s important to be prepared for natural disasters, which means looking at several things.

IS YOUR HOME PREPARED?

Hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods are the biggest issues that you have to deal with in terms of natural disasters in Florida. You have to take a good look at your home to see if it is prepared for these things. If you have an older roof that have loose shingles, you should get them secure prior to a hurricane. Retaining walls can help with flooding. Securing small items around your yard can also help you to minimize damage.

Ultimately, you can prepare your home by keeping it in good condition all year long. If you hear that a natural disaster is coming toward your home, you might also want to board up the windows, either with wood or with metal shutters.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO?

Particularly with hurricanes and tornadoes, you should have a safe place to go. If you plan on staying inside your home, this means going into a room where there are no windows. You should also know where you plan on evacuating to – and there are several evacuation areas within every city.

Generators, bottles of water, canned foods, and other items should be placed into a survival kit. This will allow you to have the means of continuing life without electricity for several days if necessary.

Take the time to go through your home to decide what kinds of items you need to have. Flashlights with batteries are important have within every room. If you aren’t able to get bottles of water, you can fill the tubs as a way of having water to wash up and flush toilets.

You should also make sure to talk with kids so that they understand what could happen and what they need to do. The important thing is that if a natural disaster happens, everyone stays calm and focuses on the plan.

DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT HOME INSURANCE IN PLACE?

You also need to take a good look at your home insurance in Florida. In addition to having standard homeowners insurance, you might need flood insurance and even a hurricane rider. Without these added forms of coverage, a claim could easily be denied by your home insurance company. If you are in a flood zone, flood insurance will be automatic. Otherwise, you have to determine whether you should get it or not.

It’s a good idea to work with an independent insurance agent so that you can determine what kind of coverage you need protect yourself against natural disasters that might Florida – and more specifically, your home.