Three Things You Can Do Now to Prepare for Extreme Weather

Read and listen to the full National Public Radio story on disaster preparedness featuring Marcus Coleman, vice president of community resilience strategy at United Way Worldwide. 

As the United States enters summer, now is the time to prepare for disasters like hurricanes, wildfires, and flash floods that can come with the season.

With some preparation, though, you can better your odds of a smoother recovery if extreme weather hits your home.

Here are three things you can do now to make sure you're ready to deal with insurance after a disaster.

Check Your Insurance

It's important to know how much your insurance would pay out if your home is destroyed.

Ideally, it's enough to cover the cost of rebuilding. However, underinsurance is a chronic problem in the U.S., according to United Policyholders, a national consumer advocate. The group says its surveys routinely show that half of homeowners don't have enough coverage to replace their homes after a disaster.

You should also check your deductible, or how much money you would have to pay out of pocket if your home is damaged.

Document your Valuables

Having an up-to-date record is a big help if you have to file an insurance claim. You can use a cellphone to record a video every year of the stuff inside your home or apartment.

Marcus Coleman, vice president of community resilience strategy at United Way, recommends storing a list of emergency contacts and any medications you need on the cloud or a thumb drive.

Having easy access to copies of your insurance policy, identification, and financial information like credit and debit cards is also a good idea, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., an independent government agency.

If I just have a split second, I know where to go to get what I need to be able to answer some of the questions that might come up over the next days or weeks after a disaster,"

Marcus Coleman, vice president of community resilience strategy at United Way Worldwide

Do Home Maintenance

The third thing you need to do is maintenance work around your property, such as trimming trees and clearing roofs and gutters of flammable materials, like leaves and branches.

In addition to routine maintenance, insurance experts point to programs in some states designed to help homeowners protect their homes from disasters. 

And if you need help with disaster recovery and housing assistance, you can call 211 for information about resources in your area.