Severe weather can strike without warning. Ensuring your family has a clear safety plan—and verifying that your coverage matches your home’s true replacement value—is critical to protecting your assets before disaster strikes.
Essential Policy & Property Considerations
- Review Coverage Annually: Recent home improvements, additions, or rising construction costs increase your replacement value. Standard homeowners policies do not cover flood damage, and standalone flood policies typically require a 30-day waiting period before taking effect.
- Document a Digital Home Inventory: Itemize possessions with photos, receipts, and serial numbers. Storing standard digital and hard copies drastically reduces friction and speeds up processing if you need to file a claim.
- Beware of Assignment of Benefits (AOB) Risk: An AOB transfers your insurance rights to a third-party contractor (like a roofer or restoration company), allowing them to file claims and collect payments directly. While convenient, signing an AOB relinquishes your control over the claim. Filing directly with your insurance agent ensures you retain full authority over your policy benefits.
- Establish a Clear Evacuation Strategy: Map out multiple evacuation routes, identify pet-friendly shelters in advance, and maintain a pre-packed emergency bag with essential medications, vital documents, and emergency supplies.
Three Rules for Storm Preparedness
- Maintain Claim Control: Keep digital copies of your policy and report damage directly to your insurance representative rather than signing third-party agreements.
- Audit Your Coverage Early: Secure flood insurance and update property limits long before a storm enters the forecast.
- Prepare an Emergency Kit: Keep essential documents, identification, and key medical supplies packed and ready for immediate evacuation.
Protecting what matters most starts with a proactive plan. Contact the Palomar Personal Lines team to schedule an annual coverage review before severe weather hits.
