Hurricane season has arrived in South Carolina, and we want to make sure your family and home are safe and protected against any storms that may come our way. 

Because disaster can strike without much warning, getting prepared beforehand is vital to keeping your family safe. Until a hurricane is near, you may not know whether you'll need to leave or hunker down for a bad storm and beyond. Having supplies, options, and several plans in place will help ensure that your family can weather an emergency situation.  

Download the SC Emergency Manager App

The South Carolina Emergency Management Division has an excellent app that will let you receive updates, make an emergency plan, request help, and keep vital resources handy. It’s a great idea to install it early so you can be ready before a storm. 

Prepare essential supplies well in advance

It's critical to have enough supplies on hand in case of disaster, but preparing for the aftermath is just as important. Electricity and water could be out for a long time, so you need to be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least three days.

Essential supplies:

• Water & nonperishable food
• A full tank of gas
• Medicines & prescriptions
• Cash
• Extra batteries, chargers, and an emergency radio
• With COVID-19, it's also a good idea to have extra masks, hand sanitizer, soap & disinfectant wipes  

Make a plan (or a few plans) for what to do in case of an emergency

If you live in a hurricane evacuation zone, here are some tips to help plan what to do if you have to leave:

• Find a trusted source for evacuation orders & weather updates
• Have several options of where to go and plan how to get there
• Prepare a "grab and go" bag of emergency supplies
• Include pets and kids in your emergency plan
• Be prepared to leave immediately if an evacuation order is made

If you are given an order to evacuate, you could head to an emergency shelter or a friend or family member's house outside the area. If you live outside the evacuation zone in a well-built house, you may choose to stay at home during the storm. Know what your options are and make a few back up plans just in case.

Protect your home with an insurance check-up

Before a disaster, ask your insurance agent to check that your policies are up to date and able to cover any repairs after a big storm. 

• Review your homeowner's insurance policy & deductibles to ensure you have enough coverage
• Keep insurance docs handy to speed up any repairs or claims
• Check coverage on autos & boats, too. 

Remember, most standard home insurance policies don't cover flooding! If you want to add flood coverage, you need to plan well in advance of a storm. If South Carolina is in the projected path of a hurricane, insurance companies will suspend the ability to write new policies or add coverage. There is usually a 30-day waiting period for adding flood coverage, so it's critical to act sooner rather than later to protect your home.

Are your home and family ready in case of an emergency? Let us review your coverage before it's too late! Contact your agents at LW Short Insurance to schedule a policy review so we can keep your family above water during hurricane season and all year long.