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Safeco Insurance Advises Policyholders to Be Prepared for Hurricane Season '09
Seattle— (May 28, 2009) — A slightly milder hurricane season than 2008 is predicted for this year (June 1 to Nov. 30), still Safeco® Insurance is advising policyholders to take important precautions to prepare for and recover from severe weather.
Safeco Insurance offers disaster preparedness tips to consumers on our website under the Insurance 101 tab. The guide helps homeowners plan ahead for possible disasters and explains the importance of making a household inventory. It also offers advice of what to do after a disaster strikes.
Other important considerations include:
- Ask an out-of-town family member or friend to be your family contact. After a storm hits, anyone not able to get home should check in with that contact person;
- Bring objects such as patio furniture or toys into the house or garage. Secure large items such as boats or swing sets to the ground;
- Turn off circuit breakers, closing all doors and securing all windows; and
- Have an evacuation route and destination planned and monitor the forecast regularly. Leave earlier than later to avoid traffic jams, gasoline shortages, lodging shortages, etc.
- If you evacuate, turn off electric, gas, and water utilities. If there’s a power loss, doing so will help prevent damage from an electrical surge once power is restored
- If you have hurricane shutters, make sure they are installed and utilized
Being prepared for severe weather also means understanding your insurance coverage. Homeowners who have experienced flooding in the past need to consider whether they should purchase flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Losses associated with flooding are usually not reimbursable under standard homeowner policies.
“We recommend that our customers review their policies and coverages with their agents annually,” said Robert Johnston, assistant vice president, Liberty Mutual Agency Markets National Catastrophe Team. “Policyholders in disaster-prone areas are especially encouraged to understand the extent of their coverage and take precautions to help protect themselves and their assets in the face of severe weather.”
About Safeco Insurance
In business since 1923 and based in Seattle, Wash., Safeco Insurance sells personal automobile, homeowners and specialty products through a network of more than 10,000 independent insurance agencies throughout the United States. Safeco is a Liberty Mutual Insurance company.
Boston-based Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third largest property and casualty insurer in the U.S. based on 2012 direct premiums written as reported by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Liberty Mutual Insurance also ranks 81st on the Fortune 100 list of largest U.S. corporations, based on 2012 revenue.
For more information about Safeco Insurance, go to www.Safeco.com.