Working for the Policyholder
Help is Available!
Ike's 100 mph winds and 16 inches of rain hit the Texas coast on the morning of September 13, obliterateing thousands of homes and businesses, and raining sheets of glass shards down on the streets of Houston, the nation's fourth largest city.
Over a Hundred Thousand Insurance Claims have been filed, and many of those Policyholders would benefit from reprecentation by a Licensed Public Insurance Adjuster!
If you have suffered property damage or business interruption from Hurricane Ike, call 1-800-ADJUSTERS or find out more on how We can Help You.
1-800-ADJUSTERS
Hurricane Information
- Hurricane Categories
- 2008 Hurricane Names
- Know What a Watch or Warning Means
- Prepare a Personal Evacuation Plan
- Assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit
- How to Prepare for High Winds
- What to Do When a Hurricane Watch Is Issued
- What to Do When A Hurricane Warning Is Issued
- Insurance preparedness
- Hurricane Aftermath
Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30th.
CAT 1 Winds of 74-95 MPH (Storm Surge of 4-5 feet)
CAT 2 Winds of 96-110 MPH (Storm Surge of 6-8 feet)
CAT 3 Winds of 111-130 MPH (Storm Surge of 9-12 feet)
CAT 4 Winds of 131-155 MPH (Storm Surge of 13-18 feet)
CAT 5 Winds greater than 155 MPH (Storm Surge of 18+ feet)
ArthurBerthaCristobalDollyEdouardFayGustavHannaIke- Josephine
- Kyle
- Laura
- Marco
- Nana
- Omar
- Paloma
- Rene
- Sally
- Teddy
- Vicky
- Wilfred
WATCH: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the WATCH, usually within 36 hours.
WARNING: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the WARNING, usually within 24 hours.
Identify ahead of time where you could go if you are told to evacuate. Choose several places -- a friend's home in another town, a motel, or a shelter.
Keep handy the telephone numbers of these places as well as a road map of your locality. You may need to take alternative or unfamiliar routes if major roads are closed or clogged.
Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for evacuation instructions and Hurricane information. If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
Take these items with you when evacuating:
Prescription medications and medical supplies;
Bedding and clothing, including sleeping bags and pillows
Bottled water, battery-operated radio and extra batteries, first aid kit, flashlight
Car keys and maps
Documents, including driver's license, Social Security card, proof of residence, insurance policies, wills, deeds, birth and marriage certificates, tax records, etc.
First aid kit and essential medications.
Canned food and can opener.
At least three gallons of water per person.
Protective clothing, rainwear, and bedding or sleeping bags.
Battery-powered radio, flashlight, and extra batteries.
Special items for infants, elderly, or disabled family members.
Written instructions on how to turn off electricity, gas and water if authorities advise you to do so. (Remember, you'll need a professional to turn them back on.)
Install hurricane shutters or purchase pre cut 1/2" outdoor plywood boards for each window of your home.
Install anchors for the plywood and pre drill holes in the plywood so that you can put it up quickly.
Make trees more wind resistant by removing diseased and damaged limbs, then strategically removing branches so that wind can blow through.
Listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.
Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use pre cut plywood as described above. Note: Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, so taping windows is not recommended.
Fill your car's gas tank.
Recheck manufactured home tie-downs.
Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water, and medications.
If a storm should strike your area, many friends will be looking for status on you and your home. Designate one person to email (or call) your friends with your status.
Get a list of all contractors (roofers, General Contractors, yard clean up, etc.). If you have a maintenance contract with them, ask to be contacted so you can be first on the list.
Be sure to have a cell phone and purchase an extra battery just in case. If a Hurricane should strike your area, your phone service may be out for weeks, or longer. Cell phone service will probably be affected, but it may be your only source of communication.
Purchase a generator, as you'll probably need temporary electric. Be sure to get several gas cans to fill the generator often. You may want to test the generator beforehand and make sure you have to proper extension cords to run your refrigerator, etc.
Take photos of you home, business, and personal property (a video may be best). You may want to mail these photos (or email) them to a relative, in case your home is flooded. Or, keep important documents in a watertight safe, or put them in Ziploc bags in a safe place (not in the attic or near windows). These documents should include insurance papers, photos of your property before the storm, licenses, credit cards, etc.
Make a copy of your Insurance Policy and mail it to a distant relative. This should include the number to call if you have to place a claim. Unfortunately, if your home is destroyed, so will your documents.
A storm surge is a large dome of water, 50 to 100 miles wide, that sweeps across the coastline near where a hurricane makes landfall. It can be more than 15 feet deep at its peak. The surge of high water topped by waves is devastating. Along the coast, storm surge is the greatest threat to life and property.
Hurricane winds not only damage structures, but the barrage of debris they carry is quite dangerous to anyone unfortunate enough (or unwise enough!) to be caught out in them. Damaging winds begin well before the hurricane eye makes landfall.
 |
 |
 |
Tropical cyclones frequently produce huge amounts of rain, and flooding can be a significant problem, particularly for inland communities. A typical hurricane brings at least 6 to 12 inches of rainfall to the area it crosses. The resulting floods cause considerable damage and loss of life, especially in mountainous areas where heavy rains mean flash floods and can also result in devastating mudslides.
Tornadoes spawned by land falling hurricanes can cause enormous destruction. As a hurricane moves shoreward, tornadoes often develop on the fringes of the storm.
These hazards can bring other consequences not directly related to the storm. For example, hurricane-related deaths and injuries are often the result of fires started by candles used when the electricity fails. Heart attacks and accidents frequently occur during the clean-up phase. And depending on the industrial facilities in your area, hurricane damage might cause chemical spills that could make the disaster even worse.
Keep listening to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for instructions.
If you've evacuated, only return once Officials tell you to do so.
Inspect you home, not just for obvious hurricane damage, but for hidden damage (unsafe structure, etc.)
Use flashlights in the dark; do not use candles.
Allow the professional Public Adjuster to document your damage, estimate your loss, and negotiate your hurricane damage claim to your insurance carrier. A professional knows how to call in your claim and how to present your claim. The initial presentation of your claim is vital to your claims' success. Call 1-800-ADJUSTERS for immediate assistance with your Hurricane loss.