Everyone at all income levels have experienced the challenges of rebuilding their lives after a disaster or other emergency. In these stressful circumstances, having access to personal financial, insurance, medical, and other records is crucial for starting the process of recovery quickly and efficiently. Taking the time now to collect and secure these critical records will give you peace of mind and, in the event of an emergency, will ensure that you have the documentation needed to start the recovery process without delay. More: http://ready.gov/september #LastingLegacy
- Gather financial and critical personal, household, and medical information.
- Consider saving money in an emergency savings account that could be used in any crisis. Keep a small amount of cash at home in a safe place. It is important to have small bills on hand because ATM’s and credit cards may not work during a disaster when you need to purchase necessary supplies, fuel or food.
Web Resources
- Sign up for alerts.
- The Emergency Financial First Aid Kit (EFFAK), a joint publication from Operation Hope and FEMA, can help you prepare financially and provides tips to reduce the financial impact of disasters on you and your family.
- For more information on the EFFAK visit the EFFAK Community Page.
- Check your insurance coverage.
- Visit Floodsmart.gov to learn more about flood insurance and how to protect your home or business
- Plan financially for the possibility of disaster
- Financial Preparedness Graphics
- Financial Preparedness Graphics (Spanish)
- Safeguard Critical Documents and Valuables in English or Additional Languages. This guide includes a checklist to help you prepare your documents should you need to file an insurance claim after a disaster.
- Document and Insure Your Property in English or Additional Languages Disasters are a matter of when, not if. Make sure you’re prepared by documenting your property and ensuring that you have the insurance coverage you need.
- Obtain or review existing policies (property, health, and life insurance) for the amount and extent of coverage to ensure that what you have in place is what is required for you and your family for all possible hazards.
- Flood Insurance: Homeowners insurance does not typically cover flooding, so you may need to purchase flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program.
- Earthquakes: Lessons learned from the aftermath of disasters have revealed, time and again, that you can effectively manage risk and recover faster after a disaster if you have insurance. However, the increase in insurance premiums has made coverage hard to get in many areas, contributing to the decrease of insurance covering seismic claims. https://www.fema.gov/emergency-managers/risk-management/earthquake/insurance
- Traditional earthquake insurance covers damage caused by an earthquake by insuring “pure loss.” That means they will assess the value of the items lost and reimburse you for that specific amount – this amount will be different for different people.
- Parametric insurance is a relatively new approach that insures policyholders against specific events by using parameters (set criteria that applies to everyone) to determine the cost of the damage.
Payments are triggered if set parameters agreed on in the contract are met (for example, when an earthquake meets or exceeds a certain ground shake intensity) and a third party verifies them.
Social Media Posts
- Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance does not cover flood damage. Learn more about flood insurance at FloodSmart.gov #FloodSmart #PreparedNotScared
- Snap photos of important documents and personal belongings to help you quickly file an insurance claim after a flood. https://youtu.be/i3MfRpND5gk#LastingLegacy
- Start talking with your children early about money. Include kids in discussions about saving for a disaster. Get ideas for how to involve them at ready.gov/kids #YouthPrep #PreparedNotScared
- 30 Days: The number of days it takes for most flood insurance policies to go into effect. Don’t wait until it’s too late! For more information visit: FloodSmart.gov #PrepareNow #LastingLegacy
- Are you financially prepared for a natural disaster? Learn how to make a plan with @CFPB’s tips: https://go.usa.gov/xPbJv #LastingLegacy
- What important documents should you have for an emergency? Download the Emergency Financial First Aid Kit, which will walk you through the planning process: https://go.usa.gov/xypkQ #PreparedNotScared
- Plan ahead: how will you pay your bills if a disaster strikes? #PrepareNow with the help of these tips and free resources: ready.gov/financial-preparedness #LastingLegacy
- According to the Federal Reserve, 40% of Americans don't have $400 in savings. What will you do if there is a disaster! Learn tips to become more financially prepared: www.ready.gov/financial-preparedness #PreparedNotScared
- Keep some cash on hand in case of emergencies, since ATMs and credit card readers won’t always be available. Cash can help pay for immediate expenses like lodging, food and gas. Learn more: ready.gov/financial-preparedness #LastingLegacy
- Set aside a small amount from each paycheck to go into your savings account. Find more tips to help you manage your money to be prepared for the unexpected: https://www.usa.gov/flec #LastingLegacy
