DJJ and National Preparedness Month: Flood Insurance and Financial Preparedness

September is the peak of Hurricane Season, when Georgia observes ‘National Preparedness Month’ to raise awareness for severe weather emergencies. National Preparedness Month (NPM) is promoted by the Department of Homeland Security to reminds us that we all must prepare ourselves and our families, now and throughout the year, by becoming familiar with the lifesaving lessons taught by the ‘Ready Campaign’.

This year’s National Preparedness Month focuses on emergency and disaster planning, with an overreaching theme: ‘Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How’. The Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) places special interest in the campaign because this state is no stranger to severe weather emergencies that can endanger us where we work and live.

Having a plan and knowing the appropriate actions to take during a disaster or emergency can provide life-saving help families for plan to ahead for unforeseeable disasters. In conjunction with National Preparedness Month, DJJ will cover several relevant topics this week, including Flood Insurance and Financial Preparedness.

DJJ expresses its appreciation to the Department of Homeland Security for sharing lifesaving information for this National Preparedness Month campaign.

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DJJ and National Preparedness Month: Flood Insurance and Financial Preparedness

Americans at all income levels have experienced the challenges of rebuilding their lives after a disaster or other emergency. During these stressful events, having access to personal, financial, medical, insurance and other records is crucial for kick-starting the process of recovery quickly and efficiently. Taking time now to collect and secure these critical records will provide you with peace of mind in an emergency, and ensure you have the documentation needed to start the recovery process without delay.

Having insurance for your home or business property is the best way to ensure you will have the necessary financial resources to help you repair, rebuild, or replace whatever is damaged. Document and insure your property now. Consider enrolling in the National Flood Insurance Program. Flooding can be an emotionally and financially devastating event, especially during hurricane season. Approximately 80% of households impacted by Hurricane Harvey did not have flood insurance. In fact, most homeowners and renters don’t realize until it’s too late that their insurance does not cover flood damage.

The National Flood Insurance Program aims to reduce the impact of flooding on private and public structures. It does this by providing affordable insurance to property owners, renters and businesses and by encouraging communities to adopt and enforce floodplain management regulations. These efforts help mitigate the effects of flooding on new and improved structures. Overall, the program reduces the socio-economic impact of disasters by promoting the purchase and retention of general risk insurance supplemented with flood insurance.

Watch this short informative video explaining the reasons why homeowners and renters need to rethink their insurance protection needs: https://www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/videos/165832

Important things to know:

• First find out if you live on a flood plain because these areas have a higher risk for catastrophic floods. 
• One inch of water can cause $25,000 in damages to your home.
• Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies do not cover flooding.
• It takes 30 days for a flood insurance policy to go into effect. Don’t wait until it’s too late.
• Snap photos of your property and personal belongings before the storm to help you file a quicker claim after a disaster. Keep electronic copies of all important documents.
• At least 25% of small businesses do not reopen after a disaster. Businesses also face major financial risks during major emergencies that ordinary insurance policies do not cover. Business owners need flood insurance too.  

Prepare now:

• Gather critical financial, personal, household, and medical information. Store in a secure location and create password-protected electronic copies. Don’t forget:
  • Vital records: birth, marriage and divorce certificates; adoption and child custody papers; passport, driver’s license, Social Security or green card, military service identification
  • Pet ownership papers and identification tags
  • Housing documents: deeds, leases or rental agreements, mortgages and home equity line of credit
  • Vehicle certificates: car loans, registration, title and VIN
  • Financial accounts: utility bills, credit cards, checking, savings, debit cards, investments, retirement, student loans, alimony, child support, elder care, automatic payments such as gym memberships
  • Insurance policies: homeowners, renters, auto, life, flood, appraisals, photos, and lists of valuable items
  • Sources of income: pay stubs, government benefits, alimony, child support
  • Tax statements: Federal and state income tax returns, property, vehicle and      ad valorem taxes
  • Estate planning: wills, trusts, power of attorney
  • Insurance lists: Health, vision and dental insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, VA health benefits
  • Medical information: medications, immunizations, allergies, prescriptions, medical devices and equipment, disabilities documentation, pharmacy information
  • Personal planning: Living will, medical power of attorney, caregiver agency contracts or service agreements
  • Contact information: doctors and specialists, dentists, pediatricians and veterinarians
• Consider banking away money in an emergency savings account designated for use 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.
• Obtain insurance for homeowners or renters: flood, health, and life insurance if you do not have them. Review the amount of coverage for existing policies to ensure what you already have in place meets your family needs for all possible hazards.  
• A disaster can disrupt mail service for days or weeks. If you depend on Social Security or other regular benefits, switching to electronic payments is a simple, dependable way to protect yourself financially before disaster strikes. It also eliminates the risk of stolen checks. The U.S. Department of the Treasury recommends two safer ways to get federal benefits:
  • Direct deposit to a checking or savings account. Federal benefit recipients can sign up by calling (800) 333-1795 or sign up online
  • The Direct Express® prepaid debit card is designed as a safe and easy alternative to paper