Now that hurricane season is in full swing, it is a good time to do an insurance check-up to see if you have the proper insurance coverage needed in the event of a disaster. U.S. Hurricanes total millions of dollars in damage to property each year but hurricanes are not the only natural disaster you need protection from; there are also floods, tornadoes, hail and more. Without the proper protection, you could suffer devastating financial losses.

There are several things to consider when completing an insurance check-up to assess your need for additional disaster insurance. Some types of disaster insurance can be purchased as stand-alone policies, such as flood insurance. For other types of disaster insurance including coverage for your vehicle for hail damage, this may be included in your current automobile insurance policy under the comprehensive coverage portion of your policy. If in doubt about this, check with your insurance agent or insurance company. Insurance coverage for disasters protecting your home may be included in your homeowner’s policy or may be purchased as an additional coverage. In any case, you will need to conduct a thorough examination of each of your policies to see if you have proper disaster coverage.

One thing you need to do when doing an insurance check-up is to make sure all your insurance policies are up-to-date. For instance, if you have recently made an addition to your home such as a garage or additional room; it may not be covered under your homeowner’s policy.

You should take the time to contact your insurance agency or insurance company now before disaster strikes to make sure any new additions are covered in your homeowner’s policy. You may even want to consider having an updated appraisal on your home to make sure you are carrying enough coverage to rebuild in the case of a total loss.

Don’t forget about your personal belongings and contents. If you have expensive personal items such as cameras, electronics, or jewelry; these items may have to be added on to your homeowner’s policy in a scheduled list so that they will be covered in the event of a disaster. If you have renter’s insurance, you should find out from your insurance agent or insurance company how the coverage works in the event of a disaster.

Many new homes are being constructed in hurricane and tornado prone areas to withstand heavy wind damage. However, you should not take this for granted. For you and you family’s safety, it is important to have a disaster plan and know how you will react when disaster strikes. This includes having a safe place to travel to and bringing along any important documents you will need such as copies of your insurance policies, birth certificates, social security cards and other important documentation. If your home is in an area that is prone to tornadoes, you may want to consider constructing a storm shelter. This should be a place below ground where you and your family can take shelter with very short notice if a tornado or other severe storm is approaching your location.

Summer and early fall are the seasons for many types of natural disaster events that could affect you and your family and cause you to suffer damage to personal property. The time to make your disaster plans and make sure you are properly covered against damage from hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, hail damage and other types of natural disasters is now – before you suffer a major loss.