Hurricanes are strong storms that cause life and property threatening hazards such as flooding, storm surge, high winds and tornadoes. Preparation is the best protection against the dangers of a hurricane. As forecasters track a hurricane the terms “hurricane watch” and “hurricane warning” will be used often. It is important to know the difference:

• Hurricane Watch – Hurricane conditions are a threat within 48 hours. Review your hurricane plans, keep informed and be ready to act if a warning is issued.
• Hurricane Warning – Hurricane conditions are expected within 36 hours. Complete your preparations and leave the area if directed to do so by authorities.

​What Should I Do?

• Listen to local forecasts on television and radio as well as National Weather Service (NWS) announcements.
• Check your disaster supplies and replace or restock as needed.
• Bring in anything that can be picked up by wind (furniture, toys, etc.)
• Close windows, doors and shutters.
• Turn refrigerator and freezer to the coldest settings and keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if power goes out.
• Turn off propane tanks and unplug small appliances.
• Fill your car’s gas tank.
• Create an evacuation plan with your family. Plan routes to local shelters and make plans for pet care.
• Evacuate if advised by authorities. Be careful to avoid flooded roads and bridges.
• Because standard homeowners insurance does not cover flooding, it is important to have protection from floods associated with heavy rains, tropical storms and hurricanes. For more information visit the National Flood Insurance Program website here.

What Supplies Do I Need?

• Water – at least a three-day supply, one gallon per person, per day.
• Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable, easy to prepare food.
• Flashlight
• Battery-powered or hand-cranked radio
• Extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Medications seven-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids, glasses, syringes, etc.)
• Multi-purpose tool
• Sanitation & personal hygiene items
• Copies of personal documents (medications, proof of address, deed/lease, passports, insurance policies, etc.)
• Cell phones with chargers
• Family & emergency contact information
• Extra cash (ATMs may be down if power is lost)
• Emergency blankets
• Maps of the area
• Baby & pet supplies if needed
• Tools/supplies to secure your home
• Extra clothing (hats and shoes as well)
• Extra set of car & house keys
• Rain gear
• Insect repellent and sunscreen
• Camera for photos of damage for insurance claims

What Do I Do After A Hurricane?

• Continue to listen to weather forecasts and local news for updates.
• Stay alert for extended rainfall and flooding even after the storm has ended.
• If you evacuated only return home when officials say it is safe.
• Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and bridges.
• Keep away from loose or downed wires and report them immediately.
• Stay out of any building surrounded by water.
• Inspect your home for damage. Take pictures for insurance claims.
• Use flashlights in the dark, NOT candles which can cause fires.
• Avoid drinking or preparing food with tap water until you are sure it is not contaminated.
• Check refrigerated food for spoilage. If in doubt, throw it out.
• Wear protective clothing and use caution when cleaning up to avoid injury.
• Watch pets closely and keep them under your direct control.
• Use telephones only for emergency calls

Let Your Family Know You Are Safe!
​If your community experiences a hurricane or any disaster, register on the American Red Cross Safe and Well website available through RedCross.org/SafeandWell to let your family and friends know about your welfare. If you do not have Internet access, call 1-866-GET-INFO to register yourself and your family.
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Click here to download a Hurricane Safety Checklist provided by the Red Cross.

Click Here for How To Prepare for Hurricane Safety!

Adam and Bob were best friends since junior high school. They shared an apartment in college, majored in the same field, and even went to work for the same company. When they were in their mid-30s, they came up with a great idea for a product that would become very popular, and the two decided to venture out with their own business. They decided to form a partnership with each owning 50%. The business soon began to flourish.

Two weeks after his 47th birthday, the seemingly healthy Adam suffered a massive heart attack and died. Upon his death, Adam’s ownership in the company was transferred to his wife, Cathy. Having known Bob for many years, Cathy left control of the company to him and the business continued to prosper.

Two years later, Cathy met Donald and after a whirlwind romance, the two were married. Donald became very interested in the stock in Cathy’s late husband’s business. Eventually he would begin having ideas about how the company could be better run. Although he had no experience to back his ideas, being a good wife, Cathy would make these suggestions to Bob. The relationship between the partners began to suffer from this tension.

Not long after Cathy and Donald’s third anniversary, Cathy was diagnosed with cancer and soon she also passed away. Like many people, Cathy had failed to plan properly for her future, and under community property laws, her ownership transferred to Donald at her death. Donald was now a 50% owner of the company with an equal authority in how the business was run.

Bob and Donald rarely agreed on the operation of the company and although he had years of experience and knowledge far superior to Donald’s, Bob was unable to override Donald’s ideas. Time spent on these disagreements, dissatisfied customers and mounting costs would all prove too much for the company, and on the 20th anniversary of Adam and Bob opening the doors of the company, they would be closed for good as the owners filed for bankruptcy.

A Simple Solution
A very simple yet often overlooked strategy could have helped avoid this unfortunate end to the previously happy story. A buy-sell agreement is a legally binding clause in a partnership agreement that controls what happens if one of the partners dies or otherwise needs to leave the partnership.

Typically, the agreement sets a price and gives the surviving partner the option to buy the deceased partner’s share from their estate. In the story above, this would have let Bob simply buy Adam’s ownership interest, allowing him to maintain full control of the business and avoid the other problems.
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This strategy runs into difficulty at the time of the partner’s death if the surviving partner does not have sufficient capital to make the purchase. Keyperson life insurance helps to solve this problem. With this product, the business buys a life insurance policy, equal to the agreed upon purchase price, on the life of each of the partners with the other partner listed as beneficiary. Death benefit of the insurance is then used to pay the deceased partner’s estate and transfer ownership.

With the business listed as the owner of the policies, they are considered business assets and premiums are allowable business expenses. This allows the partners to successfully plan for the future of the business while receiving some valuable tax benefits as well.

For more information, please visit the Life Happens blog.

Here are 5 important auto insurance tips to consider ahead of this winter's major weather events.

1. Confirm your insurance is active and premiums are paid. Have a current copy of your insurance card in your vehicle or with you.

2. Select liability limits that are right for your financial circumstances. If you find yourself at-fault in an accident and have insufficient liability coverages, your personal assets are at risk for paying the remaining financial obligation.

3. If you rent a vehicle for a trip, check with your insurance agent to see if your policy includes coverage. Also, make sure you don’t duplicate benefits from your own policy if you decide to get rental insurance. A quick call to your agent should help determine that.

4. Verify that your homeowners or renters insurance covers the theft of personal items from your vehicle, especially if you are planning to haul more expensive items. Many people believe that vehicle insurance covers replacement of stolen items from their vehicles, but that usually is not the case.

5. Know if your policy includes roadside assistance, such as towing, fuel delivery, lockout service and jump-starts.

In addition to the insurance tips above, Department officials advise drivers to keep emergency kits in their vehicles, especially for long trips. A good kit should include a first-aid kit, batteries, flashlights, drinking water, snacks, jumper cables, ice scrapers, tissues and towels, a tow rope, extra clothing and blankets.
State officials also recommend checking in on family members ahead of dangerous winter weather events, and reassessing your immediate family’s insurance needs. Make sure that important insurance and legal papers are in a secure place that more than one person knows about. Assess personal insurance needs for yourself and your family. Needs for an older adult, for example, could be much different from those of a child or grandchild.

For more information, please visit PropertyCasualty360.