Five safety tips to prepare for flooding

Flooding is a dangerous situation. As South Louisiana recovers from such a catastrophic flooding event, here are some safety tips that we all should keep in mind:

1. Tune into local alerts to get information about your area, what areas are safe to visit and if there are any dangers or warnings you need to be aware of.
2. Be careful when entering buildings, there may be damage that cannot be seen from the outside.
3. Stand on firm ground only; moving water can easily sweep you off your feet and standing water may be electrically charged from downed power lines.
4. Do not attempt to drive through areas that are still flooded, you may hit a mud patch and become stuck or hit a sudden hole and sink.
5. Photograph any damage to your property for insurance purposes.

When recovering from a disastrous flood, don’t forget to reach out to your insurance agent to document the damage and report any claims needed to recover and repair your property and belongings.

If you don’t have insurance, but live in an area that may potentially flood, buying flood insurance is a good idea, here’s why:

1. Flood losses are not typically covered under renter and homeowner’s insurance policies.
2. The sooner you can buy flood insurance the better because there is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect

How to get flood insurance for your home

Find out if your home or business is at risk for flood and educate yourself on the impact a flood could have on you, your family or your property. Then, talk to your insurance agent about your policy and determine if you need additional coverage.

To find out more about the flood safety, insurance and recovering from floods, visit www.FloodSmart.gov.