| It's that time of year again when preparing for the worst, becomes a priority for way too many people in the USA . If you live in a gulf state, or on the east coast especially Florida , you know exactly what I mean. Yes people, its hurricane season and if we've learned anything from last year, it's that you're never safe. The national weatherservice predicts between 8 and 10 hurricanes will develop in the South Atlantic this season.
As we all know it takes just one to cause tremendous damage and loss of life and property. As with most natural disasters, how well off you are after the crises has passed, mostly depends on how well prepared you were before it hit. One of the major consequences of a hurricane disaster is flooding. Flood restoration is one of the most difficult and costly jobs a home owner has to undertake. Flood debris removal alone can cost a lot of money.
Hurricanes can cause a huge mess. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 caused 43 million cubic yards of debris. Last year Katrina caused more than 100 million cubic yards of mess and that didn'tinclude private dwellings. Compare that to the 2 .8 million cubic yards of debris resulting from the terrorists attacks of Sept.11, 2001 and you get an example of how important flood debris removal really is.
The state assists in flood debris removal on a large scale, but the cost of flood restoration and flood debris removal for private dwellings is usually incurred by the homeowner. Being prepared for the storm itself is a smart move, but being prepared for the
cost of repair and clean up is absolutely essential. Check your homeowner's insurance policy. Most policies don't cover flood damage. Your home may be protected from wind or fire or other damages but you have to get flood coverage as a separate policy. Most flood insurance policies can be purchased for less than 500 dollars a year, not bad when you consider the alternative.
So remember, how important it is to prepare your home physically for the approaching storm, but the cost of flood restoration and flood debris removal can ruin you financially , so be prepared for that as well by purchasing flood insurance. Your biggest concern should be the physical well being of you and your family, let someone else worry about the financial concern. |
