How To Prepare Your Car For Hurricane Season

As soon as hurricane season comes along there is always a flood of information about what to do in the case of a hurricane and how to protect your home if one is on the way. Often times people get so wrapped up in protecting their home that they forget about protecting their vehicles. You've likely got full coverage on your home, but very few people have replacement cost on their auto insurance.

In fact, who would actually be the one to pay out if your vehicle was damaged in a hurricane while parked in the garage? And how can you prepare for possible damages? Keep reading to find out:

Comprehensive Coverage

First up, your car is only going to be covered by your auto insurance. Comprehensive is colloquially referred to as "comp and collision" most of the time, but these are two very different types  coverage that can have differing deductibles. Comprehensive coverage will insure you against everything collision will not, in other words, if you didn't crash into it then it falls under comprehensive. That means that if your car is damaged in a natural disaster, like a hurricane, you'll be covered as long as you're not carrying liability only. 

Preventative measures

• Verify coverage - As outlined above, you'll definitely want to make sure you've got comprehensive coverage on your car before disaster strikes. It's also a good idea to review your coverage anyway just so you know what your deductibles are and double check to make sure you aren't missing any coverage you might have missed the first time around. 
• Fuel up - If you've never been in a hurricane before then you've never had to sit for 8 hours or longer in the blistering heat while you and half the town tries to pump gas out of the only gas station in town that's got it. Don't get caught in this position. Stock up on fuel and don't be afraid to buy a few gas cans and fill them, too.
• Park in a safe spot - Ideally you'll want to park inside your garage where your vehicle is safe from wind-borne debris, but if you don't have that luxury then you'll want to park in a spot that's as clear from limbs and other objects that could be used as a missile-projectile. 
• Photo evidence - Sometimes accidents happen no matter how much time you spend preventing them from happening. Make sure your take photos of your car prior to the hurricane so you can use it as proof of condition if a claim does end up needing to be filed. 

As with most things in life, being prepared and taking preventative steps will help you the most. As long as you stay on top of your car insurance policy, stock up on fuel, and make sure your car isn't an easy target for wind-borne debris, you shouldn't have anything to worry about this hurricane season.

Contact a company like Randy Yates Insurance Agency to learn more.