Tornado Season Has Arrived - Are You Ready?
April 4, 2008
INDIANAPOLIS – With the peak of tornado season upon us, the Insurance Institute of Indiana would like to remind Hoosiers to prepare themselves for disasters.
Indiana, located in the midst of Tornado Alley, is no stranger to dangerous tornadoes. In Indiana tornados typically occur from mid-March until June, with the peak of tornado season March through May. With 2008 being a La Nina year, the strange weather gave tornado season an earlier than normal jumpstart. A fatal tornado ripped through southwestern Indiana in January, killing four.
Mobile homes are especially vulnerable targets during tornadoes. Extra precaution and planning should be practiced for those living in mobile home communities. The following are tips to consider if you are among those living in these communities:
- Have a plan determined before hand, so you and your family will know what to do when a tornado watch is issued.
- When dangerous weather is approaching, be sure to stay tuned to a local news station. Last year Indiana passed a law mandating the installation of NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards public alert radios, which provide immediate broadcasts of severe weather warnings and civil emergency messages.
- Designate a safety shelter for you and you family. Since mobile homes are easily tossed or destroyed during a tornado, you should find an alternate shelter. As a last resort, lie down in a ditch or depression or culvert. If a shelter is not available in your park, ask for one or choose a park that has a shelter.
In addition to creating a plan for your family, designating a shelter area, and staying tuned-in to your local news or radio station, the following tips will ensure that you are prepared if your home is damaged by a tornado:
- Read your homeowner’s insurance policy so that you are aware of what is covered.
- Document your belongings with a home inventory list. You can obtain a list from the Institute’s Web site newsroom at
www.insuranceinstitute.org.
Have your insurance company’s contact information ready, in case you have to report a claim.
Check with your insurance provider to see if there are additional resources that may be available to you, such as a home inventory list or disaster planning kit.
The Insurance Institute of Indiana is a non-profit trade association representing insurance companies in the state of Indiana. Its ultimate purpose is to create and maintain a business, legislative and public awareness climate in Indiana that promotes the continued success of the insurance segment in the free enterprise system. Visit us on the web at
www.insuranceinstitute.org.
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