FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 1, 2018

 Insurance Commissioner Donelon Offers Insurance Tips for an Active Hurricane Season

June 1st is the official start to hurricane season and the season is off to a scary start with one named storm creating a dry run for Louisiana residents. The 2018 hurricane season is projected by the experts to be above average with more than 14 named storms.

“With one storm threat already under our belts for the 2018 season, everyone should have a good start on storm preparations,” said Commissioner Jim Donelon. “Stocking up on bottled water and batteries isn’t the only thing that you should do to prepare for hurricane season though. Getting your insurance policies in order now can allow you to concentrate on other preparations when storms enter the Gulf.”

The Louisiana Department of Insurance offers the following tips on preparing for hurricane season:

  • Check up on your insurance coverages. Named storm and hurricane deductibles typically run two to five percent of the insured property value. If a home has an insured value of $200,000 with a five percent hurricane deductible, the policyholder would pay $10,000 out of pocket before insurance coverage took effect.
  • Get flood insurance. Flood damage resulting from heavy rain or storm surge is excluded from most policies and there is typically a 30-day waiting period before a flood insurance policy takes effect. For information on a National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy, you can contact your agent or visit www.floodsmart.gov. You can search for an agent on the LDI website www.ldi.la.gov/findagent.
  • Update your home inventory. You can use your phone to take pictures or video of the items in your home. Having a record of your possessions will make the claims process easier in the event of property damage or loss. Include identifying information such as brand name and serial number.
  • Have copies of your policies and your agent’s contact information ready to go. In case of an emergency evacuation, you will want to have copies of your family’s essential documents and your agent’s contact information to enable you to start the claims process as soon as possible.

While you’re checking your hurricane preparedness, you should consider doing a review of all of your policies from homeowners to auto and life insurance. You can use the Insurance Checkup Tool on the LDI website to consider insurance products that match your lifestyle and financial habits to be sure that you are covered. For more information on insurance during hurricane season, you visit the Hurricane Resource Center or call 1-800-259-5300.

About the Louisiana Department of Insurance: The Louisiana Department of Insurance works to improve competition in the state’s insurance market while assisting individuals and businesses with the information and resources they need to be informed consumers of insurance. As a regulator, the LDI enforces the laws that provide a fair and stable marketplace and makes certain that insurers comply with the laws in place to protect policyholders. You can contact the LDI by calling 1-800-259-5300 or visiting www.ldi.la.gov.