Insurance protection should be a part of disaster plan
Date: August 14th, 2009Source: Texas Department of Insurance (TDI)
The Texas Department of Insurance encourages you to take some time to refamiliarize yourself with your insurance policies and to address any questions with your agent or company.
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Make sure you have windstorm insurance. If your property is located in one of Texas’ 14 coastal counties, or parts of southeastern Harris County, your homeowners policy may not provide windstorm coverage. You may be able to obtain insurance coverage for windstorm or hail damage from a special insurance pool called the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). It’s important to note that you cannot buy or change TWIA coverage once a hurricane is in or near the Gulf of Mexico. If you currently have TWIA coverage, review your policy carefully and know your policy limits. Compare your TWIA and homeowners policies and determine whether you are insured to an appropriate replacement value.
For more information about windstorm coverage and inspection requirements, call your insurance agent or TWIA at (512) 899-4900, or visit its website at www.twia.org.
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Consider flood insurance. Homeowners and commercial property policies specifically exclude coverage for damage from flooding. To protect yourself from losses caused by rising water, you’ll need a separate flood insurance policy, typically from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). NFIP is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Flood insurance policies usually have a 30-day waiting period after the purchase date before coverage takes effect on currently owned property, so don’t wait until a flooding threat is imminent.
For more information about Flood Insurance, contact your insurance agent or NFIP at 1-888-FLOOD 29 (356-6329) or visit www.floodsmart.gov.