Recently in Emergencies Category

Photo: AP Photo: Robert F. Bukaty

The East coast had a surprise snow storm that has derailed Halloween plans from Maryland to Maine. Many cities and towns need time to clean up downed trees, limbs, and power lines before it is safe for kids ghosts and goblins to go house to house. Plus, power restoration is still a work in progress for any communities.

This is just a teaser of events yet to come. The Insurance Information Institute has provided a breakdown of Winter Storm Facts. When adjusted for inflation, Winter Storms have caused about $26 billion in insured catastrophe losses since 1991, resulting more than $1 billion a year in damage on average. Last year, winter storm losses totaled $2.6 billion, the highest it's been since 2003.

In this unprecedented October storm almost a million households were left without power. The FDA site has tips for keeping food safe during and after power outages. Refrigerated foods should be fine if the door remains shut and the power was out for no less than 4 hours, but for many households in the Northeast this was not the case. Follow their safety tips to prevent illness after the storm.

If your home or auto suffered damage from falling tree limbs, call your insurance agent. Here's a brief video on the topic:

By most accounts winter hasn't even started yet - the winter season doesn't even officially start until December 22nd and already the Northeast is getting an early taste of it. If you have questions about your insurance coverage and whether you are adequately protected against storm-related loss, talk to your insurance agent.

The following are resources to help you track and prepare for Irene - along with insurance related resources should you incur any damage. As more resources become available we will add them. Also, check our consumer Twitter feed: @RenInsureInfo.

Storm Tracking
MSNBC Hurricane Tracker

Tracking Irene at the National Hurricane Center

Weather Underground - including co-founder
Dr. Jeff Masters WunderBlog

New England Emergency Resources
MA: @MassEMA - MA Emergency Management Agency

ME: @MaineEMA - Maine Emergency Management Agency

NH: @NHgov - New Hampshire State Government

NY: @NYSEMO - NY Division of Homeland Security & Emergency Services

RI: @RhodeIslandEMA - RI Emergency Management Agency

VT: @vemvt - VT Emergency Management

Hurricane Preparation
It Is Not Too Late to Conduct a Home Inventory In Preparation for Hurricane Irene

Common Sense Advice Before & After a Hurricane

Preparing an effective evacuation plan

Hurricane Irene: Checklist for protecting your technology before & during a hurricane

Disaster Planning for Small Businesses - a checklist from the
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which covers key steps for preparation, as well as an overview of related insurance issues that you need to consider.

Hurricane Preparation Tips and Disaster Preparedness - from the Insurance Information Institute

Hurricane Safety Checklist - from the Red Cross

Insurance Matters
Hurricane Irene Likely to Strike East Coast: Do You Know What Your Hurricane Deductible Is?

Hurricane & Wind Storm Deductibles

Claims reporting: Direct links to Renaissance Alliance insurance partners claims reporting pages - list includes 40 of the state's major insurers. If your insurer is not listed here, contact your independent agent or the Mass Division of insurance's main number (617) 521-7794 or the Consumer Information Hotline (617) 521-7794.

Tips for claims reporting: What consumers should know when faced with a loss - Important, but sometimes difficult, filing a claim can be one of the most frustrating processes during a crisis or following a major disaster. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers tips for what your insurance company needs to help you avoid problems getting your claims paid.

The following are resources to help you respond to any tornado-related damage you may have suffered. As more resources become available we will add them. Also, check our Twitter feed: @RenInsureInfo.

Emergency response tips

• Stay out of badly damaged buildings
• If your home or business is badly damaged, try to shut off utilities or contact utility companies
• Be cautious of any outdoor hazards such as debris, downed wires, tree limbs. Wear sturdy shoes or boots.
• Take photos of any damage before cleaning up
• Contact your insurance agent and / or your insurer.
• Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage
• Discard any food that may have been spoiled or contaminated
• Check with local authorities for local alerts

Claims reporting: Direct links to Renaissance Alliance insurance partners claims reporting pages - list includes 40 of the state's major insurers. If your insurer is not listed here, contact your independent agent or the Mass Division of insurance's main number (617) 521-7794 or the Consumer Information Hotline (617) 521-7794.

Tips for claims reporting: What consumers should know when faced with a loss - Important, but sometimes difficult, filing a claim can be one of the most frustrating processes during a crisis or following a major disaster. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners offers tips for what your insurance company needs to help you avoid problems getting your claims paid.

Other resources
MA Governor declares a state of emergency

Follow emergency traffic & roadway updates on MA Department of Transportation Twitter feed

Mass Emergency Management Agency

CDC: After a tornado

What to do before, after & during a tornado (PDF)

Protect yourself from mold

USA.gov: Locate in-person services near you

News reports and videos
ABC: Massachusetts Tornadoes: At Least 4 Dead; Springfield, Westfield Hard Hit - includes video clips

III: Massachusetts and Tornadoes

If flesh-eating zombies suddenly start roaming your streets, do you know what to do? If not, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has an important guide for you: Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse.

