Insured catastrophe losses in the United States for 2011 totaled $35.9 billion, significantly surpassing the average of $23.8 billion for the years 2000 to 2010. The truth is – we usually don’t pay attention to things until they are in “Crisis Mode”. We either don’t think or have the time to do what we should, or we feel that “this is never going to affect me.”
Disasters lurking! Having an up-to date – inventory will assist you and support your insurance claim. Your claim will be settled faster, verify loss on your Tax Returns and purchase the correct type of insurance. A Professional Inventory Specialist will work with you and list all of your possessions, describing every item, where bought, for how much, make and model, etc. Support evidence such as sales receipts, purchase and appraisal’s with serial numbers and photograph of each item in detail makes assessing a loss far more accurate.
With the services of a Professional Inventory company, the Insurance Adjuster can limit emotional distress, apprehension and worry. I have learned that time after time that reclamation and renewal were required and the effect of having an inventory and acquiring a Professional House Sitter who knows what’s going on, how to address issues and keeps me and my client’s homes secure and safe.
If you had an inventory, and a disaster or any loss does happen, your initial claim can be quickly submitted within 24-36 hours … and the more information you provide. Having this documentation you typically recover 20%+ more when settling an insurance claim.
Being unprepared can cause us to go through anguish, self-pity, frustration and anger, because after the fact it is almost impossible to change what was. We do have the ability to prevent loss before it happens. There were over 98 million property crimes in 2011. The summer months (June, July, August and September), have the most property crimes, followed by December, according to an FBI analysis based on 2009 data.
Claims due to Hurricane Sandy, are likely to be close to $25 billion. The cost would have been higher but for the fact that a large portion of the damage was due to the storm surge and subsequent flooding which is not covered by standard homeowner’s insurance policies.
Flooding which is not covered by standard homeowner’s insurance is the most common natural. Coverage for floods is available from the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program. Future Natural Catastrophe Losses affecting the coast will escalate in the coming years, because of vast increases in land development. Data from the Census Bureau, collected by USA Today show that in 2006, 34.9 million people were seriously threatened by Atlantic hurricanes, compared with 10.2 million in 1950.
The population along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf coasts grew from 47 million in 1960 to 87 million in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and the number of housing units grew from 16 million to 36 million during this time. The increase was greatest along the Gulf Coast, at 246 percent, followed by 130 percent along the Pacific and 98 percent along the Atlantic.
Exposure to windstorms and high property values combine to make Florida the state with the highest potential for losses and New York’s Long Island the second highest. A 2007 study by AIR Worldwide put the value of insured coastal property in hurricane-prone states (states bordering on the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico) at $8.89 trillion. The value of residential and commercial coastal property in Florida alone was almost $2.46 trillion. This represented 79 percent of the state’s total insured property values. In New York it was $2.38 trillion, representing 62 percent of the total. Other states where insured coastal property values exceeded 50 percent of the state’s total are Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts.
Wildfires have burned over 2 Million acres in 2011. These occurrences were in places like Florida, California, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, and Arkansas.
Tornadoes. Each year, about 1,200 tornadoes, with gusts of wind as high as 200 mph, touchdown in the United States.
It only takes one occurrence to change your life forever. Take positive action to alleviate the agony, frustration and fear. Don’t wait – Now is the time to act!
All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed