Hurricane Preparedness Checklist.

Protecting Your Home, Property, and Family Before the Storm

By Bancroft Risk Intelligence

For owners of distinctive homes, hurricane preparation involves more than installing shutters and bringing outdoor furniture inside. A significant residence may include custom construction, valuable interiors, art and collections, sophisticated technology, generators, vehicles, watercraft, secondary structures, and other assets that require thoughtful preparation.

Preparation should begin before a storm is approaching. Taking time to understand your property, document your possessions, review your insurance protection, and establish a response plan can make the period before—and potentially after—a hurricane considerably easier to navigate.

Before Hurricane Season

Start with a complete review of your property and insurance program. Confirm that your homeowners coverage accurately reflects the residence, including significant renovations, additions, upgraded finishes, detached structures, and other improvements.

Review applicable deductibles and understand how your policy addresses hurricane, wind, flood, and water-related losses. These exposures may not all be covered in the same manner or under the same policy.

For clients with multiple residences, automobiles, watercraft, valuable articles, or other significant assets, this is also an appropriate time to consider whether the overall insurance program remains coordinated.

Maintain current copies of important insurance documents and contact information in a secure location that can be accessed even if you cannot immediately return to the property.

Document Your Residence

A detailed record of your property can be extremely valuable following a significant loss.

Photograph or video the interior and exterior of the residence, including individual rooms, furnishings, appliances, electronics, custom finishes, outdoor living areas, landscaping, garages, and accessory structures.

Pay particular attention to higher-value possessions such as:

Fine art · Jewelry · Watches · Collectibles · Wine · Designer furnishings · Antiques · Electronics · Sporting equipment

Maintain receipts, appraisals, serial numbers, photographs, and other ownership documentation when available.

Consider storing copies digitally or in another secure location rather than relying exclusively on records kept inside the residence.

Prepare the Property

Before a hurricane threatens the area, inspect the components intended to protect the building envelope.

Confirm that impact-rated windows and doors, shutters, garage doors, roof systems, drainage components, and other protective features are in appropriate condition.

Trim vulnerable vegetation and remove loose objects that could become airborne during high winds. Secure outdoor furniture, umbrellas, planters, decorative objects, grills, recreational equipment, and other exterior items.

If the residence has a generator, test it before it is needed and follow the manufacturer's requirements for operation and maintenance.

Owners of waterfront properties should also consider docks, lifts, seawalls, exterior equipment, and watercraft as part of their preparation plan.

When a Storm Is Approaching

Do not wait until the final hours to begin preparing.

Secure the residence according to your hurricane plan and follow evacuation instructions issued by appropriate authorities.

Charge phones and backup power devices. Prepare medications, identification, insurance information, essential documents, emergency supplies, and necessary items for family members and pets.

Move valuable or vulnerable possessions away from windows and areas susceptible to water intrusion when practical.

Take new photographs and video immediately before the storm to document the property's pre-loss condition.

Vehicles and Watercraft

Move automobiles and collector vehicles to an appropriate protected location when possible.

For watercraft, preparation will depend on the vessel, storage arrangement, marina requirements, and expected conditions. Owners should establish a hurricane plan well before a storm is approaching and follow applicable marina, manufacturer, and professional guidance.

Keep registration, insurance, photographs, identification numbers, and other important vessel documentation accessible.

After the Storm

Safety comes first. Do not enter a property that may have structural, electrical, fire, flooding, or other hazards until it is safe to do so.

Once conditions permit, photograph and video damage before cleanup or permanent repairs begin.

Document affected areas thoroughly. Preserve damaged property when reasonably possible and maintain records of emergency expenses and temporary protective measures.

Take reasonable steps to prevent additional damage when it is safe to do so, while avoiding permanent repairs or disposal of important evidence before discussing the loss with the appropriate insurance professionals.

Keep a written record of communications, photographs, estimates, invoices, receipts, and other documents associated with the loss.

Your Insurance Program Is Part of Your Hurricane Plan

Physical preparation is only one part of hurricane readiness.

A well-prepared private client should also understand how the different components of their insurance program respond to potential losses—including the residence, contents, valuables, vehicles, watercraft, liability exposures, and other significant assets.

Insurance needs can change as properties are renovated, assets are acquired, values increase, or lifestyles evolve. Periodic review helps identify whether the protection originally arranged still reflects what exists today.

The Bancroft Perspective

At Bancroft Private Risk, we believe preparedness is part of protection.

Our role extends beyond placing insurance. We help clients consider the broader picture, understand their exposures, organize their protection, and prepare for the circumstances in which that protection may ultimately matter most.

Before the storm, preparation matters. After the storm, documentation matters. Throughout the process, advocacy matters.

Hurricane Preparedness Checklist

Before hurricane season:

✓ Review insurance policies and hurricane/wind deductibles

✓ Review flood protection separately

✓ Update property and valuable-item inventories

✓ Photograph the residence inside and outside

✓ Update appraisals and important documentation

✓ Inspect shutters and other hurricane protection

✓ Test generators and backup systems

✓ Establish plans for vehicles and watercraft

✓ Secure digital copies of insurance documents

✓ Prepare family, pet, evacuation, and communication plans

Before the storm:

✓ Secure exterior objects

✓ Protect windows, doors, and vulnerable openings

✓ Charge communication and backup devices

✓ Move vulnerable valuables when practical

✓ Photograph the property's pre-storm condition

✓ Follow official emergency and evacuation instructions

After the storm:

✓ Prioritize personal safety

✓ Document damage before cleanup

✓ Prevent additional damage when safely possible

✓ Preserve receipts and damaged property where appropriate

✓ Keep detailed records of expenses and communications

✓ Contact the appropriate insurance professionals promptly

BANCROFT PRIVATE RISK  

Protection Beyond the Policy.

This material is provided for general educational purposes and does not constitute insurance, legal, appraisal, or claims advice. Insurance coverage, limits, exclusions, valuation provisions, documentation requirements, and claims procedures vary by policy, insurer, and individual circumstances. Consult the appropriate insurance and valuation professionals regarding your specific needs.