Hurricane-Proof Your Home
As we edge closer to another hurricane season in the New York/Long Island area, preparing your house for disaster should be a priority.
Whether your home is old or new, it may not be able to withstand hurricane force winds. To protect your home, the American Red Cross recommends that you focus in on three particular areas of your home: the roof, the windows and the doors (including a garage door if you have one).
Window Protection:
Unprotected windows are very vulnerable to wind damage and damage from wind blown debris therefore it is critical that you protect them. The easiest and most effective way to protect them is with storm shutters. Steel is the best and the most expensive. Aluminum and plywood shutters are also available.
These are readily obtainable from many building supply stores, including Home Depot and Lowes. If you live in a hurricane or storm-prone area, you may want to also think about installing impact resistant windows according to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes. These windows are designed to withstand flying debris. Also be aware that taping your windows will not protect them and is not effective.
Storm Proof the Roof: Another vulnerable area of your home is the roof. During a hurricane, the wind can actually get underneath the roof shingle and peel it off the roof. The Federal Alliance for Safe Home recommends you go to your local building supply store and get premium flooring adhesive. Apply with a caulking gun to the underside of your roofwhere the roof and the support beams meet. Be sure to look for an adhesive that has been tested and has a strong rating.
Even the best methods of roof and window protection is not enough if you don't also protect your doors (including your garage door). The garage door is potentially the largest and weakest opening of your home to a hurricane. According to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes about 80% of residential hurricane wind damage starts with wind entry through garage doors, making this a critical area to reinforce. However, many garage doors are made of lightweight materials that make it vulnerable to hurricane damage. A qualified inspector can determine if both the door and the track system can resist high winds and, if necessary, help replace them with a stronger system. Pay special attention to any sliding glass doors that you may have, as they are more vulnerable to wind damage than most other doors. When building a home or replacing a door, you should consider impact resistant door systems. As a temporary measure, you can cover the entire patio door with plywood. Finally, periodically review your home insurance policy with your agent and make sure you are properly covered BEFORE disaster strikes.
In New York, particularly on Long Island in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens County, Brooklyn County, and Richmond County, homeowners may be faced with the prospect of trying to obtain home insurance (or having existing insurance) for a home that they own which is on or close to the water. In recent years this has become a complicated challenge.
Most insurance companies have restrictions based on the homes' proximity to the ocean and other tidal waters, therefore, it becomes important know the obstacles you are up against BEFORE you purchase that dream house. The cut-off for most companies is 2500 feet of the ocean or tidal bay, although this may vary.
In recent years, the increased hurricane activity and the over-development along waterfront property has put more homes in harms way of wind and water damage. To limit exposure to these catastrophic storms and hurricanes, many insurance carriers have introduced wind or hurricane deductibles into their policies. This deductible typically can be 2%, 5% or 7% of your dwelling coverage, which can be a hefty amount. For example, if your dwelling coverage is $250,000, your 5% deductible will be $12,500. You should therefore review your home insurance policy and understand this important deductible language. You must understand:
1. What % deductible your policy carries (2%, 5%, 7%)
2. What triggers the deductible to apply (a windstorm, a category one or category two hurricane).
Another important consideration when insuring your home near any body of water should be flood insurance, as your home policy will not normally cover damages arising out of a flood. In New York, companies selling the National Flood Insurance policy can help you with this coverage. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has established flood zones for your home's location and the insurance premium will be based upon that flood zone. For example, premiums for $250,000 of dwelling coverage will range from $338 annually in the most desirable "X" zone and could be as much as $1,000-2,000 in the more vulnerable "A" zone.
As insurance companies re-evaluate their risk management in the New York coastal areas it is more important than ever to continually review your home insurance policy and set up a meeting with your agent to make sure you are properly covered. The cost for this "insurance check-up" should be free, and could give you some much needed peace of mind knowing that you are properly covered before disaster strikes.
If you are one of the unfortunate policyholders that have received a non-renewal notice due to your home's location you should not panic, as you will have a couple of months to secure new coverage. First, try and get a referral from the company that is cancelling you, as they may have a relationship with a local broker that is able to write your insurance. And secondly, make sure you try and stay with a financially secure and reputable company.
When you are in the market for home insurance or renters insurance in New York City or anywhere in New York for that matter, it's important to not only check the price of coverage, but also to check the insurance company ratings. Ratings give you information about a company's financial strength, customer service record, claims records, and more valuable information that you can use when you shop for insurance.
By taking the time to check these ratings, you can select the best company with the best rates and the most affordable coverage.
How to Check Ratings
It's very easy to check the ratings of insurance companies, especially if you go online.
Find out how many complaints have been lodged against insurance companies. The New York State Department of Insurance will tell you how many complaints have been lodged against insurance companies. You will also be able to determine whether the company is actually "admitted " in New York to do business. To see how the companies stack up, click here.
Find out what consumers think of their insurance company. J.D. Power conducts consumer surveys and then rates companies on their policy offerings, cost, billing and payment policies, and ease of contacting an agent.
To see how they rate Home Insurance companies, click here.
To see how they rate Auto Insurance companies, click here.
To see how the companies rate on the customer's buying experience, click here.
To see how the companies rate when it comes to claims processing, click here.
Find out how financially stable your insurance company is. A.M. Best Company, which evaluates the strength of insurance companies on a scale from AAA (extremely strong) to CC (extremely weak). They also include a rating of R for Under Regulatory Supervision. To view their ratings, click here.
Standard & Poor's, which looks at an insurance company's ability to pay claims and meet financial obligations on a scale from AAA (very strong financial security characteristics) to BBB (good financial security characteristics). To see their ratings, click here.
Using Ratings When You Shop for Insurance
Checking home insurance and renters insurance company ratings will help you narrow down your choices when you shop for insurance, especially if you shop on the phone or online to gather information.
Why use a reputable company that is financially stable?
Although the answer is obvious, many people are attracted to the lowest rate that they have been quoted. This, of course, may not be the wisest decision as the company may have poor service, high complaint ratio's and may be financially unstable. Therefore we recommend you do your research, speak to an actual agent that is accessible and knowledgeable, get a few quotes and then make a decision on which company to choose. State Farm Insurance has served policyholders for over 50 years and their service exceptional-this should be your starting point.
We know that ratings and customers’ opinions are valuable. Please check out the reviews posted about our office:
Long Island Insurance is a local agency. We offer a full line of insurance products including home insurance, life insurance, renters insurance, and car insurance. We currently write business in the entire state of New York with the majority of those clients living in the Staten Island and Long Island area. At our office, we have a fully licensed team of professionals who strive to surpass our customer’s expectations. We will provide you with excellent insurance rates and customer care.
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
Powered by the ActiveRain Real Estate Network
© 2009 ActiveRain Corp. All Rights Reserved
