Insurance Fraud, Texas Hurricanes and Preparing Your Home: The Facts

In the midst of insurance fraud, Texas homeowners feel helpless after recent hurricane Ike. To avoid this sense of helplessness, it's important to both prepare your home, your family and your insurance defense for the worst

The biggest mistake that people make when it comes to a hurricane is not being prepared. Officials have emphasized that those who intend to stay in area where a hurricane will strike should be prepared to support themselves for a period of no less than 72 hours.

This means having sufficient amounts of food, water, medicine, fuel, and emergency supplies to keep themselves safe and as comfortable as possible following a hurricane. It is important to remember that you should not rely on tap water for your water needs, as in many cases this water may not be safe to drink or may not be working at all.

It is important to also realize that your food supply must be non-perishable. While this seems like common sense a large number of people depend on perishable food items during the short period of time immediately following a hurricane. Hundreds are taken ill each year after consuming food that had unknowing spoiled following a disaster.

Securing Your Home
The most important precaution that you can make to reduce damage to your property is to reinforce the areas where wind may enter your home. This process is often referred to as retrofitting. There are five main areas of most homes that have the greatest risk of being damaged and allowing the destructive forces of a hurricane to enter your home. These areas are the roof, straps, windows or shutters, doors and garage doors.

The Institute for Business and Home Safety has published A Homeowners Guide to Hurricane Retrofit that offers a how-to on how best to protect your home from the force of a hurricane.

Preparing your Insurance
Make sure you have insurance to cover wind, flood and any other hurricane damage. Once the storm has passed and it is safe to explore the damage to your home, take pictures of the damage and make special note of any damage that may be cleared away before the insurance adjuster comes. Millions are facing insurance fraud, Texas insurance companies are refusing pay-outs on legitimate claims. Do everything you can to insure your claim will be recognized, before and immediately following the storm. If the insurance company will not settle for an appropriate amount, find a reputable insurance fraud lawyer to help.

To learn more about retrofitting your home, insurance fraud, Texas claim attorneys and other hurricane information, visit http://www.insuranceclaimaid.com