On the great scale of hazards, it's probably not all that likely, but as insurance agents, we are all about the concept of being prepared - so after you read the CDC Guide, if you have questions about what your homeowners or business insurance would or wouldn't cover should a zombie attack occur, give us a call. Or for an abundance of caution, there's always Zombie insurance.

All kidding aside, alerting the public about the importance of preparing for emergencies such as hurricanes or pandemics is one of the CDC's most important public health missions. Normally, when they post alerts or resources on the CDC blog, they get a few thousand viewers. But by offering this clever spin, they attracted more than 1.2 million page views in the less than 10 days since the zombie item was posted, according to the WSJ Health Blog. The Zombie preparation guide was obviously a good way to harness the public's fascination with a pop culture fad to call attention to a more serious message.

The CDC has a wealth of emergency preparation, planning and response resources aimed at businesses, families, healthcare facilities, and local & state governments. They also have a variety of tools and resources on other public health issues - ranging from illnesses and diseases to life stages and populations. So whether it's traveler's health, natural disasters, workplace safety or even an attack of zombies, the CDC is a good one-stop source of reliable information.

The Insurance Information Institute reports that there is a strong potential for a nasty flood season. While the areas at highest risk are in the Upper Midwest, The national Weather Service says that parts of southern New England, New York and Pennsylvania are also at risk. And NWS reminds us that while snow runoff can increase the risk in some areas in the spring, flooding is a coast to coast threat to the United States and its territories in all months of the year. At floodsmart.gov, you can check your geographical risk via Flood Insurance Rate Maps.

Flood preparation for businesses
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners has issued a checklist on Disaster Planning for Small Businesses, which covers key steps for preparation, as well as an overview of related insurance issues that you need to consider.

NAIC also issues a reminder that flood is not a covered peril in a standard business property insurance policy. They note that flood coverage can be purchased from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), administered by FEMA, but there is usually a 30-day waiting period for a policy to go into force. They suggest checking with your insurance agent if the flood insurance property limits from the NFIP are inadequate to cover your business.

AgilityRecovery, specialists in disaster recovery, says that your business is more likely to flood than burn down, so they offer this helpful Business Flood Preparedness Checklist.

Flood preparation for homeowners
The Insurance Information Institute offers a useful information on preparing for a flood and recovering from a flood. The site also offers a variety of other helpful resources related to disaster preparedness.

Floodsmart.gov is the official site of the National Flood Insurance Program. You can learn about obtaining residential coverage and what it covers. The site also offers advice on flood recovery and filing claims.

Additional flood resources
Flood Safety - resources from NOAA
Flood recovery resources and insurance issues
Consumer alert: don't buy a flood-damaged car
Does homeowners insurance cover a flooded basement?

Here's a winter survival kit: we've compiled expert tips with advice for protecting homes, cars, and people in extreme winter weather:

Ice Dams, Burst Pipes, Broken Tree Limbs: Saving Your House From Winter - good article in The Hartford Courant.

Dealing with Ice Dams and other winter hazards - our blog post from last year.

Winter Fires - safety tips for the home - PDF from FEMA and the US Fire Administration.

Precautions for Extreme Cold Weather - from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.

Winter Hazard Awareness - the Minnesota Department of Public Safety offers tips for safety outdoors, indoors, and in your car.

Extreme Cold: A Prevention Guide to Promote Your Personal Health and Safety - from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including winter checklists and info on indoor and outdoor safety.

Working in the Cold - from the Canadian Center for Occupational Health & Wellness.

Winter driving tips from Car Talk .

Safe Driving and Good Car Maintenance Take Center Stage In Winter - from the Insurance Information Institute.

Icy Road Safety - tips, news, statistics, and links to current road conditions by state.

Driving Tips on Snowy & Icy Roads from How Stuff Works.

The East Coast has been slammed with downpours that have been swamping roads and requiring rescues as the storm cut its path up the eastern seaboard. The flooding has already claimed 5 lives. Now, drenching rains are bearing down on New England.

No doubt many will be checking their policies and calling agents in the next day or two to find out what is and what isn't covered in terms of water and flood damage. The Insurance Information Institute offers this useful video:

Insurance coverage
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so unless you have a specific flood policy, you may be out of luck. Check to see if you have a "sump pump failure" rider to supplement your homeowners, which may offer some relief.

Even if your homeowners policy doesn't cover flooding, if you have experienced anything more than minor damage, you may want to file a claim:

• When your insurer investigates the actual cause of the loss, you may have some coverage.
• If you are eligible for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) assistance, you will likely need a letter of denial from your insurer. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate any assistance that insurance already covers.
• Your insurer and agent may be able to suggest resources and service firms for emergency restoration professionals in your area. They may have other resources and advice available to help you mitigate and recover from your loss.
• If you have comprehensive insurance as part of your standard auto insurance policy, you may be covered for water or flood damage to your car. You would need to contact your agent to check the specific coverage provisions in your policy.

