INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE
Florida Press Office:听 (813) 480-6446, lynnem@iii.org
New York Press Office: (212) 346-5500, media@iii.org
TAMPA, FL, April 1, 2011 鈥 The spring months bring welcome rain, but they also can bring the kind of violent weather that many parts of Florida experienced this week. The 探花精选 Information Institute (I.I.I.) suggests that now is a good time to review your insurance coverage to know what to do before, during and after dangerous weather or a tornado hits.
Florida is not one of the states in the so-called 鈥渢ornado alley鈥 states, although 22 tornadoes did touchdown in 2010. Reports published by the U.S. Department of Commerce and National Weather Service counted 1,543 tornadoes in 2010, with 45 fatalities last year.
鈥淢arch, April and May are the months when Floridians should be most alert to twisters, although hurricane season also does bring tornado activity,鈥 said Lynne McChristian, Florida representative for the I.I.I. 鈥淯nlike hurricanes, tornadoes occur in almost every U.S. state.鈥 In fact, a study by Georgia Tech suggests that the size of a land-falling hurricane is correlated to an increase in potential tornadoes as storms move inland.
Standard homeowners and business insurance policies cover wind damage caused by tornadoes to the structure of the building and its contents. Homeowners insurance also traditionally provides for additional living expenses to pay for the costs of living away from home if your house is damaged severely by an insured disaster.
Damage to cars from a tornado is covered under the optional comprehensive portion of a standard auto insurance policy.
The I.I.I. recommends that you familiarize yourself with the following terms to help identify a tornado hazard:
- Tornado Watch: This means tornadoes are possible. Remain alert for approaching storms. Watch the sky and stay tuned to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio or television for information.
- Tornado Warning: A tornado has been sighted or indicated by weather radar. Take shelter immediately.
If a tornado watch has been issued, move cars inside a garage or carport to avoid damage from hail, which often accompanies tornadoes. Keep your car keys and house keys with you at all times.
Move lawn furniture and yard equipment, such as lawnmowers, inside. Otherwise they could be damaged or act as dangerous projectiles causing serious injury or damage.
Maintain an up-to-date inventory of all of your personal property. A home inventory will help you purchase enough insurance to replace your possessions and can help speed the claims process and substantiate losses for income tax purposes. To make this task simple, the I.I.I. offers free, Web-based software and information on how to create and store your inventory at .
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探花精选 Information Institute, 4775 E. Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33617, (813) 480-6446 | | www.iii.org