Source:  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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View Home Inventory Checklist (pdf)

Compare Sample Rates for Homeowner / Condo / Renter’s Insurance

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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.

Source:  Flu.gov

On March 13, 2008, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services launched PlanFirst, a regular Webcast series on pandemic planning. The goal of the PlanFirst Webcasts is to help states, local communities, employers, faith-based and civic organizations, and families and individuals learn more about pandemic planning.

The pandemic influenza PlanFirst Webcasts are brought to you by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

View PlanFirst Webcasts Page

Source:  Texas Forest Service

State lawmakers have allocated about $20 million in annual, additional funding for Texas Forest Service, allowing the agency to beef up volunteer fire departments’ capacity, as well as its own.That money includes $9 million per year for Texas Wildfire Protection Plan, a five-part approach to disaster response that focuses on predictive services, prevention and mitigation, planning and preparedness, local capacity building and rapid response.

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Source:  FEMA

History can be a great teacher. Texans can prepare for future hurricanes with attention to a personal evacuation route and communication plan.

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Source:  FEMA

Gulf Coast residents with special health care needs – including people who are disabled or medically fragile – should PLAN IN ADVANCE for storm season according to state and federal emergency management officials.

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Source:  FEMA

Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) urge businesses to plan now for future disasters. When the next flood or other disaster strikes, getting your company back to business quickly may depend on emergency planning done today.

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Source:  FEMA, The Institute for Business & Home Safety (DisasterSafety.org)

Restoring business is an important part of recovery from disasters. Businesses that plan for disaster before a storm typically have less damage, loss, and downtime than those that do not. It’s a good reason, according to federal and state officials, to include disaster preparations in the normal course of business planning.

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View Business Protection from DisasterSafety.org

View Pandemic Flu Business Assessment (PDF)

Sources: U.S. Fire Administration, FEMA

If you live in or near wildland areas, it is important to design and maintain your home and landscaping with wildfire safety in mind. If you follow simple steps to make your home fire safe inside and out, you not only reduce the threat to your property but you help protect your home and family, too.

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Source:  National Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN)

The first of 10 pilot programs for S-CAP (Strengthening Community Agrosecurity Planning) took place in Las Cruces, NM on January 13-15, 2009.

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Source:  The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and The Advertising Council

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Ready Campaign, in partnership with The Advertising Council, is introducing a series of new social media tools today to further engage Americans in taking steps to prepare for emergencies. The initiative is an extension of Resolve to be Ready in 2009, a nationwide effort designed to encourage individuals, families, businesses and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in 2009.

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