Here's a rather scary piece of video footage, a scene from cruise ship during a storm off New Zealand in 2008. Apparently, the footage from an on-board security camera has just made its way to the web.

Hat tip to Workers Comp Insider, where we found the video in a post with more information about the event. Of course, our thoughts turn to insurance. The news report says that 42 passengers were injured - looks fortunate that it wasn't more. Plus, it's likely that there may have been damage to some of the passengers' possessions. Would travel insurance help in a case like this? Before you buy any insurance, it's important to learn exactly what it will and won't cover. For a primer, see the Insurance Information Institute's Travel Insurance. As for the medical coverage involved in trip insurance, III suggests, "Before purchasing this type of coverage, check with your own health insurance carrier. Find out what type of coverage you have when traveling abroad and if there are any limits. Also, ask if the policy will pay to fly you home or to a country with first-rate medical care." In a scenario involving a serious injury, medical and evacuation coverage is important.

And as for business insurance for the cruise liner - well, that's a whole 'nother kettle of fish!

The eastern seaboard is thick in preparation for Hurricane Earl's arrival. Wayne Wiersma of Wiersma Insurance Agency offers a link to an excellent one-page sheet from the folks at Harleysville Insurance: Common Sense Advice: Before & After a Hurricane. It offers planning time lines for 36 and 24 hours before a hurricane, as well as advice on what to do after a hurricane and how to report a claim. (Please note, however, that phone numbers listed are only valid if for Harleysville customers. For all others, it would be a good idea to have phone numbers handy for both your agent and your homeowners' and auto insurance companies. ) The Insurance Information Institute also offers Hurricane Preparation Tips.

Here are a few other helpful links:
The National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Tracker

FEMA's Hurricane Response & Recovery

FEMA's Business Emergency Preparation Resources

New England is still recovering from the record Northeast flooding. If you missed it, you can view the scope of the damage in this gallery of dramatic Northeast flood photos. Now, it's time to move forward. We've gathered various recovery resources for those who suffered damage in these floods.

Are you eligible for disaster assistance? At DisasterAssistance.gov you can apply for assistance online, or take an anonymous pre-screening questionnaire to see if you are eligible for assistance. Various other resources are available. including advance preparation for emergencies, and resources for disaster recovery.

Rhode Island
Rhode Island Severe Storms and Flooding - This page provides updated information and resources for Rhode Island residents and businesses in all 5 counties who were affected by the recent flooding. The first step in recovery entails filing for disaster recovery assistance with FEMA. As of this writing, FEMA has opened Disaster Recovery Centers in Cranston and Warwick. The site offers information from FEMA on where and how to apply for assistance, as well as links to other recovery resources. Check back for updated information.

Massachusetts
Massachusetts Severe Storms and Flooding - This page provides updated information and resources for Massachusetts residents and businesses that were declared as major disaster areas March 29: Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk and Worcester counties. The first step in recovery entails filing for disaster recovery assistance with FEMA. As of this writing, FEMA has opened 5 Disaster Recovery Centers and has FEMA inspectors assessing storm damage in seven Massachusetts counties. The site offers information from FEMA on where and how to apply for assistance, as well as links to other recovery resources. Check back for updated information.

Insurance
Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so unless you have a specific flood policy, you may be out of luck. Check to see if you have a sump pump failure rider to supplement your homeowners, which may offer some relief.

Even if your homeowners policy doesn't cover flooding, if you have experienced anything more than minor damage, you may want to file a claim:

• When your insurer investigates the actual cause of the loss, you may have some coverage.
• If you are eligible for FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) assistance, you will likely need a letter of denial from your insurer. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate any assistance that insurance already covers.
• Your insurer and agent may be able to suggest resources and service firms for emergency restoration professionals in your area. They may have other resources and advice available to help you mitigate and recover from your loss.
• If you have comprehensive insurance as part of your standard auto insurance policy, you may be covered for water or flood damage to your car. You would need to contact your agent to check the specific coverage provisions in your policy.

• Flood recovery - from Floodsmart.org
• Recovering From and Coping With Flood Damaged Property - from FEMA
• FEMA: Mold can be a danger when evacuees return home - this release includes some recommended steps for dealing with mold
• Mold cleanup, removal, and remediation - information from the Centers for Disease Control
• Flood Cleanup: Indoor Air Quality - from the Environmental Protection Agency
• How to clean up after a flood (PDF) - from the Colorado Extension Service
• Flood damage cleaning fact sheet (PDF) - good information on what can and can't be salvaged in terms of fabrics and garments from the Drycleaning & Laundry Institute
• What to do with a flooded car: It depends on the water's depth