Homeowners should prepare their homes for high winds. Meaning bring in lawn furniture, grills, anything that could fly and damage your home.

Russ Dubisky, executive director of the SCIA also suggests cutting dead trees.

“Limbs that are hanging over the house, you’ll want to take care of those now when you have time to do so before the storm becomes imminent,” says Dubisky. “Dead trees, go out and survey those. See if you can get those taken down before it’s too late. We see a lot of wind damage  with wind speeds and gust. That can impact your home.”

When it comes to your actual policy, take it with you if you evacuate and have your claim number, insurance information and agent’s number available.

“Taking a home inventory so the contents within your home, you have photographic evidence or some sort of detailed report of how many pots and pans you have, how many plates you have,” says Dubisky. “Things that we don’t think about when you walk into your home that might be hard to recall for memory when you’re not there.”

It’s important to understand what all is covered in your home insurance plan. South Carolina, wind damage is covered in most plans.

However, you will need a separate plan for flood insurance.

Unfortunately it is too late to get flood insurance ahead of hurricane Irma. Most plans have a 30-day wait period before they kick in.

By Loren Thomas

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