As we've recently witnessed, natural disasters like hurricanes can strike at any time and decimate treasured home and possessions, leaving homeowners with nothing. But with a little planning and the proper homeowner's insurance, you can protect yourself, your family and your property.

Disaster Planning

In times of disaster, safeguarding loved ones is top priority. That's why it's essential to prepare an escape plan ahead of time and make sure your family knows what to do in the event of an emergency. Emergency phone numbers should also be reviewed with family members and posted somewhere (perhaps on the refrigerator) for easy access.

When it comes to protecting your valuable and hard-to-replace items, you can also plan ahead and protect them. Items like birth certificates, insurance policies, home inventories and other valuables should be placed in a safe deposit box during high risk seasons. That way, if your home suffers significant damage, your valuable items are out of the house.

Prevent and Circumvent

While most natural disasters can't be prevented, you can circumvent damages from disasters like wildfire, floods and mudslides by carrying out certain safety measures. Often times, damage can be minimized simply with smart landscaping.

If you live in a forested area, you can minimize your risk of wildfire damage by clearing all brush, shrubs, sticks and other debris from your property that could fuel a fire toward your home. "Fuelbreaks" like cement and gravel walk and driveways can also slow a fire's pathway toward your home.

If you live in an area prone to floods or mudslides from heavy rains or hurricanes, you can plan certain diversions for water through landscaping; sump pumps can also drive water away from your home. Furthermore, planting extra grass can "anchor" the soil after a flood or fire, which helps prevent ground erosion around your house.

Finding the Right Insurance

Of course, insuring your home from these perils is also an essential part of safeguarding your property. If you already have home insurance, you should talk to your agent and go over what's covered and what's not covered under your policy. Many homeowners are surprised to learn that flood and earthquake damages are not covered under standard policies. And with the large scope of damages these natural disasters can cause, you'll want to make sure you're adequately protected.

So how can you get extra coverage?

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a federal program through which you can purchase flood insurance. Most private insurers also sell additional flood and earthquake coverage.

If there are certain valuables that aren't covered under your standard policy, you can get coverage for those items by purchasing a rider. A rider is an extension to your home insurance policy which covers selected items.

When it comes to homeowner's insurance, knowing what you need to protect your property is the best way to save money—resulting in the cheap homeowner's insurance you want and the insurance coverage you need.

Take Action against Disasters

We can't control natural disasters, but we can plan, circumvent and insure against them. Develop a safety plan, prepare your home to withstand disasters and talk to your agent about finding the coverage you need. You'll rest easier knowing you're protected!

About InsureMe

Megan L. Mahan is a copywriter and insurance information expert with InsureMe in Englewood, Colorado. InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, health, life, long-term care and home insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, visit InsureMe.com

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