The Atlantic hurricane season officially starts on June 1. While Baton Rouge is several miles inland, it has had major storms pass through it and is always at risk of damage from hurricanes and tropical storms.
Predictions from two major universities, which several media outlets reported, suggest this hurricane season will be slightly below average in terms of the number of storms. However, these are only predictions.
Furthermore, all it takes to cause serious property damage is one major hurricane to hit the Louisiana Gulf Coast. In fact, even a weaker hurricane or a strong tropical storm can cause major damage given some other circumstances.
There are steps that Baton Rouge residents can take now in order to prepare for the upcoming season.
Even though we all hope that Louisiana does not experience any hurricanes this season, or ever, it is good not to be caught at the last minute unprepared.
One step is for Baton Rouge residents to make sure that their property has adequate insurance coverage on it. Otherwise, they may be responsible for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs.
As a word of caution, many insurance companies will suspend taking on additional business once a storm is approaching.
In the aftermath of a storm, you may need help collecting money for a re-build
After a storm, those who have insurance coverage have every right to expect that their insurance companies will be there for them to honor their contracts.
Unfortunately, the reality is that a property owner may find that they and their insurance carriers disagree about what the carrier has to cover and how much the carrier should pay.
The owner may be concerned that without their insurance company’s cooperation, they will be left in a bad financial situation. In the worst case, they may not be able to live in their home or operate their business.
Property owners have legal rights when they are dealing with an insurance company. If an insurance company violates the law when adjusting their claim, owners may even be able to recover compensation above and beyond even the limits of their policy.