HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Ahead of severe weather, it’s also a good time for Hawaii residents to brush up their insurance policies.
Waiting till the last minute when storms are near may already be too late.
Homeowners should start by reviewing their standard home policy and may want to tack on additional flood insurance.
According to DTRIC Insurance Vice President Mike Mishima, policyholders should also take an inventory of their belongings and note down what’s covered.
Mishima suggests going room to room and taking photos and videos of the items. It’s also best to be specific with them. For appliances, include the make & model.
If damage does occur, take photos and videos before clean up begins. This documentation is key for insurance companies when they process claims.
“Insurance companies are going to always ask for documentation so photographs are one of the best ways to document your claim,” Mishima said.
If storms are already targeting your area, the policy you have could be unchangeable for the time being.
“Some insurance companies, once the watch or warning is issued, they may issue a moratorium. What that means is that you won’t be able to make any changes on your existing policy or even try to get a policy while the moratorium is in place. So it’s important to know ahead of time — prepare for the hurricane season by taking a look at your policy, making sure that you have adequate limits or coverages for your property and your personal belongings,” Mishima said.
He also recommended protecting important documents by making sure they’re in secure, water tight storage.
These documents include birth certificates, social security cards, trust documents, and anything that might be hard to replace. Scanning these documents and storing them digitally is also another alternative.
If you do suffer storm damage, always best to reach out to your insurance company as soon as possible.
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