Disasters such as Hurricane Sandy confirm the need for homeowners and business owners to keep these safety tips in mind:
- When returning home or to your place of business, walk around outside first to check for downed power lines, gas leaks and structural damage. Do not enter your home or business if you smell gas.
- Listen to local officials for reports if water is safe to drink and safe to use to prepare food.
- Damaged or flooded roads may still be closed. Barricades are there for your protection. If you see a barricade, turn around.
- Leave a light on so you’ll know when your power returns.
- Never use a generator inside, even with fans or open windows. Deadly levels of carbon monoxide can build up and linger.
- Contact your insurance agency as soon as possible and provide any and all changes to any of your contact and address information.
- Please be patient. When disaster first strikes, there won’t be enough insurance adjusters to handle the workload.
- If you have already accessed your property or have been allowed back in by civil authorities, be sure to take photographs of all the damage to vehicles, boats, sheds, building and contents in their current state.
- If you are able and it is safe, please be sure to take steps to protect your property and contents from further damage.
- Be sure to keep specific records and receipts for your additional living expenses or business expenses.
- Make a list of all the damage to your property and its contents. Review these with your family members and/or business staff to better assure completeness. Changes and updates to these lists can be made as you move through the recovery process.
