Living in a beautiful coastal city is fabulous, but it also comes with responsibility during peak hurricane season (August- October). This article will equip you with how to protect your home during Hurricane Season in Jacksonville Beach FL, this more precarious season of the year, even if you are in the process of buying or selling.
1. Consider flood insurance for all areas of Jacksonville. It is not only home-owners in “high-risk zones” who benefit from holding flood insurance policies. Following Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Irma, many flood claims originated in “low-risk zones” that weren’t coastal. One inch of water on a 2,500 sq ft home can cost, on average, over $25,000. Many private carriers offer flood insurance and can be more cost-competitive than the traditional FEMA policies.
a. An excellent resource for more information is floodsmart.gov.
2. Include hard copies of important documents in your evacuation plan. In addition to emergency supplies, you will also want to have printed copies of these important documents on the ready:
a. Homeowner’s Insurance Declaration Page
b. Flood Insurance Declaration Page
c. The declaration page will include your policy number and 24-hour claims phone line. It is possible that under a mandatory evacuation you may not have access to your property for as long as several days after the storm has passed. Additionally, keep in mind that you may not have internet service during or after a storm. This will prevent you from accessing your accounts online. Insurance companies are prepared for this and staff command centers, in safe locations, where representatives are equipped to receive your call and file claims by phone.
3. Document the contents of your home. The more information that you’re able to provide regarding your personal property, the quicker and easier it will be for your claims adjustor to work through your loss.
a. Keep inventory and receipts of major home purchases.
b. Take photos or videos of each room in your home, and the contents within them, prior to evacuating.
4. Buyers: Secure your insurance binder quickly. An insurance binder is a temporary policy that serves as a placeholder until your formal insurance policy is issued. When the track of a storm is headed to Florida insurance carriers will go under binder suspension. Once one major insurance carrier announces a binding suspension, other carriers will quickly follow suit. Below is an example of what this can look like and especially true during Hurricane Season in Jacksonville Beach FL.
Not scared? Neither are we. Let an experienced Fluid Realty Agent help you find your dream home and guide you through all the precautions that you need to take during this season of the year. Done with tracking the eye of the storm? We get it. If you’re ready to permanently evacuate, Fluid Realty is here to make selling your home a smooth process.
For any insurance related questions, we suggest reaching out to our trusted partners at Blue Marlin Insurance for help. They are the best at navigating the Hurricane Season in Jacksonville Beach FL
