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Get ‘hurricane ready’ before storms threaten home or business

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Take steps to minimize damage and speed recovery.

The post Get ‘hurricane ready’ before storms threaten home or business appeared first on The Cincinnati Insurance Companies blog.

How to protect yourself from fraud

Whether you’re planning a much-anticipated remodeling project or facing repairs to fix damage from a storm, hiring a contractor can be a daunting and nerve-wracking task. While most contractors are trustworthy, some are guilty of taking advantage of vulnerable homeowners – especially when the repairs involve an insurance claim.

The post How to protect yourself from fraud appeared first on The Cincinnati Insurance Companies blog.

Entrust storm repairs to honest contractors

When businesses and homeowners are desperate for help to repair and rebuild after a disaster such as a hurricane, tornado or wildfire, they seek assistance from anyone who will offer help. Unfortunately, there are scammers who prey on those emotions and take advantage of good people in their darkest hour.

The post Entrust storm repairs to honest contractors appeared first on The Cincinnati Insurance Companies blog.

Make emergency evacuation plan for your horse

Having a disaster plan is critical to keeping your animal companions safe. And horses require extra consideration because of their size and specific transportation needs.

The post Make emergency evacuation plan for your horse appeared first on The Cincinnati Insurance Companies blog.

3 myths about hurricane wind risks

The 2020 and 2021 hurricane seasons were two of the most active seasons in history. While hurricanes continue to be among the most catastrophic weather events, the good news is that homeowners have effective and affordable options to help reduce damage.

The post 3 myths about hurricane wind risks appeared first on The Cincinnati Insurance Companies blog.

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Hurricane

During a hurricane, personal safety is the top priority. To ensure the safety of homeowners and first responders please follow evacuation orders. You can take specific actions before a hurricane to potentially minimize damage to your home.

Preventative Measures:

  • Install shutters on all glass openings, including skylights and garage door windows.
  • Create an evacuation plan and discuss it with family members.
  • Keep a bag packed with emergency items such as flashlights, extra batteries, portable chargers, cash, bottled water (at least one gallon per day per person), non-perishable snacks, first aid supplies, medications and extra clothes.
  • Organize copies of your important documents in one location so they are easily accessible in case you need to leave quickly.
  • Turn off the gas and water service.
  • Remove all patio furniture, potted plants, lawn ornaments and sculpts from your yard and porch/deck, and store them in the garage or house. These items can be lifted by extreme wind conditions and driven through your windows.

  • If your artwork and/or collections are going to remain in the home during the hurricane, store the collection in the center of the home (preferably a closet) away from doors and windows and elevated as high as possible from the floor.
  • If you plan to move your artwork to a secure storage facility, consider using a professional company in the area who specialize in art removal and storage.

Protecting Your Watercraft:

  • If your boat is on a trailer and not in a hurricane-proof facility, haul it to a safe area and place wooden blocks between the frame member and the axle inside each wheel.
  • Remove all movable equipment, like canvas and sales, batteries and outboard engine.
  • Securely strap your boat to the trailer and let half the air out of the tires. Depending on the type of boat, you may want to fill it roughly 1/3 with water to increase the weight to help hold it in place. The blocks will help prevent possible damage to the trailer springs due to the additional weight.
  • Using heavy lines, secure your boat (in all four directions, as wind will rotate) to a large fixed object, or to a heavy object buried underground.

  • Remove all portable equipment (canvas, sails, dinghies and motors) and valuables.
  • Secure fenders and fender boards.
  • Double all lines and equip them with chafing gear. Set crossing spring lines fore and aft for best protection. As a reminder, nylon lines will stretch. To best protect against tidal surge, be certain all lines are attached high on piling and install preventer at the top of pilings to stop lines from slipping off the top.
  • Assure batteries for automatic bilge pumps are fully charged and, if possible, install back-up batteries.
  • Turn off all electrical devices.

  • Assure fuel tanks are full, fuel filters are clean, batteries are charged, bilges and cockpit drains are clear and lifesaving equipment is placed in an accessible position.
  • Remove all portable equipment (canvas, sails and dinghies) as well as personal valuables.
  • Set your boat’s anchors to minimize its ability to sway in a wide arc.
  • If you decide to move your boat to waters outside the hurricane threatened area, be sure to move well ahead of the storm and monitor weather forecasts continually. Be sure to allow enough time to fuel and make the move safely.
Hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico

Additional Resources

Florida Wind Mitigation Information

Our loss control service is advisory only. We assume no responsibility for management or control of customer loss control activities or for implementation of recommended corrective measures. This content was gathered from trade services and public information and does not identify or address all possible exposures. We do not warrant that this information is consistent with the underwriting guidelines of The Cincinnati Insurance Company and its subsidiaries or with any federal, state or local law, regulation or ordinance.
 
To report a claim: You may call us directly, 877-242-2544, to report your claim and provide us with your claim-related information. You may also contact your independent agent to report a claim.

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